Firefly Studios

Stronghold Warlords

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Extended Gameplay (Free Build)

Extended Gameplay (Free Build)

We have just released nearly an hour of fresh Stronghold: Warlords gameplay in the form of a full Free Build scenario play-though! Once again spotlighting our unique ‘Free Build’ sandbox mode, revealed last week as part of The Escapist Indie Showcase, here players are asked to construct their dream stronghold. Once built they can test their creation against increasingly challenging infantry invasions, siege weapons, difficulty settings and medieval ‘events’.

Watch as Aaron takes us through the basics of Free Build, how this classic mode will interact with the new Warlords system and even more Warlords gameplay fundamentals. Designed as a special game mode within Stronghold: Warlords, Free Build is essentially as difficult as you make it. Players who simply want to build to their hearts content are free to do so, while those who wish to create the tightest and most strategically sound citadel can test their theories with wave upon wave of AI invasions. Currently playable as part of the Steam Game Festival, Stronghold: Warlords was recently announced for release on Steam on March 9th, 2021. The game will launch with a full single-play campaign, bonus economic campaign, free build, custom skirmish mode and mutliplayer modes.

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Free Build Trailer

Free Build Trailer

We are pleased to announce that Stronghold: Warlords will include the series’ classic ‘Free Build’ game mode, allowing players to put their stronghold to the test with AI invasions. In Free Build players design a castle with near unlimited resources, customise its defences and finally launch wave after wave of invasions, putting their creation to the test. Free Build is designed to be played in many different ways. A selection of large open maps to choose from, each with picturesque scenery and monuments, will allow players the option to simply build to their heart’s content if they desire. As in the main campaign, skirmish mode and multiplayer the titular Warlords mechanic can also be used to help build their dream citadel, sending key resources and providing buffs to their castle economy.

Invasions will come with a host of options, including a selection of unique siege armies to throw at your castle walls. Test your mettle against everything from squads of tribesmen and stealthy ninja to battalions of cavalry and armoured legions with powerful siege weapons. The challenge can be further modified with invasion difficulty settings and the ability to add random events such as peasant revolts, moth infestations and deadly roaming tigers. Players will also be able to create custom Free Build maps, adding their own events, invasions and warlords to capture.

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Release Date Reveal

Release Date Reveal

We’re proud to announce that Stronghold: Warlords, the latest entry in our ‘castle sim’ series, will be released worldwide on September 29th 2020!

Set to launch almost two decades since development started on the original Stronghold, the date and new co-op mode were revealed exclusively as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming event in a new multiplayer trailer. At launch Warlords will include full multiplayer functionality, support for AI opponents and a unique co-op mode allowing two players to work together building, defending and besieging from the same castle. Multiplayer will include the ability to play in teams with friends and against the AI, but also the option to control a single castle cooperatively. Players in co-op can choose to handle the economy from the start or build up an army and focus on their military. During a siege one player could control defensive units like Fire Lancers and Archers, while the other triggers castle traps and puts out the inevitable fires! Continue reading

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on New Samurai and Imperial Troops

New Samurai and Imperial Troops

This new entry in our ‘Soldiers of Warlords‘ series finally takes us to feudal Japan as we reveal the first Japanese troop type coming to Stronghold: Warlords. With the ability to charge down enemy units foolish enough to stand in their way and eliminate high profile targets like enemy Lords, the Samurai makes for a unique addition to your medieval army. True to their historical roots and long history in games, we’ve done justice to these disciplined feudal fighters with an interesting set of attributes and powerful unit ability.

We also return once more to ancient China with the reveal of two additional Imperial troop types, namely the mace-wielding Guardsman and almost unstoppable Imperial Warrior. Expensive to recruit and powerful once mastered, these Imperial troops will make a serious dent in any enemy siege force. With the Guardsman’s ability to deal area damage when he swings his Heavy Mace and the high damage output of the thickly armoured Warrior, we expect Imperial troops to feature in the later stages of the single player campaign and online multiplayer. Continue reading

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on 100 Facts About Stronghold: Warlords

100 Facts About Stronghold: Warlords

Now that Stronghold: Warlords is deep into development and approaching launch later this year, we thought it would be a great time to reveal 100 small but interesting facts about our upcoming castle sim. Taking the form of a new rapid-fire Q&A, today Firefly’s community team answers as many Stronghold fan questions as possible in under 20 minutes!

Tackling these 100 questions are Natasha and Nick, who take them all on in quickfire fashion. Covering everything from core mechanics and design to a possible beta version and even the game’s final price, we attempt to provide as much information as possible at this stage in development. While we can’t answer every question for a variety of reasons, be they design, technical or otherwise, we can be open and transparent about the development process about each new title. So if your request or question wasn’t answered today rest assured it will be in later videos or even future entries in the Stronghold series. Continue reading

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Production Update

Production Update

In today’s video Firefly Studios developers Matt and Paul walk us through the last three months of production, covering everything from campaigns to code. These two senior members of the team were kind enough to take some time out of their day to reflect on recent builds, design decisions and advances toward release. This is followed up by a lengthy FAQ featuring the ten of the most commonly asked community questions covering a possible beta demo, graphical improvements, easter eggs and more!

Continue reading

By in Firefly News, Romans: Age of Caesar, Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement

You might be wondering what’s happening at Firefly Studios during the COVID-19 outbreak and if it has affected us in any way. Rest assured that we are all well and still working on our main projects: Stronghold: Warlords and Romans: Age of Caesar

However, following government advice, we have now switched to working remotely. Will this impact our work or the content that we deliver? We hope not. We are working with our team to make sure everyone has access to everything they need to work effectively, but please bear in mind that there may be some interruptions or delays in online content as we settle into this new routine. Most importantly we do not expect this change to affect any game releases and everything is still on track as planned.

Our marketing and community team will continue to work hard to bring you as much Stronghold content as you can handle, so look after yourselves, each other and don’t forget to wash your hands.

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Military Campaign Demo

Military Campaign Demo

We’re back with more raw gameplay of Stronghold: Warlords, our upcoming RTS castle sim! Today’s video showcases of our first full mission taken from the Chinese portion of our main single-player campaign, featuring legendary figure Qin Shi Huang and infamous rebel warlord Lao Ai. This demo is intended as a vertical slice of the full game at its current stage of development. It includes some of our more recent additions including new units, siege weapons and warlord mechanics, in addition to an expanded castle economy.

So sit back and relax as Lao Ai’s fort is decimated by player-controlled warlord attacks, Hwachas, Fire Oxen, classic Catapults and more in a devastating display of gunpowder-fuelled destruction! Combining our first ever use of gunpowder in the Stronghold series with some incredible historic weaponry and the new warlords system, this new demo should give you a flavour of things to come. The demo also features new production chains and economy mechanics unique to Vietnam, China, Mongolia and Japan and firsts for the Stronghold series as a whole. Adding a fresh layer of resource and management gameplay has been a core goal since the start of development.

By in Stronghold Warlords Comments Off on Economic Campaign Reveal

Economic Campaign Reveal

It gives us great pleasure to reveal that our upcoming ‘castle sim’ Stronghold: Warlords will include a bonus economic campaign! Available at launch and featuring Warlord’s very own version of the Scribe, this six mission campaign will feature feudal events, weather and unique objectives.

Stronghold: Warlords will feature several single player game modes, with the main story split between our combat-heavy military campaign and the more city-builder focused bonus campaign. The full four-part historical military campaign will be set across ancient Vietnam, China, Japan and Mongolia, with players balancing between castle besieging and economic gameplay to succeed over 24 missions.

Alongside this there will be a new ‘Path of Peace’ bonus campaign centred around castle building, resource gathering and reacting to feudal events. With the ability to boost or crush a player’s popularity, events will change fortunes with the coming of monsoon rains, lightning storms, bandit attacks, wildfires, festivals, typhoons and more! Continue reading