One of the best things about Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is playing through the Historical Campaigns, which follow the numerous Crusades and other wars in the Holy Land. The first of these is called The Call to Arms, and is comprised of 5 missions. The first is fairly easy, but by the second, things get increasingly harder, and players may find themselves failing the objectives and having to start again.
Stronghold Crusader Definitive Edition: Beginner Tips & Tricks
These beginner trips and tricks for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition will help newcomers in the Holy Land.
Remember to slow down time with the - key when things are tough or overwhelming, and also at the start of each mission when players need to do multiple things first. Players can also use cheats in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition, including to unlock missions they can't get past.
Nicaea, Arrival in The Holy Land - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Objective: Acquire 450 Gold
After clearing out Nicaea, players are tasked with raising 450 Gold for the crusade. As there will be no more combat, players can convert their troops back to normal peasants, but only do so after building enough Hovels to increase the maximum population size.
There are two ways to make Gold in this mission: tax the population from the Manor House and sell surplus goods from the Marketplace. Goods to sell include Stone, Wood, and food.
- There's room for multiple Stone Quarries, but remember to provide them with an Ox Tether. Sell stone for Gold.
- Spread the Hunter's Posts out as the herd of gazelles roam around.
- A granary on the oasis will speed up apple production as there's less travel time.
- Raise money with high taxes, but maintain high popularity with increased food rations.
- Speed up time with the + key once your economy is up and running.
Heraclea, The Journey South - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Objective: Acquire 300 Bread
The aim of the Heraclea, The Journey South mission is to acquire 300 Bread to feed the army for the upcoming campaign. Players have a large, fertile oasis to work with, but they will also be attacked occasionally, so they must raise troops.
The large oasis for farming can sustain a large population, so in time, build more Hovels to increase the population. Early on, build an Armory to store weapons and then make two Poleturner's Workshops to produce spears, and construct a Barracks to recruit Spearmen, as you start with six Archers.
- Try 3 Wheat Farms, 1 Windmill, and up to 8 Bakeries. This ratio can later be doubled.
- To complete the objective, turn off Bread consumption in the Granary. Click the icon of food with a red stop sign over it.
- Make sure to produce plenty of Apples to feed the population after disabling Bread consumption.
- Spearmen are good against the horse archers, who will attack.
- Don't tax the population, as you start with 1000 Gold, which is only used to build the Workshops and to recruit soldiers.
Antioch, The Counter-Siege - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Objective: Eliminate All Enemy Units
The third mission in The Call to Arms campaign is simple to understand. Players are given a castle to defend, and the enemy will attack three times and must be wiped out. There is a timer showing how long players have until the last battle.
There is no way to import goods, and running out of food is a serious concern during the siege. Only fight the enemy under the walls, and hold your melee units in reserve until they are needed.
- Keep the population low by not building any new Hovels to preserve food.
- Consider using half rations.
- The Chapel will keep the population happy despite being on low rations, and consider bribes instead of taxes.
- Produce weapons and armor by building a Fletcher's Workshop, a Blacksmith's Workshop, and an Armorer's Workshop.
- Iron is needed to make weapons, and an Armory is required to store these weapons.
- Recruit Archers and Swordsmen fairly evenly at the Barracks. Archers can be placed in the towers and on the walls.
- Fill the small oasis with Apple Orchards.
Stronghold Crusader Definitive Edition: How to Dig Moats
It's not at first clear how to dig moats in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition, so this guide will show players the crucial step required.
Krak de Chevaliers, The Siege of Arqah - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Objective: Acquire 50 Ale
In the Krak de Chevaliers mission, players are tasked with building their own castle to defend against enemy raids, whilst the main objective is to produce and store 50 Ale. Players should prioritize defenses, troops, and food production before thinking about Ale.
Place your keep on top of the rock formation, and eventually cut off the two entrances with walls, gatehouses, and towers.
To make Ale, once the settlement is up and running, players will need Hops Farms and Breweries.
- Build Quarries early, as Stone is required for a Barracks, which allows you to recruit 10 troops with the starter weapons.
- Start with Apple production early, as Bread production has many steps and takes a while to get going.
- Fire is a threat in this mission, so keep buildings separate to avoid it spreading. Also, build at least one Well.
- Build a Chapel Early to increase popularity.
- Don't build Inns as the Ale will then be consumed.
- Don't forget to protect your buildings outside the main castle area, as otherwise the enemy will wipe out your fields and woodcutters.
- The enemy will never stop attacking, so make sure you switch to Ale production at some point and complete the objective.
- The Hops Farms can become infected, so account for this loss of time.
- Hops grow fairly slowly and take a while to be turned into Ale.
- Archers are the best unit available for defending.
The difficulty can always be turned down, and players wouldn't need to produce as much Ale.
Jerusalem, The Final Assault - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Objective: Kill The Enemy Lord Before Time Runs Out
In this final assault on Jerusalem, there is no building. Players start with an army and must siege the city and eventually kill the enemy lord. There is a time limit, as otherwise, an Egyptian army will take the crusaders in the rear.
It's best to attack the left side of the city, rather than the front, as this way defenders on the right wall are useless.
- Use Archers to pick off the Fire Throwers before sending other troops in. Don't rush in too quickly against these Fire Throwers.
- Fire Throwers can only attack units that are on the ground. They cannot aim at enemies on the walls if your troops manage to get up via the siege towers.
- Use Knights to batter down the walls or climb over with siege towers.
- Once there is a breach, r ush with Knights to the lord's tower. Kill his troops, then him.
- Released
- July 31, 2002
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Firefly Studios
- Engine
- Vision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy
