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.

Firefly Studios has revealed a unique ‘shared base’ co-op mode for its upcoming RTS Stronghold: Warlords.

Allowing players to share control of a single castle when playing together online, the game’s co-op mode is different from regular team-based multiplayer. In addition to being able to party up and build separate castles in team deathmatch, Stronghold: Warlords will also allow players to share control over a large shared army, peasant population, castle defences and network of warlords under their command.

“Stronghold is already a complex game for newcomers, with the mix of economic city building, castle simulation and real-time strategy” said Marketing Director Nick Tannahill. “Introducing co-op means that one player can handle base building, while the other leads their forces into battle or prepares their defences for an incoming siege.”

The new warlords system, which allows players to command a network of unique warlords across the battlefield with their own castles and armies, also benefits from this new game mode. Co-op means advanced players can share the ‘grand strategy’ gameplay between them, optimising their use of each warlord for economic or militaristic purposes.

Early on in a match one player could manage their castle estate, while the other forms alliances with warlords to bring in valuable resources and secure strategic positions across the map. Then in the endgame while one player lays siege to the enemy their co-op partner can divert resources and direct pincer attacks from nearby friendly warlords.

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 March 9, 2021.