You’re standing in the courtyard of Pirkstein Castle. You’ve just survived a grueling brawl, and suddenly, this arrogant, silk-clad noble named Hans Capon tells you to meet him at dawn for a trip into the woods. If you’ve played through this, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Kingdom Come Deliverance hunting with Hans is one of those quintessential gaming moments that perfectly encapsulates why Warhorse Studios’ medieval RPG is both brilliant and deeply frustrating.
It’s not just a tutorial. Honestly, it’s a hazing ritual.
Most games give you a "follow the NPC" mission and let you zone out. Not here. If you oversleep, Hans leaves without you. If you don't have a horse—which, let's face it, you don't yet unless you're on a second playthrough and stole one—you’re literally jogging behind his horse like a peasant. Because, well, you are a peasant. This quest, officially titled "The Next to Godliness" (leading into "The Prey"), is where the game stops holding your hand and starts testing whether you actually understand the survival mechanics.
The Morning After and the Long Walk to the Woods
The quest starts at dawn. If you aren't at the upper castle gates by 5:00 or 6:00 AM, Capon gets annoyed. He’s a spoiled brat, but he’s your spoiled brat. The walk to the camp is long. Really long. It’s a bold design choice. Warhorse forces you to listen to Hans complain about his life, his status, and how much he dislikes you.
It builds character.
You’ll notice the dialogue changes based on how well you're keeping up. If you're lagging behind because Henry’s stamina is garbage, Hans will toss insults over his shoulder. This is the "realism" people talk about with KCD. It’s slow. It’s deliberate. You aren't a hero yet; you're a blacksmith's son carrying a rich kid's gear into the woods of Bohemia.
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Once you reach the campsite, the real work begins. You have to raid the supply chest. Take the wine and the bacon. Don't feel bad about it. You’ll need the energy because the next morning, the "competition" starts. This is where most players realize they haven't practiced with the bow nearly enough.
Winning the Rabbit Hunt (Without Losing Your Mind)
The challenge is simple: kill more hares than Lord Capon.
Easy? No.
The bow mechanics in Kingdom Come: Deliverance are notoriously difficult. There is no reticle. Your hand shakes like Henry just drank five bottles of Saviours Schnapps. The arrow drops significantly over distance. To win the Kingdom Come Deliverance hunting with Hans challenge, you need a few tricks that the game doesn't explicitly tell you.
First, look at the center of the screen. Some players literally put a piece of tape or a small dot on their monitor to mark the center. It's "cheating," maybe, but Henry's lack of an aim point is brutal for beginners. If you want to do it legit, watch the position of Henry's left hand and the knuckle of his thumb. That’s your reference point.
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- Move slowly. Hares are skittish. If you run, they bolt.
- Listen. You can often hear them rustling in the bushes before you see them.
- Don't overdraw. Holding the string back drains stamina, which makes the sway worse. Snap shots are better than "aimed" shots.
If you beat him, you get some coin and a bit of grudging respect. If you lose? Hans won't let you hear the end of it. But the hunt for hares is just the appetizer. The quest takes a dark turn once the boar shows up.
The Boar, the Cumans, and the Difficulty Spike
After the hare competition, Hans gets cocky. He spots a boar and takes off. This is scripted; you can’t stop him. You have to find him. This is the part of Kingdom Come Deliverance hunting with Hans that catches new players off guard because it transitions from a peaceful hunting trip into a high-stakes stealth or combat mission.
Hans gets himself captured by Cumans.
You’ll find him tied up in a small camp. You have two choices here: be a hero or be a ghost. If you try to fight two Cumans at this stage of the game, you’re probably going to die. Henry is still weak. His sword skills are likely abysmal.
The smart move is stealth. Wait for one Cuman to wander off or wait until nightfall if you have the patience. Or, if you’re feeling brave, use that bow you just practiced with to thin the ranks. It's a massive shift in tone. One minute you’re laughing at a noble's jokes, the next you’re smelling the iron in the air and wondering if this is where Henry’s story ends.
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Why This Quest Matters for the Rest of the Game
This mission isn't just about hunting. It’s the foundation of the relationship between Henry and Hans Capon. By the end of it, you’ve saved his life. He stops seeing you as a "stable boy" and starts seeing you as a person. This payoff is huge later in the game.
It also teaches you that the world of 1403 Bohemia is dangerous.
The woods aren't just a place to get food; they are lawless. Bandits and Cuman raiders hide in the thickets. If you survived the hunt, you’ve learned how to track, how to use a bow under pressure, and how to assess a threat before charging in. You’ve also likely realized that your gear matters. If you went into the woods without enough food or a decent bow, you suffered.
Essential Gear for the Hunt
| Item | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Villager's Bow | Higher-tier bows require more strength than Henry has right now. |
| Better Piercing Arrows | For the Cumans, not the rabbits. |
| Dried Meat | Doesn't spoil quickly while you're out in the woods. |
| Saviour Schnapps | Save before the Cuman camp. Just do it. |
Moving Forward After the Hunt
Once you return to Rattay with a battered but alive Lord Capon, the game's world opens up significantly. You’ll be rewarded with your own horse—finally—named Pebbles. Pebbles isn't the fastest or the bravest, but he's yours.
To make the most of what you learned during Kingdom Come Deliverance hunting with Hans, your next steps should be focused on refinement. Don't let those bow skills get rusty. Go to the archery range in Rattay and talk to the Master. Spend the coin you won (if you beat Hans) on training.
Also, start looking for "Ancient Maps" or "Treasure Maps." Now that you have a horse, you can actually carry loot back to town. The hunting trip was your final exam for the prologue phase. Now, the real Kingdom Come experience begins. Go see Captain Bernard at the combat arena outside the Rattay gates. Learn how to master strike. If you don't, the next time you run into Cumans in the woods, you won't have a scripted event to save you. You’ll just be another body in the forest.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Visit Captain Bernard immediately after the quest to unlock "Master Strikes."
- Keep the hunting bow Hans gave you; it has a low strength requirement and is perfect for early-game poaching.
- Sell the hare meat to an innkeeper quickly before it rots, or cook it at a fire to make it last longer.
- Invest in a better saddle for Pebbles as soon as you have 200-300 Groschen to increase your carry capacity.