The system
The five-point star
Attacks come from five directions plus the stab; the star on screen is where your next blow lands. Enemies block the direction they see; feint by moving the star as you swing.
Perfect block and master strike
Block at the green shield for a perfect block. Once Bernard has taught you the master strike (a mock duel, with Sword, Mace or Axe at 3 or higher), a block timed to the start of the enemy’s attack becomes a master strike — a counter that ends most duels. It is the single reason to go back to Rattay.
Combos
Sequences of directions that end in a special blow. Bernard teaches them; the training yard is the only place to practise without dying.
Clinch
Two swords locked; the stronger man wins and gets a free hit. Strength decides it, so early Henry loses every one — back off instead of pushing.
Stamina
Every action spends it; at zero you take full damage and cannot swing. Hunger, injuries and heavy armour lower the maximum.
Armour
Layers: shirt, gambeson, mail, plate, plus coif and helmet. Blunt through plate, cuts against cloth. Mail is disputed: the Kingdom Come wiki says stabs pierce it fairly easily; EliteGuias, that it resists cuts and stabs alike, and points to maces, war hammers and axes. Weapon choice is armour reading.
The weapons
| Class | Best against | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Longsword / short sword | Cloth; against mail, see Armour | Fast, master strikes, the duelling weapon |
| Mace | Plate | Slow, and the answer to armoured knights |
| Axe | Armour, like the mace (high blunt damage) | Bleeding; heavier than it looks |
| Bow | Anyone at a distance | No reticle on purpose; the range in Rattay teaches it |
| Unarmed | Drunks and tourney bouts | The first fights of the game, and the Rattay tourney |
Still to verify
Cross-checked on 17 September 2026 against Warhorse’s own combat descriptions, the Kingdom Come wiki’s combat and Bernard pages and PowerPyx’s trophy list for the combat trophies; the tactics are the guides’, not from a playthrough. Not from a playthrough: checked against the sources above. Still to confirm in-game. Re-checked on 1 October 2026 against the combat pages of EliteGuias and Vandal.