Stronghold: Warlords will allow players to control AI commanders across the battlefield.

From the 3rd century BC China through to the coming of the Mongol Empire in 1200 AD, Stronghold: Warlords allows players to relive famous historical battles and sieges against great khans, imperial warlords, and shogun commanders.

Stronghold: Warlords is Firefly’s first Stronghold to recreate the castle economies of the Far East. Stronghold: Warlords lets you take command of Mongol hordes, imperial warriors, tribal fighters and samurai clansmen as you lay siege to Japanese castles and fortified Chinese cities. Besiege historical rulers using new gunpowder-fuelled siege weapons, classic units and a completely new way to play Stronghold.

With a range of unique troops types from Mongolia, Japan, Vietnam and China, this new trailer focuses on units from the latter two regions including the Imperial Bannermen, Auxiliary Archer and Blowpipe Tribesmen units. With their own special abilities, counters, and tactics players will need to combine them to succeed in the game’s 24 mission campaign and online multiplayer:

As the first entry in Firefly’s long-running series to venture eastward, Stronghold: Warlords features a suitably fresh roster of units to command. Today’s video focuses on the Vietnamese Blowpipe and Spear Tribesmen, as well as the Auxiliary Axemen and Archer and the more costly Imperial Bannerman and Crossbowman. In the final game gunpowder-wielding fire lancers, disciplined samurai and more will join these six troops to represent the four cultures at play, with a few Stronghold classics also making the final cut of 16. Units from different cultures have been a feature of the series since the release of the original Stronghold: Crusader in 2002 and Firefly intend to build on this in Warlords. With abilities ranging from morale-boosting area of effect perks to arrow volleys and precision strikes, the intention is to make each part of your attacking siege army feel like a unique threat that could switch tactics at any time.

As players progress through the main single-player campaign, journeying across the Asian continent to different regions and historical epochs, new units will become available. Outside of units, Warlords will also feature experience a single-player campaign split across four regions, unique warlord characters from a period of 1500 years and siege weapons made possible only through the discovery of gunpowder.

For the first time ever Stronghold: Warlords allows you to recruit, upgrade and command AI warlords across the battlefield with their own unique perks and characteristics. Each warlord under your command boosts your control of the battlefield allowing you to fortify borders, forge weapons or team up for a pincer attack! Each campaign mission, skirmish game, and multiplayer battle means a fresh set of warlords to command and new strategic depth. By unlocking more powerful castles, armies and abilities each Warlord has the potential to disrupt the flow of battle and turn the tide in your favor.

Stronghold: Warlords is scheduled for release on PC in 2020.