been playing Brytenwalda for past few hours. It is an amazing mod, reminds me of europa barbarium for RTW. Similar subject matter, similar crash rate (done me 3 times so far) and similar effect on my interest in the original game. Brytenwalda is much harder than vanilla. I charched about 17 deserter archers with 25+ men, mostly skirmishers, spearmen, and a few axemen. Big mistake, good archers do close to realisitc damage. We had to run through four volleys to reach them, i lost about 4-5men on each volley. When the last 6ish of us them we got mobbed.
Much less cavary much more sheild wall. A sheild is possibly your most important bit of kit. The game might change when your richer and have lands, income etc, but at the bandit fighting level its very hit and miss. Ive lost quite a few battles and been taken prisoner. Managed to get what looks like one of the best armours in the game in loot tho, But i cant use it yet because my strengths not high enough.
as for the discussion of vanilla companions the evil ones are (i think); Rolf, Borcha, Basirher (cant remember how to spell his damn name,) and that nord chick whose name also escapes me. Neutral ones are; Nizar, Artimmer, and Lezit. All these guys get along well, so i recommend recruiting all of them. Marid can also be ok, he gets along with most of them, but the other good guys will be at odds with them, and also you if you commit murder or rob caravans.