

Mercenaries allow players to be more aggressive in the beginning, bringing combat to the open and force players to be more mindful over their defenses. While not as strong as their European counterparts, they are more all-round and provide more tactical utility on the battlefield. Mercenary units are Arabian warriors, who can be immediately hired for gold. Moreover, new units are introduced, who bring a diverse array of tools and tactics. Stronghold Crusader retains the core gameplay elements from Stronghold. The Crusader States campaign is a fictional setting after the first crusade, where the most influential European knights declare themselves rulers and battle each other over influence and wealth.

Though the Europeans delved deep into Arabia, neither side could force a decisive victory, ending the war with a peace treaty and a mutual access for both religions in Jerusalem. Saladin's Campaign and the Kings' Crusade takes place in the Third Crusade, where the Arabian forces managed to recapture Jerusalem. The First Crusade plots the Christian armies and the Templar bearing arms and marching through Byzantium and Little Asia and arrive to Jerusalem, liberating the Holy Land from the Islam. Stronghold Crusader takes place in the 11th to 12th century, recreating the campaigns of Christian empires and the Papacy against the Islamic forces of Arabia, who occupy the Holy Land, the homeland of Christian religion.

These personalities can interact with the player, build their own castles and lead attacks against each other.įreebuild from Stronghold makes a recurrence, offering a peaceful cast building mode for those unwilling to fight. Skirmish can be played against not only humans, but new computer opponents as well! Eight different AI characters are featured, who can be confronted in a series of missions in the Skirmish Trail, or a new customizable Custom Skirmish mode. The Kings' Crusade campaign reminisces the invasion of three Crusader kings, while the Crusader States campaign illustrates the ever continuous infighting of the Crusader landlords. The player can command the Crusader forces in the First Crusade, or face the invaders in Saladin's campaign, fighting battles and participating in sieges. The universe of Crusader shifts away from England to the arid lands of Little Asia and the deserts of Arabia.įour historic trails are available for revisiting the Crusades of the 10th to 12th centuries. Crusader provides a lot of new content with additional campaigns, units and gameplay modes. The medieval mixture of city building and real-time strategy of Stronghold continues with Stronghold Crusader.
