As you know Stronghold: Warlords will be the first game in our ‘castle sim’ strategy series to introduce gunpowder siege weapons. Coming in the form of thunder crash bombs, the fearsome mortar, hwacha fire arrow cart and more, each can be used in different ways to cripple and eventually conquer rival players. Spread fire across enemy farmlands by catapulting bombs over their walls, blow apart defences with massive cannonballs or breach their castle walls with ancient rocket launchers. Castle defences even benefit from the addition of gunpowder, with mounted hwacha able to mow down lightly armoured enemy infantry before they can approach your walls.

What you probably aren’t aware of is that rocks and Chinese thunder crash bombs won’t be the only thing you’re launching over 300 meters come March 9th… That’s right, diseased animal ammunition is returning to the series in Stronghold: Warlords! While the humble Pig featured early in our design documents as an intended option in siege warfare we weren’t always sure about what other animals would be lucky enough to make the cut. Enter the Stronghold Discord community, who voted overwhelmingly for Water Buffalo over hot contenders like the ‘Large Bactrian Camel’ and ‘A Horse With a Sore Throat’. Continue reading →

Join us for a full rundown of Stronghold: Warlords‘ titular warlords system, straight from the mind of Stronghold series Lead Designer and Co-Founder Simon Bradbury. Once again taking the video hot seat, Simon walks us through the finer details of Warlords’ new grand strategy gameplay elements. Accompanied by all new multiplayer footage, as well as a first look at the latest version of the warlords system itself, Simon goes in depth for the first time about what this new addition means for our ‘castle sim’ series.

Discussing the history of Stronghold’s estates and their evolution into the current warlords system, today we’re revealing new gameplay showing how this feature will work in multiplayer, the later stages of our campaign, skirmish and free build. In the final game players and computer opponents will battle it out military or politically, gaining ‘influence’ over warlords across the map by any means necessary. With the ability to force a warlord to bend the knee by military might or use diplomacy points to gain favour with them over other players, it is up to the player to decide how and when to conquer each warlord. Continue reading →

Earlier this year we announced that series stalwart Robert L. Euvino will be returning once more to compose an all new soundtrack for Stronghold: Warlords. Based on influences from Japanese, Chinese, Cambodian, Mongolian and Vietnamese culture, the music of Stronghold: Warlords is a unique hybrid of different styles. Today we’re releasing another early look at the music in the form of a soundtrack preview! Please enjoy the track as we prepare to launch Warlords on March 9th.

“Creating high octane siege music was an interesting challenge,” said Robert Euvino, Composer and Sound Designer on the Stronghold series. “Many far eastern instruments have a truly distinctive flavour and are never tuned to minor scales and harmonic minors, the scales that create darkers sounds associated with war. In many cases film and game music tend to abandon the instrumentation in favour of more traditional contemporary orchestral ‘war’ music. What we end up with is an interesting hybrid which should hopefully satisfy both longtime fans and purists!” Continue reading →

In our final Stronghold: Warlords campaign preview to be released before launch we bring you over 45 minutes of unedited, uninterrupted and commentary-less gameplay! In response to community requests we’ve emphasised the new music, sound effects and raw gameplay in today’s playthrough, which shows off the first mission from our Japanese campaign segment. Chronicling the exploits of key characters and events from 16th Century Japan, our single player campaign was always planned to take players across to the Land of the Rising Sun as of their building and besieging campaign.

Beginning at Inabayama Castle (now known as Gifu castle) in 1567, in Stronghold: Warlords we have Toyotomi Hideyoshi as our chosen Japanese AI Lord. Hideyoshi lived during the Sengoku period in Japan, in which the feudal states constantly fought each other for territorial control. Beginning his military career in the Oda clan as an army recruit to the Ashigaru, Hideyoshi’s impressive service earned him a place as a retainer to the now somewhat famous clan leader Oda Nobunaga. Continue reading →

Firefly Studios’ Designer Stephen Richards and series creator Simon Bradbury have revealed four major improvements to AI behaviour found in their upcoming ‘castle sim’ sequel Stronghold: Warlords. This new entry in the historical real-time strategy series will usher in major improvements and refinements in how computer controlled opponents interact with the player, each other and any warlords present on the map.

AI behaviours related to castle management, skirmish combat and city building have been completely revamped for Stronghold: Warlords, in addition to being able to work with the new warlords system. Much like the archetypes of the warlords themselves – such as the Ox, Tiger and Crane – each enemy AI will adhere to a distinct style of play over a set of predetermined behaviours. The decisions made by computer opponents will now be made according to map layout, tactical positioning of warlords, available resources, current army composition and their priorities at different stages of gameplay.

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Available on Steam during the weeklong the Autumn Steam Game Fest, our new beta Stronghold: Warlords demo can be downloaded right now. That’s right! Between October 7th and 13th players will be able to try out our latest build, a brand new mission from Warlords’ Vietnam campaign starring the warlord Thuc Phan. After October 13th the demo will no longer be available, so move fast if you want this chance to play our upcoming ‘castle sim’ before launch and let us know what you think on Discord.

What better way is there to pass the time waiting for that demo to download, than by watching one of our handsome developers play through it for you? Follow our resident Videographer Aaron Hayden as he walks players through some of the new features, visuals and challenges offered by our latest Stronghold: Warlords demo. Expect new info, laughter and perhaps a few tears as Aaron attempts that precarious balance between achieving a perfect run and voicing a full mission walkthrough for the uninitiated. Continue reading →

We have released new gameplay footage revealing four brand new units coming to our upcoming ‘castle sim’ RTS Stronghold: Warlords. Each with their own special abilities, counters and tactics, the Ninja, Warrior Monk and mounted cavalry all make their Stronghold series debut in this new video.

The Ninja, Warrior Monk, Imperial and Auxiliary Cavalry join the game’s roster of 16 units and 10 siege weapons accessible to all players in skirmish mode and multiplayer. With more special and mounted units than ever before, Stronghold: Warlords’ new units aim to mix up the core series gameplay for long-time fans and newcomers alike.

We’re spotlighting Stronghold: Warlords‘ economic campaign segment with 20 minutes of fresh gameplay footage! Featuring new developer commentary and insight from Senior Programmer Matt Smith and marketing lead Nick Tannahill, this new developer diary features plenty of classic Stronghold gameplay in our new setting.

From medieval events and the distinct possibility of fire… To new changing weather conditions and map hazards, Stronghold: Warlords’ ‘Path of Peace’ campaign will give you plenty to think about while growing your castle economy.

Following The Scribe, Warlords’ economic-centric missions will test your city builder and sim skills as you’re tasked with gathering resources, growing your population and fulfilling unique objectives as you fight against the clock (or in this case – tiger attacks).

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