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.

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 →

The Stronghold series has a long history with siege weapons. From almost 20 years ago when players were deploying their first Trebuchets in Stronghold 1 to now, as our fans discover the rampaging Fire Ox in Stronghold: Warlords. So assemble your Laddermen and load up your Catapults as Nick brings you our first episode in this brand new YouTube exclusive series: ‘The Siege Engines of Stronghold: Warlords’.

In today’s episode we kick things off with a mixture of classic fan favourite castle conquerors and brand new tower topplers. We dive in with the chaotic Fire Ox, humble Laddermen, trusty Mantlet and classic Catapult. You’ll see how we’ve improved on these siege weapons from previous Stronghold titles, as well as the new roles they will play in overthrowing enemy fortresses in our upcoming Far Eastern instalment. As Nick announces in the video, this is merely the first of several episodes in our new Siege Engines mini series here on YouTube. So make sure you’re subscribed for future instalments covering the revered Trebuchet and much more!

Nearly in its 20th year, the Stronghold series has a few consistent staples we wouldn’t dream of changing. One of these is a history of memorable songs and full soundtracks composed by Robert L. Euvino!

From fan favourite hits like ‘Castle Jam’ in Stronghold 1 to soulful desert ballads such as ‘Breathe’ from Stronghold Crusader 2, music has been a highlight of every Stronghold game to date. Fans have grown accustomed to besieging set to had hard hitting orchestral clashes and castle building to the tune of peaceful lutes and idyllic violins, so we’re pleased to announce that Stronghold: Warlords will once again deliver. The game will feature an all-new soundtrack and return to the modular ‘Oud’ musical system from the original Stronghold Crusader, providing a more seamless musical experience during gameplay. Continue reading →

Inspired by legendary combatants from the Mongol steppe, Japanese shogunate, warring states period China and tribes of early Vietnam, Stronghold: Warlords features both classic and all-new units drawn from history. Exclusive to the new Military Academy, these special hero units will each possess a historically accurate ability that can turn the tide of battle. Introducing the Mongolian Horse Archer, Chinese Fire Lancer and General!

Building on their colt following in the Stronghold series, Mongolian Horse Archers are perfect for dealing with Tribesmen intent on crippling your economy. By outmanoeuvring pesky scouts long before they can get near your farms and peasants, your horse lords can make quick work of lightly armoured troops and exposed siege equipment. Get in there and stirrup trouble! Continue reading →

We return this week for one final pre-Christmas update, Aaron coming back for our final instalment of ‘History Behind Warlords‘! A series of deep dive videos on the historical events leading into the single player missions of Stronghold: Warlords, this week we turn our eye to the Land of the Rising Sun. So join Aaron, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi for a historic overview and the beginnings of their campaign to unify a fractured land.

Learn about the chaotic period of Sengoku Jidai, the Japanese Warring States Period we’ll be recreating in-game in the later stages of Warlords’ main campaign. One of the most bloodthirsty and brutal periods of Japanese history, with every clan looking to overthrow their enemies while keeping a watchful eye on their allies, Hideyoshi’s exploits are perfect for exciting siege combat. A dramatic period in the later stages of Japanese history, Hideyoshi’s sieges and skirmishes are ideal for the point in Warlords’ main campaign when some of the most advanced siege weapons and tactics are introduced.

Want more? Then check out the Stronghold: Warlords playlist on Firefly Studios’ YouTube for videos with more history, raw gameplay, new features, units, characters and buildings. With much more to come between now and Stronghold: Warlords’ release in 2020, there’s a huge amount to look forward to for strategy-sim fans everywhere!

Today we’re teasing new features, modes and units in a rapid fire Q&A! Answering over 80 community questions from future Stronghold: Warlords players, Senior Programmer Matt Smith discusses everything from hot keys and talking peasants to the final unit count and DLC. He even addresses the pressing question of whether you’ll be able to pet the dog!

As a handful of developers working with our own engine we can’t say yes to everything, but as an independent studio we do listen. So whether it’s something small like removing unit caps as an advanced feature or a larger ask like new modes we’ll continue to adjust and improve Warlords as best we can, saving larger requests for future games in the series.

As a reminder this update answers questions taken from the official Stronghold Discord. We asked and players responded with queries surrounding the Warlords system, city builder gameplay and eccentric cast of characters, after which we set to the task of interrogating Matt. So if you question wasn’t answered be sure to get involved by joining the Stronghold Discord today!