Bleeding Blades Guide: Getting started on the battlefield
About
OverviewBleeding Blades is a multiplayer slasher set across real historical battlefields, from ancient Greece to the Hundred Years' War, with up to 70 players fighting at once. Weapons are limited to the pre-gunpowder era — swords, spears, bows, and crossbows — and the game is still in beta, so expect changes as it develops. This guide covers how to fight effectively, what the combat system lets you do, and how to work toward the game's badges.
What is on this page
Contents
Getting started on the battlefield
Step
Bleeding Blades drops you into large-scale battles with up to 70 players on maps drawn from real history. The game is inspired by Mount & Blade, Mordhau, and Chivalry 2, so it plays more like a grounded historical fighter than a fantasy hack-and-slash. Getting comfortable with the basics first makes the deeper combat mechanics much easier to pick up.
- Pick your view switch between first-person and third-person to find what works best for you in each situation.
- Choose your weapon range melee weapons like swords and spears close distance, while bows and crossbows let you hang back.
- No gunpowder every weapon in the game predates firearms, so adjust your playstyle accordingly.
- Read the map current featured battles include Thermopylae, Milvian Bridge, Orleans, the Battle of the Herrings, and Agincourt, each with different terrain.
- Accept the beta bugs and balance issues exist right now; when you spot one, report it on the official community server via the game's socials.
The full range of combat moves
Tips
Most players stick to standard swings, but the game has a much wider toolkit. Learning even two or three of these techniques gives you a real edge over opponents who only know how to slash.
- Aim for the head — a headshot kill is one of the game's recognised achievements, so it does matter where your shot or strike lands.
- Chamber an attack — timing a chamber against an incoming strike deflects it and opens your opponent up for a counter.
- Break shields first — destroying an opponent's shield removes their main defence before you commit to a finishing blow.
- Use the crossbow at range — it is a confirmed kill method and useful when you want to stay out of melee.
- Kick and punch — bare-fist punches and kicks both count as valid kill methods, useful in a pinch when you have no weapon ready.
- Throw things — both your helmet and other throwable objects on the field can be hurled at enemies for a kill.
Badges worth chasing and what they teach you
Table
The badges below are ones any player can still earn. Several limited badges tied to specific launch events are permanently closed, so they are not listed here.
| Badge | How to earn it | Skill it builds |
|---|---|---|
| First Mark | Kill an enemy with a headshot | Precision aiming |
| Parry the Platypus | Chamber an opponent's attack | Defensive timing |
| Shieldless | Destroy an opponent's shield | Targeting and aggression |
| Bolted | Kill an enemy with a crossbow | Ranged combat |
| THIS IS SPARTA! | Kill an enemy by kicking them | Unarmed situational awareness |
| Brutal | Kill an enemy by punching them | Close-quarters pressure |
| Hats off to you! | Kill an enemy by throwing your helmet at them | Improvised throwables |
| Bonk | Kill an enemy with a throwable object | Field object awareness |
| Looter | Pick up any harmless object on the field | Map exploration |
| A Thousand Souls | Reach a total of 1,000 kills | Long-term consistency |
Playing smart in a beta game
Warn
Bleeding Blades is openly labelled as incomplete, and the developers say everything is subject to change. That affects how you should think about progress and strategy right now.
Glossary
Glossary- Chamber
- A defensive move where you time an input against an incoming attack to deflect it and create a window for a counter-strike.
- Headshot
- A hit landed on an enemy's head, recognised by the game as a distinct kill type and required for the First Mark badge.
- Shield break
- Destroying an opponent's shield during a fight, leaving them without their main line of defence.
- Beta
- An early public version of the game that is still in development, meaning bugs, balance problems, and major changes are all possible.
- Slasher
- A game genre built around melee combat with bladed or blunt weapons, emphasising skill in attack and defence timing.
Common questions
FAQCan I use guns or any modern weapons?
No. The game's timeline sits between Antiquity and the Medieval period, and gunpowder weapons are explicitly excluded. Every weapon you will find is from that pre-firearm era — swords, spears, bows, and crossbows.
How many players can be in one battle?
Up to 70 players can join a single session.
Which battles are available to play right now?
The featured battles are Thermopylae, Milvian Bridge, Orleans, the Battle of the Herrings, and Agincourt. The developers have said more are planned.
Are the limited badges still obtainable?
No. Badges tied to specific launch events — such as those for the Siege of Halicarnassus, Battle of the Herrings, Siege of Orleans, and the 2021 Halloween and 2023 Easter updates — are permanently closed. Only the standard badges listed in the table above can still be earned.
Game updates can change what is on this page. If you spot something, get in touch and let us know.
