Getting Started in Manor Lords

Clear areas roughly in order — Starting Settlement, then Farmland, Forest, Market Town, and Border Region — since skipping ahead means missing resources you'll need later.
Militia are free but low-morale troops raised from your population during emergencies; Retinue are permanent, professional soldiers that cost ongoing food and pay but are always combat-ready — build toward Retinue once your economy supports it.
Claiming a new region takes a full in-game month and costs Influence, doubling to 2,000 Influence if the region is already controlled by another lord (which also means going to war).
Bandit camps appear randomly across regions and can steal goods monthly — clearing them out both stops the theft and earns you Influence.