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-fueled siege weapons, classic units and a completely new way to play Stronghold.

Each with their own special abilities, counters and tactics, the Ninja, Warrior Monk and mounted cavalry all make their Stronghold series debut.

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.

Ninja

Stationing troops on castle walls, setting up traps and even hiding your Lord has been drilled into Stronghold players fearful of an untimely virtual death since Assassins were first added to the series. Stronghold: Warlords will once again deliver on this front, albeit with some interesting changes appropriate to the new setting.

Heavily reliant on remaining undetected, the Ninja is all about espionage. Able to deal high damage at range using her shuriken attack, in addition to classic invisibility and wall scaling abilities, Ninjas are more ‘hit and run’ than Assassins from previous Strongholds.

When micromanaged or used in small squads, Ninjas are a force to be reckoned with. More than capable of taking out several high priority enemy units in quick succession, players will need to remain vigilant to avoid death by ninjitsu.

Warrior Monk

A well-rounded soldier with specific battlefield applications, the Warrior Monk is a finely honed living weapon. Lightly armoured and fast on his feet, this unit is capable of dealing high damage quickly and is purpose made for surprise attacks.

When surrounded by three or more enemy units the Warrior Monk’s spin attack will be triggered, knocking nearby enemies out of range while also dealing damage. Built for rushing enemy forces and repelling rival special units like the Imperial Guardsman, the Warrior Monk is excellent for quickly changing the ebb and flow of a battle.

Imperial Cavalry 

These hard hitting riders require armour, swords and of course a spare steed at the Stables in order to recruit. Imperial Cavalry make up for their slow movement speed with a special ability that can, if used correctly, quickly deal heavy damage and even knock back weaker troops by charging down their foes.

The Imperial Cavalry’s high damage output and heavy armour makes them likely candidates for last horses standing. As such they are more suited to breaking enemy lines than their Auxiliary counterpart and serve a different function on the battlefield.

Their charge ability can also be used to catch enemies off balance, quickly flank them or simply charge formations head on to weaken and displace their front line.

Auxiliary Cavalry

Faster moving than their heavily armoured Imperial counterparts, Auxiliary Cavalry are the bread and butter of a mounted attack. These faster mounted units are equipped with light armour, a shield and lance. 

Able to quickly react and change course, Auxiliary Cavalry are designed to take the worst of the enemy’s defences and allow your more powerful units to plough through.

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 for PC (Steam) on January 26, 2021.