EndreWhiteMane: Thanks for that, sounds like a lot of fun. ;)
It is a lot of fun. One of the first games I grabbed when I got back into PC gaming (ironically enough, one of the others was Witcher 2 - BEFORE I joined GoG LOL). I had tried an open Beta of Mount and Blade back when my computer couldn't run it - ran like a slideshow. At the time I was doing more console gaming. I like to joke that in one way or another, I had played Mount and Blade on and off for 10 years ;) In reality I just gave M&B Warband I good run a few years back, but it sounds better the first way ;)
The game should seem a bit "same-y" and lacking in direction, but in reality it's a lot of fun. You're really just wandering an open map, directing your own story as you see fit and doing a lot of the same stuff, but developing your character, followers and army provided more than enough for me to have a great time with the game. I'd be curious of your impressions with trying a smaller party and less combat actually.