Okay, so. We have an unknown amount of bandits, with unknown resources. Probably a dozen bandits, with deserter's gear. Probably have an operational walker, although what sort we don't know- could be a converted merchant walker, just a tub of rust with a few guns hastily soldered on, could be a heavy duty anti-walker walker.
We have a fairly significant amount of weaponry- nothing really 'heavy', but enough that we three trained warriors could possibly take on a dozen bandits alone, if we had the advantage somehow. We also have a Strider, which could easily mow through any number of bandits so long as they don't have (time to deploy) anti-walker weaponry. It would have a much harder time taking out an enemy walker, though.
We know that the bandits have their base somewhere in the hills to the north east, and attack merchants passing through this area. No doubt the bandits know the lie of the land.
Given this, we have two plans:
Plan 1: Head blindly into the hills, hoping to come across the bandits. Use skirmishing tactics with the Strider to weaken them, before charging in when they are weak to finish them off.
Plan 2: Disguise the strider as a slow moving, unarmed/armoured walker designed for transporting goods- a merchant's walker, rich picking for the bandits. We then make our way slowly along the road out of town, possibly boasting loudly about what amazing profits this cargo of tea will bring us. When the bandits attack us, we play the 'terrified merchant' card until they let their guard down, then we untie a single knot and the whole disguise falls away, revealing the strider- fore guns lined up with the enemy strider (if they have one), rear gun ready to mow down bandits. The combined fire of both fore guns should do enough damage to the enemy strider to cripple it. The element of surprise should allow us a flawless victory.
Now, Plan 1 could work. But we may get injured, or we may never find the bandits, and all in all it would involve a long hike through rough terrain followed by a messy, dangerous skirmish. I prefer Plan 2, which in my mind has a high chance of not only succeeding, but also of involving minimal injuries. Plus, the villagers might be willing to let us keep the disguise, and we could use the crates to store tea in.