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Snarls Soon you will see what it means to wage real warfare! That is... In our final instalment of the Stronghold: Definitive Edition 'Jewel' campaign! Valley of the Wolf extends the base game with seven new missions and extra achievements. Under the tutelage of the wise Sergeant, finish the fight by rescuing Sir Longarm's captured kin once and for all, when this new DLC releases for $2.99, 2.99 and 2.49 on April 30th.

This final chapter of 'The Jewel' campaign pits players against the greatest rogue of them all... The vicious Wolf! To safely retrieve the Jewel of the North and put an end to The Wolf's insidious scourge, players must plunge directly into the belly of the beast and bring the fight to his borders. Against great odds in unfamiliar territory, survival alone demands that nothing is held back.



Also arriving on April 30th as part of our 'Spring Update' is a second castle trail of 10 siege scenarios. This new 'Noble Trail' will arrive alongside additional maps for Multiplayer, Free Build and Siege modes, with the exciting (and long overdue!) introduction of our first ever Polish castles to be featured in a Stronghold game.

Malbork, the fortress erected by the Teutonic Order to signify their Prussian conquest, Biskupin, an ancient stronghold built at the dawn of Rome, and Niedzica, a daunting gothic castle that Dracula himself would be proud of, will all be found in the new castle trail, while another castle, Ogrodzieniec, will be playable as a standalone map through Siege mode.



We would like to thank our Polish fans who suggested these epic citadels online and in person last year, at events like Gamescom and EGX. Your support for Stronghold: Definitive Edition has been incredible and we hope to bring demos of future Stronghold games to events in Poland. So please keep an eye on our socials for the latest news!

Be sure to return on April 30th and check out our full patch notes at release. These will include a run down of other minor features, fixes and improvements coming to the game as part of the Spring Update in version 1.3.

Thanks for playing!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2728000/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition__Valley_of_the_Wolf_Campaign/

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Happy New Year! After a launch that quite frankly exceeded all our expectations... We are pleased to announce that the first substantial gameplay update for Stronghold: Definitive Edition releases on Steam on February 13th! A simultaneous launch of free content and paid DLC, the Winter Update will be available to all players, while the Swine's Bay Campaign DLC will retail for $2.99, 2.49 or 2.99.

Feeling lucky? You could even win this DLC through a giveaway being run in the above development diary! Check it out to learn more and get the inside track on what to expect of Firefly in 2024 and beyond.



As announced before launch, we intend to support Stronghold: Definitive Edition with both free and paid post-launch content, releasing as two major updates. The aim of each DLC is to offer fresh missions, created by veteran developers for players who want to challenge their two decades of castle sim experience. While the free updates will bring a host of fixes and improvements, alongside extra missions designed to compliment the main story.

Releasing on February 13th, the Swine's Bay Campaign DLC follows the events of the main game and is narrated by returning series actor Christopher Kent. Players will be met with seven ruthless military combat scenarios across original maps, as they seek to retrieve the Jewel of the North from the clutches of the infamous slaver Captain Hogsfoot.



Releasing alongside this DLC, our free Winter Update will add a second economic campaign, voiced by another returning Stronghold actor in Jay Simon! These missions are designed to test players strategic skills beyond the warfront, with a series of resource production and management challenges. Kingdoms may be crushed by warriors, but they can only be raised by those with the vision to build.

Looking forward to the future we are actively engaged in a number of projects, the most prominent of which is the as of yet untitled Stronghold Unreal project, built using Unreal Engine 5. Needless to say, witnessing the love for mechanically deep, passionately made strategy games like Stronghold: Definitive Edition has lit a fire under our little studio and the team cant wait to share more!

In the meantime our Swine's Bay Campaign is available to Wishlist, ahead of its release on February 13th:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2727990/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition__Swines_Bay_Campaign/

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Greetings sire! Your stronghold awaits you. The ultimate version of our first castle sim is now available on Steam with upgraded visuals, new missions, Steam multiplayer support and more. We are incredibly excited to be launching our first 2D Stronghold game with new content for over 20 years and even more thrilled by your warm response to the game over the past few months.



When we were in the planning stages for Stronghold: Definitive Edition we had faith in the demand for new 2D isometric strategy games, but could never be 100% sure. Your overwhelming support, feedback and love for our series 2D roots made this project possible and we cannot wait to hear what you think of it. This game has been a labour of love for the team, both for Stronghold 1 itself and also a bygone golden era of isometric 2D strategy. We hope that shines through, as we continue to improve it with updates and new content into early 2024.



As a way of saying Thank you! on the community side, please enjoy our launch trailer scored by series maestro Robert L. Euvino with a brand new Castle Jam inspired composition. The man himself was kind enough to compose this new piece for today's trailer, a roaring tribute to your favourite Stronghold song, celebrating the launch of a project that is dear to us.



Stronghold: Definitive Edition comes packed with updated graphics made using the original source art, a new 14 mission single player campaign, 10 mission historical castle trail, remastered audio, returning voice actors, community requested features, gameplay modernisations, Steam multiplayer, Workshop support and more.

It is out now on Steam with a 10% launch week discount!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

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Our final pre-release update for Stronghold: Definitive Edition is a big one... As we reveal our post-release plans for the game!

We can now commit to two major updates for the game, with a new economic campaign and second castle trail planned alongside new maps and the usual mix of smaller features and fixes. These two updates will release early next year and arrive at the same time as one of two paid DLC military campaigns, which will each cost $2.99, 2.49 or 2.99.



It gives us great pleasure to confirm these today alongside a recap of community driven features added since our most recent public demo, which now include (optional) auto-trading and selectable team colours in all game modes! During our two public demos and player surveys thousands of you told us that post-launch support and paid DLC were both of interest, so we made plans to release these in early 2024.

Featuring a new story designed by series creator Simon Bradbury, our second economic campaign will involve the work of rebuilding a kingdom nearly shattered by the warring exploits of The Rat, Snake, Pig and Wolf. Narrated by OG Stronghold voice actor Jay Simon, you will travel north to restore peace and order to homelands ravaged by the conflict of the military campaigns over the course of seven unique missions as part of our larger Winter Update.



Following on from this our Spring Update will include a second Castle Trail, which will feature a greatest hits mix of old and new historical castles to besiege and defend. As with the base game trail were looking at including at least 10 historical castles, with Polish strongholds making their long overdue debut.

Each of our two paid DLCs will release with these updates and come in the form of two new military campaigns, each offering 7 military missions. Swines Bay and Valley of the Wolf will feature the return of two popular series antagonists and lead directly on from the 14 missions included in the Stronghold: Definitive Edition base game. You can expect the difficulty to scale up, some formidable new win conditions and a true challenge for series veterans!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Increased Troop Limits, Rally Points and Free Build Improvements!

[h2]Developer Diary - Episode 2[/h2]
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In our second Stronghold: Definitive Edition dev diary we discuss the genesis of the game, while delving into changes made as part of this new edition. Join Stronghold series veterans Simon and Paul, as they provide insight into the creation of our latest game from their unique perspectives.

We discuss the aims of Stronghold: DE and goals for everything from new single player content, all the way down to the smallest quality of life enhancements. Starting with the initial project pitch, then leading to questions of the scale of changes and finer elements like the actual difficulty of the new content, the road to release has been carefully considered.

It also gives us great pleasure in this video to confirm some of these changes and a few entirely new ones! In response to player feedback we have increased troop and building limits across all game modes, allowing for up to 3000 units and 2000 buildings at a time. By doubling these limits from the original game, we hope to provide you with more epic Stronghold sieges than ever before.

[h2]Developer Diary - Episode 3[/h2]
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We then round off our trio of behind-the-scenes videos by adding production expert Dave to the mix! It's time to talk Steam multiplayer, Workshop and the other improvements coming to your favourite game modes. What to expect from Workshop support, more details on multiplayer in DE and planned improvements to Free Build mode are all touched on, with extra insight into the development process of this unique game.

Making Stronghold more accessible has always been a key goal of the Definitive Edition and bringing our amazing multiplayer community - as well as the awesome maps they've created over the course of two decades - front and centre within Steam is how we're hoping to accomplish that. Thousands of fan creations can soon exist within Steam Workshop and be easily accessible for future generations of Stronghold players, with an improved set of multiplayer options to support years of continued play.

Add to this a few choice improvements to Free Build - everyone's favourite cozy game mode - and you have plenty to look forward to come release. In the meantime please check out our recent Free Build Q&A and Campaign Gameplay videos, where we confirm new features like Rally Points and discuss the series' 20 year legacy:

[h2]Free Build Q&A[/h2]
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[h2]Campaign Gameplay[/h2]
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Stay tuned for more updates between now and release as we process all your valuable feedback and incorporate as many changes as we can before launch. Thank you once again for your continued support and we hope you join us on November 7th by wishlisting the game on Steam!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Castle builders and fans of feudal taxation rejoice! As part of Steam Next Fest: October Edition and in celebration of almost 200,000 wishlists, we have just released a brand new Stronghold: Definitive Edition demo - Our final playable build before launch!

[h2] Play Now [/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Available exclusively on Steam as part of Next Fest, this demo features never-before-seen-missions - including your first look at our brand new single player campaign. This includes Missions 3 and 8 from the original 2001 Stronghold military campaign, as well as a challenging mission from the exclusive new Definitive Edition campaign. Need a refresher? Then dive into the demo's full tutorial to warm up first.



In addition to both of the original military and economic campaigns, the Jewel of the North DE campaign will feature returning fan favourite antagonists The Rat and The Snake. Created by Firefly co-founders Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette, these new missions will remain true to the spirit of the first game, while introducing new twists on familiar Stronghold gameplay.

To accompany the release of our final demo, we have also released an in-depth developer diary featuring interviews with veteran series artists. Watch as Darrin and Niall examine the artistic challenges inherent in a project like Stronghold: Definitive Edition:

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Being able to go back to [Stronghold] and updating it in some ways but still keeping the original feel in other ways. That I think is what we really all were shooting for, explains Senior Graphic Designer Darrin Horbal. Reflecting on the games summer reveal, Lead Artist Niall Benzie goes on to explain, When we first released the trailer and the public demo, I was quite apprehensive on how people might receive the changes, but I do believe we have gone a long way in trying to respect the original art.



Our new Definitive Edition demo will remain available for one week, until the end of Steam Next Fest on October 16 at 10:00 AM PDT / 17:00 GMT. We encourage you to download the demo and leave us feedback! As with our previous demo there is a feedback form embedded in the game's main menu. So please build, besiege and let us know what you think.

We can't wait to share more DE news as we approach launch on November 7th - So stay tuned for more Stronghold goodness in the coming weeks!

[previewyoutube=GWoNIf0SNEI;full][/previewyoutube]
Our Gamescom Stronghold: Definitive Edition campaign reveal provides an exciting first look at parts one and two of The Jewel Campaign, in which players march across the devastated English hinterland in search of Sir Longarm's captured kin. A side story running in parallel to the military campaign released in 2001, The Jewel Campaign is designed to challenge veteran players of the 20 year old series with new twists on familiar Stronghold gameplay, while also extend the story of the original castle sim. Crafted by Firefly co-founders Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette, these new missions will be playable at launch, alongside both the original military and economic campaigns.



The 14 missions of this new campaign will feature series antagonists The Rat and The Snake. As part of the larger overarching game narrative, players will be tasked with thwarting these nefarious lords from their pursuit of The Boy and the ruin of medieval England. Just as important will be their own hunt for the kin to another series favourite, the mighty Sir Longarm! With the campaign narrated in English by a new character, voiced by Stronghold series veteran actor Christopher Kent, players will be challenged like never before as they tackle brutal old foes and formidable new challenges.



We can't wait for you to experience this new set of missions, but also to experience the original two campaigns in all their definitive edition glory! In case you missed it we have a demo available on Steam right now. So if you haven't already done so, please join the 50,000 others who have downloaded our DE demo and give us your thoughts using the in-game feedback form. We will be removing this demo from Steam in one week, so play while you still can and get ready for more updates from us on Stronghold: Definitive Edition!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqV6DYBgFzI
Here it is... Every burning question we've seen online that we can answer at this point in development for Stronghold: Definitive Edition!

We have been absolutely overwhelmed by thousands of responses to our demo player survey, 35,000 demo downloads and 150,000 wishlists (It's gone up since we recorded this video!). It means a huge deal to us that you are so excited for and invested in our very first Definitive Edition, which we want to make as fun, polished and true to the original game as possible.



So while you can expect more updates and developer diaries in the future, digging into our process behind this new version of Stronghold, we decided to answer everything we can at this moment in time. Sourcing questions here on YouTube, but also from the official Stronghold Discord, TikTok, subreddit, Firefly Twitter and beyond, we have compiled a list of 27 frequently asked questions which we're comfortable answering just under three months from launch.



Please note that anything not covered today can be taken as something we're exploring, but cannot commit to either way at this stage. We are absolutely committed to more demos, continued feedback and iteration, with Stronghold: Definitive Edition but also beyond with the future of the series. So thank you again for taking the time to give us your feedback and please continue!

We hope to provide more exciting updates between now and launch, so please stay tuned for much more on DE in the coming weeks and months.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Download, play and give us feedback! Trial ends August 29th

We have now released our first public playable demo for Stronghold: Definitive Edition, coming to Steam on November 7th! Currently available via the game's Steam store page, this demo was previously shared with press and content creators as part of our full reveal last month.

This updated Alpha build demo contains new visuals, controls options, missions 4 and 11 from the original game's military campaign and a full tutorial for players new to the series. We are releasing this to gather as much feedback as possible ahead of launch later this year, with the demo remaining available until August 29th.

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After playing either mission 4 or 11 you will find a Feedback button in the main menu. Hit that, fill out our player survey and let us know what you think! We are dedicated to making every improvement possible between now and launch, which we can only do with your detailed feedback. We have already had a huge amount of positive suggestions and input across our Discord and wider social media, however there's always room for more.

[previewyoutube=SPA1sFAM1T8;full][/previewyoutube]

The eagle eyed among you may also notice that we have already implemented certain changes based on your feedback from the reveal on July 13th. Unit animations, buildings and characters have been improved, with many other changes coming based on both your suggestions and of course our own existing plans for the game.

We hope you enjoy our Alpha demo, add the game to your wishlist and look forward to more exciting Stronghold: Definitive Edition updates in the coming weeks!

A second season of videos now available on the Firefly Studios YouTube channel, The Lore of Stronghold 2 covers some of your favourite characters from the anticipated castle sim sequel!



Take heed and rejoice, for we bring glad tidings! Season 2 of the 'Lore of Stronghold', this time focusing on Stronghold 2, is here in full for your viewing pleasure. This new season covers the history behind Stronghold 2, our first 3D Stronghold featuring an all new cast of characters. Exploring our fictional narrative, we examine the lore that made Stronghold 2 a captivating place for series veterans, even without the original game's cast of now legendary characters.



From Sir William, a man who marched through hell on a quest for redemption and Matthew Steele, a boy who rose to weave his own tapestry of legend from nothing, to Lady Seren, a woman whose intensity of spirit and heart of steel would let nothing keep her from her goals. Stronghold 2 had an eclectic cast that we fondly remember today and will surely inspire us going forward.



When it first released in 2005, Stronghold 2's greater focus on cinematics and story driven gameplay went hand in hand with the technical progression of the series. This scope and ambition is inspiring today as we look back on where we've been and the road ahead. For now however join us as we look back on some of the most memorable Stronghold protagonists to grace our screens.



The Lore of Stronghold (Season 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIyU5TMaRbM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDzF6-VkObo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buj7JixeFtc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIyU5TMaRbM
Season 2 of 'The Lore of Stronghold' is upon us! Join Firefly Studios veteran and series narrator Matt, as we delve into the privileged upbringing and tumultuous medieval adulthood of Stronghold 2 protagonist Sir William. The fan-favourite "Noble Lord" is in the lore spotlight this week, with a deep dive of William's tribulations and epic redemption, proving himself worthy of knighthood and understanding the price of true chivalry.



Stronghold 2 introduced a greater level of graphical fidelity to the Stronghold series, but also a larger focus on cinematics and story driven gameplay. The game itself and its 'Path of War' campaign was a much greater ask than the first Stronghold, with player choice and a greater persistence between missions. The scope and ambition here was fresh for the franchise and something that still inspires us today. So join us as we revisit beloved characters and the many other fine details that make up the DNA of the original 'castle sim'.



Be sure to subscribe to Firefly Studios on YouTube for more Stronghold lore videos, including the upcoming backstories of Matthew Steele and Lady Seren. If you missed it Season 1 of 'The Lore of Stronghold' is also now available, featuring everyone's favourite Rat, Snake, Pig and Wolf:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq4oDwUTJBU&list=PLTlp-ip6JuiFmju1GwseQUKqj57SYEYTC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOV-nlgYeNs
The second half of our New Stronghold Community Q&A series is now live! Check it out via the link above courtesy of the Firefly Studios YouTube channel. For those of you who might have missed the first half, thats also available for your viewing pleasure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7cyVfFVJKc
Given the recent blizzard of news and announcements weve been sharing about the future of Firefly, we thought this would be a great opportunity to sit down and answer your plentiful questions about our next entry in the legendary Stronghold series.



Despite there being certain questions that cant be answered as thoroughly as we would like at this early stage in pre-production, we wanted to take a broader view of the game and discuss some of our current thinking around design, visual effects, mod support and more. Most importantly of all, you will be among the first to know whether the gossip concerning Nicks budding voice acting career has any substance or what cow catapulting could look like in UE5. Click the link and find out



With a strong foundation to build on and more time along the development process, were certain that your queries will be satisfied in this and future videos. So with that in mind please leave any new questions you may have about our latest Stronghold in the comments below and your question could find itself being featured in a future video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7cyVfFVJKc
Hark, a new Stronghold Community Q&A approaches! With our recent announcements, including but not limited to Fireflys new office (!), game engine and acquisition by Devolver Digital, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to examine what all this means for the series going forward.



In this first half of a new two-part series, Stronghold veteran Nick and Sak Abdi, the newest member of our marketing team at Firefly, respond to your most pressing questions. These include everything from expectations for the series and our adoption of Unreal Engine 5, to what a new Stronghold game could look like and whether the rumours are true that Boris Johnson has been narrating our Stronghold Lore video series The answers to these questions and more are but a click away!



While there are certain questions that, at this early stage, cant be answered as thoroughly as we would like, this Q&A takes a fundamental look at what fans can expect from Firefly from narrative, technical and artistic points of view. Watch to find out how these decisions have been shaped by our shared past experiences, as well as your valuable feedback via the Stronghold Player Survey and social media channels.



Given more time and development, we hope to further flesh out what the future holds for Stronghold and answer any questions you may have. So if theres something we missed in todays video let us know! Leave any lingering questions you may have about the direction of the series in the comments below and they could be featured future videos.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBTyVgTS3Nk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IEZyeK-8U
Discover what the future holds for Stronghold and Firefly Studios as a whole with two recent videos, linked above and available on the Firefly YouTube Channel. Join us as we cover a number of developments that will positively impact the way we develop and release our games going forward.



Firefly is undergoing an epic period of change, with everything from a physical office relocation and new game engines, to fresh updates on the future of Stronghold and a brand new game in the works. For full details please watch both of the above videos, where Nick explores the reasoning behind these developments and what it will mean for our developers and players.



With time comes progression, especially in such a rapidly-growing industry, but one thing that will remain constant is our commitment to making the best possible experiences for our players, new and old. By investing in infrastructure and technology, we feel the next chapter of Firefly is an exciting one and we cant wait for you to see what comes next!



Accompanying this technical shake-up is an organisational one, as you may have heard already Firefly Studios has been acquired by Devolver Digital! A world-renowned game publisher and friend of Firefly, Devolver acquired the studio in 2021 and has been supporting us ever since. With their background in championing innovative videogames and our shared history, Devolver was the ideal parent company for our studio and yet another reason we're looking ahead to a promising future.

With big things on the horizon, fans of the Stronghold series will have plenty to look forward to. As always, stay tuned for more information about the Stronghold series and Firefly Studios.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBTyVgTS3Nk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IEZyeK-8U
Discover what the future holds for Stronghold and Firefly Studios as a whole with two recent videos, linked above and available on the Firefly YouTube Channel. Join us as we cover a number of developments that will positively impact the way we develop and release our games going forward.



Firefly is undergoing an epic period of change, with everything from a physical office relocation and new game engines, to fresh updates on the future of Stronghold and a brand new entry in the works. For full details please watch both of the above videos, where Nick explores the reasoning behind these developments and what it will mean for our developers and players.



With time comes progression, especially in such a rapidly-growing industry, but one thing that will remain constant is our commitment to making the best possible experiences for our players, new and old. By investing in infrastructure and technology, we feel the next chapter of Firefly is an exciting one and we cant wait for you to see what comes next!



Accompanying this technical shake-up is an organisational one, as you may have heard already Firefly Studios has been acquired by Devolver Digital! A world-renowned game publisher and friend of Firefly, Devolver acquired the studio in 2021 and has been supporting us ever since. With their background in championing innovative videogames and our shared history, Devolver was the ideal parent company for our studio and yet another reason we're looking ahead to a promising future.

With big things on the horizon, fans of the Stronghold series will have plenty to look forward to. As always, stay tuned for more information about the Stronghold series and Firefly Studios.

A new series of videos now available on the Firefly Studios YouTube channel, The Lore of Stronghold covers your favourite characters from the original castle sim and its sequels!



Revisiting our core narrative to piece together key events and flesh out these beloved figures, this new series offers Stronghold veterans a deep dive into the history of our central cast. Over the years these larger than life figures have shaped the narrative of our castle sim and we're excited to explore four of them in our first season of this new video series.



Through the deeds and dealings of series staples, starting with the original Stronghold, we examine the lore that forms the basis of our overarching story. Memorable characters are what make these games a captivating setting for castle building and besieging, so join us as we immerse ourselves in the Stronghold universe!



From The Rat, a detestable man as inept as he is infuriating, and The Snake, a cold-blooded conniver hiding behind a literal wall of gems and jewels, all the way to The Pig, a cruel man with a similarly cruel past who brute-forces his way from gutter to Dukedom and The Wolf, the most malicious Lord in Stronghold, your ultimate adversary as a player and mysterious invader of England.



Using a combination of the original game scripts, Stronghold gameplay, concept art and historical reenactments, we chronicle the interconnected events that lay the foundation for the heroes and villains of the series. With full cinematic summaries for players who have never played a Stronghold title in their life and never-before-seen details for those of you looking to start your umpteenth playthrough, theres something for everyone to enjoy in Season 1 of The Lore of Stronghold!

The Lore of Stronghold (Season 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq4oDwUTJBU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ8MeYKzcH8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPZ-x_5gpL8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MDf3CoLlGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWki5r4ohZs
We have now released version 1.4 of Stronghold: Warlords on Steam! The Skirmish Trail Update introduces Warlords' first skirmish trail, a series of challenging missions with unique conditions to overcome and achieve victory. Other features added in the update include a new mounted soldier, two additional AI warlords, the return of a popular building for healing units and two extra multiplayer maps.



A classic mode introduced in the original Stronghold: Crusader, skirmish trails invite experienced players to display their mastery over Strongholds economic gameplay and RTS combat. Each trail mission pits player lords against a unique combination of AI opponents, recruitable warlords, resources, starting goods and teammates across a combination of new and existing maps. Choosing between Standard and Challenging difficulties, the classic Chicken feature can also be used to skip missions players find too difficult.



The mounted Samurai Lancer marks Warlords first post-release unit, boosting the games launch roster of 16 soldiers and 10 siege weapons. With the ability to buff attack damage for all nearby mounted allies, the Samurai Lancer is a powerful new Japanese unit type. Armed with a piercing lance and clad in samurai armour, the Lancers are based on the Onna-musha female warriors of pre-modern Japan. Highly-skilled horsewomen as fast as Auxiliary Cavalry, but with an attacking strength comparable to their Imperial brethren, the Samurai Lancer provides support for other mounted units while also packing a punch of their own.



A common request pre-release and one built into Warlords content roadmap from an early stage, the ability to heal units is now available in the new Field Hospital structure. A unique building that can be placed by any Beetle Warlord under your control, the Field Hospital heals all allied troops standing within its area of effect. Upgrading the Beetle Warlord will also increase the amount of healing given to troops over time, making this Edict even more effective at protecting defensive troops or those stationed in preparation for a siege.



The Beetle and Bear Warlords are the first of several new warlords being added to the game in 2021. In addition to the aforementioned Field Hospital, the Beetle Warlord is a master of defence, giving players access to cheaper castle traps and shipments of armour. The Bear Warlord meanwhile is all about strength in numbers, improving the buff radius of Imperial Bannermen and making Imperial troops more affordable. The Bear is also effective for feeding your population and can even launch siege attacks of his own!



Finally both the Ascendance and Guarded Crossings maps are now available for use in skirmish mode and online multiplayer. Ascendance is a large four player map that proves some lords are more equal than others, giving each a chance to secure the high ground and claim victory. Meanwhile Guarded Crossings sees the northern player benefit from a large build area, but without access to the valuable warlords their rivals will be hotly contesting.



While the release of the Skirmish Trail Update and version 1.4 brings us to the end of our initial spring/summer content roadmap, rest assured more updates are on the way! This will begin with the reveal of our summer/autumn roadmap, with full details on that arriving next month. So if you're hungry for more Stronghold: Warlords content be sure to keep an eye on our official Discord server and YouTube channel for the latest updates.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru6Qe76T3kE
We have just released our first post-launch Stronghold community Q&A, covering both Stronghold: Warlords and other past, present and future titles in the series. Today Nick runs a gauntlet of both our most common post-release questions and a series of dastardly challenges, posed by resident Firefly Videographer and celebrity chef Aaron Hayden. So if you've ever wanted to see us inhale a bowl of spicy noodles, draw fellow Firefly staff or impersonate classic Stronghold characters then boy we do have the video for you! As always please enjoy watching us embarrass ourselves while simultaneously answering your questions about the future of Firefly, Warlords and the Stronghold series.



Got a question not featured in today's post-release Q&A? Worry not! We've taken the liberty of including all other community questions (to which we currently have answers) in the video's description, to ensure no voice goes unheard. If you have further questions having watched today's video then please head over to the official Stronghold Discord, where developers and fellow players will be happy to discuss the series. You can also sign up to the Firefly Studios newsletter for the latest Stronghold news and inclusion in other initiatives such as player surveys, giveaways and beta invites.



We hope you enjoy this new Q&A as we look forward to the future of the Stronghold series. With version 1.3 releasing on Tuesday May 18th, adding new maps and improvements to the game, we're just getting started with Stronghold: Warlords. New AI, units, warlords, game features, single and multiplayer content are planned for introduction in a series of free updates in 2021 along with new DLC, starting with next week's 'The Art of War Campaign' which adds six missions and two new warlords to the base game.

Please stay tuned for updates to our content roadmap for Stronghold: Warlords in 2021, as well as updates on the Stronghold series as a whole. Thanks for playing!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

Sun Tzu, AI Invasions & New Map!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuvPMZGYt0I
Today Stronghold: Warlords gets its first major content release with the Sun Tzu v1.2 Update! Adding requested features such as a new AI opponent, AI invasions in Free Build mode, a new Free Build map, general fixes and AI improvements, this update is now available to all players.



The introduction of new AI is something we're excited about and we're kicking things off with none other than Sun Tzu. The master tactician was an easy choice for us post-launch and, coupled with recent improvements to the AI, one we're excited to put in the hands of players. Initial testing puts Sun Tzu at the higher end of the difficulty scale, particularly when combined with the newer Extreme difficulty option and other tweaks possible in skirmish mode. So when going up against this fiendish AI remember to move fast and seize control of the battlefield!



The AI focus continues this week with the much anticipated post-release addition of AI invasions in Free Build mode. Allowing players to launch enemy invasions of different shapes and sizes, as well as the difficulty of these attacks and other parameters, invasions open up Free Build mode to the more combat minded players out there. Now not only can you build to your heart's content in Free Build mode, but also use this time to prepare for war! Balance castle cosmetics with real world tactical considerations and crown yourself as the ultimate castle designer.



Today's new content update also brings the total number of maps in Warlords to 15 across Skirmish, Multiplayer and Free Build, with a further 300 user-created maps also available via Steam Workshop. In the past few weeks Warlords has gained a brand new map, a rework of an existing large map with increased build space and now a new Free Build map, the first of its type to feature warlords. This increase will continue into the upcoming version 1.3 and beyond, with v1.3 specifically set to include three new maps for use in skirmish mode and multiplayer.

Read The Full Patch Notes

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYuSRk1PPaA
Today we reveal the first part of our post-release content roadmap for Stronghold: Warlords! This first phase in our overall roadmap of updates for Warlords covers the spring and early summer period, with additional smaller patches planned and more to come in the second half of the year. Everything covered in today's announcement will be added to the game free for all players, released as soon as it's ready.



Our content roadmap for Stronghold: Warlords is divided into two separate tracks of minor or major updates. Minor updates, starting this week with our first proper patch, will be aimed at improving the core gameplay and adding smaller improvements to Warlords. These include the addition of a new Extreme Difficulty mode, AI improvements, new maps and stability improvements. At the higher end of these 'minor updates' you'll find series staple features, such as the addition of invasions controls in Free Build mode.



When it comes to our planned major updates for the next few months we also have two substantial content additions scheduled, as part of this initial roadmap. Planned pre-launch and requested in post-release feedback, our new AI character (Sun Tzu) and later Skirmish Trail #1 update (including 10 missions, a new playable unit and two warlords) will aim to improve the content on offer in both single player and multiplayer modes.

We hope you enjoy this week's update and look forward to future additions to the game. If you're playing Stronghold: Warlords and would like to provide feedback please leave us a review on Steam and join the official Stronghold Discord.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjLOm-zxwKI
Fans of building, besieging and wuselfaktor rejoice! The latest entry in our almost 20 year old castle sim series, Stronghold: Warlords is now available on Steam. Today we celebrate the game's long awaited release with a final launch trailer featuring fresh gameplay, the full campaign map and a story preview narrated by the talented Rae Lim.



Including a 31 mission campaign with conflicts and sieges ranging from 300 BC China to 16th century Japan, Stronghold: Warlords both covers a wide historical period and (more importantly) introduces gunpowder to the series for the first time! Introducing legendary figures like Genghis Khan and lesser known rulers such as Thuc Phan, Warlords is designed to build on everything players know and love about Stronghold in an all new setting. Warlords has something for all Stronghold fans, whether you enjoy a single player campaign, unlimited castle building freedom in Free Build mode, offline skirmish or online multiplayer with friends and AI. The game comes complete with everything you expect from a mainline entry in the series, in addition to brand new gunpowder fuelled units, siege weapons and returning favourites like Siege Towers and Horse Archers.



With Stronghold: Warlords release we also have the introduction of the titular Warlords system, a new gameplay mechanic allowing players to conquer, upgrade and command AI warlords across the battlefield. A flagging economy can be saved with an Ox or Pig Warlord, who can boost a players' industry and food reserves with their unique Edict commands and passive perk abilities. Players looking to rain down fire and fury on their opponents can instead opt for a Dragon or Tiger Warlord, able to supply the player with special units and launch attacks in a pincer movement against their enemies! Whether players decide to forge these alliances through diplomatic buildings like the Consulate or simply by marching in an army and forcing warlords to bend the knee, these bonds can make or break their overall strategy.



Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition is also available including Stronghold HD, The Art of Stronghold: Warlords digital art book, a new soundtrack created by series composer Robert L. Euvino and a special Making Of feature-length documentary.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tojme-8vGY
In our final pre-launch gameplay preview Aaron, Natasha and Nick go head to head with the AI in a triple threat 3v3 multiplayer match! Facing off against two Hard opponents (Genghis Khan and Toyotomi Hideyoshi) and one Medium (Thuc Phan), Firefly's marketing team experiments with incendiary bovines, thunder crash bombs and... Spelling their names out in gunpowder? Watch as we play through an hour-long six player game online, using the latest Stronghold: Warlords build, a Large sized map and four different warlords to spice things up.



At launch Stronghold: Warlords will allow for up to eight players total in Multiplayer, using a mix of four human and four AI opponents, in addition to the warlords themselves. Nine maps will be available to play ranging from Small to Large size, with support for Extra Large maps, a full map editor and Steam Workshop functionality at release. Co-op mode will also allow up to two pairs of players to share a castle estate and control of their forces, while traditional teams also feature for players that prefer to build and maintain their own feudal economy.



Stronghold: Warlords will be available on Steam next week from 6pm GMT on March 9th for $39.99, 29.99 and 34.99. A Special Edition will also be available including Stronghold HD, The Art of Stronghold: Warlords digital art book, a new soundtrack created by series composer Robert L. Euvino and a special Making Of feature-length documentary.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvwOa31YfIY

Along with eight unique warlord archetypes, Stronghold: Warlords will feature four fully realised opponents in the form of historical AI Lords. Covering unique historical periods from 300 BC Vietnam through to the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate in 16th century Japan, Warlords shifts the series into new territory with a brand new cast of characters. Featured in the games 31 mission single player campaign, but also playable in skirmish mode and multiplayer, Warlords main cast are legendary figures and formidable opponents.



This final developer diary (Don't worry - We still have other videos coming!) explores their battlefield prowess, tactics and quirks as AI opponents, providing a look at some of the strategies players will be facing at launch on March 9th. After several games using the same historical settings Genghis Khan, Thuc Phan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Qin Shi Huang were exciting prospects for the studio and a refreshing change of pace. The resulting cast of larger-than-life characters still feels very Stronghold, while living up to the games title in their unique castle designs, army composition, tactics and taunts.



With a completely new cast of AI Lord opponents, we're also combining regional voice work with bespoke lines for certain characters and units. As with Arabic voice acting in the beloved Stronghold: Crusader series, the introduction of talented Japanese voice actors, in addition to those of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, is designed to both provide native language support and add to the immersion enjoyed by western players. In doing so we hopes to deliver the level of atmosphere Stronghold fans have come to enjoy, both in terms of authentic orchestral music and voice acting.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0IFo_33DS0
With less than two weeks to go before the worldwide launch of Stronghold: Warlords, we thought it would it would be entertaining to give our developers a blind castle-building challenge! Tasked with building the ultimate castle in under 30 minutes, four Firefly devs are challenged (and judged!) on their time-limited castle building skills in this new video.



Paul, Aaron, Tom and Nick all begin on a new map with little to no preparation and a single objective: Build the ultimate castle! They must do so on the 'Jungle Clearing' medium-sized map within the time limit, with their creations judged by none other than Firefly Studios co-founder and Stronghold designer Simon Bradbury. These hastily-constructed castles are rigorously graded based on their castle aesthetics, economic efficiency and of course defensive strength. The series *is* called 'Stronghold' after all...



Also including a few minor feature additions, such as the ability to lock (or rotate) the mini-map and a helpful top-down castle view for building, today's gameplay is taken from our latest Warlords build. You can expect more videos from this build next week and during launch, as we explore multiplayer mode and the game's larger map sizes. In the meantime please wishlist Stronghold: Warlords to be notified of the game's release and any launch discount.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TyFJ0Jbnkc
While new gameplay footage is coming later this week, today we're releasing our third and final 'Making Of Stronghold: Warlords' teaser. Today's video is centred around the reveal of Stronghold: Warlords, which took place way back in June 2019. Featuring a snippet of what you can expect from the full documentary at launch, this quick look shows Paul and Simon discussing what goes into revealing a game to the press, as well as including a few behind the scenes E3 clips!



Available at launch as part of Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition, this feature-length documentary takes a look behind the scenes with over two years of game development at Firefly Studios. Unpacking the complex process of creating a modern strategy/sim hybrid on PC, the documentary is designed to provide insight into these unique genres for those curious about their creation.



Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition will be available at launch on Steam for $49.99, 34.99 and 39.99, with the base game also available for $39.99, 29.99 and 34.99.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8atMO_Xqb0
While we prepare new gameplay previews for the coming weeks, today we're releasing a second short 'Making Of Stronghold: Warlords' teaser video. Today's preview discusses voice acting and the fine balancing act between historical authenticity, great performances and our Stronghold-style humour. In addition to planned support for 15 languages, we also made the decision quite early on to support audio in eight languages, as well as snippets of other languages for specific units. Music and sound design are so important to the Stronghold series that it felt necessary to include in the game and we hope it's something enjoyed by players worldwide at launch!



Available at launch as part of Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition, this feature-length documentary takes a look behind the scenes with over two years of game development at Firefly Studios. Unpacking the complex process of creating a modern strategy/sim hybrid on PC, the documentary is designed to provide insight into these unique genres for those curious about their creation.



Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition will be available at launch on Steam for $49.99, 34.99 and 39.99, with the base game also available for $39.99, 29.99 and 34.99.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz7DZWHrUuk
Today we have a short and sweet video for you, in the form of our first 'Teaser' for the 'Making Of Stronghold: Warlords' documentary! Available at launch as part of the Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition, this feature-length documentary takes a look behind the scenes with over two years of game development at Firefly Studios. Charting the course of Warlords' development from production to reveal and eventually release, Firefly's very own Aaron Hayden takes viewers through each aspect of game production.



Unpacking the complex process of creating a modern strategy/sim hybrid on PC, the documentary is designed to provide insight into these unique genres for those curious about their creation. This teaser provides a glimpse of our concept, writing and research for the game. These building blocks form the basis of our design for a new Stronghold title and Warlords' new setting provided fertile ground for both our gameplay and historical goals!



Stronghold: Warlords - Special Edition will be available at launch on Steam for $49.99, 34.99 and 39.99, with the base game also available for $39.99, 29.99 and 34.99.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXhcnbLeAyA
This week we thought we'd take a break between the countless player questions about Stronghold: Warlords (Join the Discord if you have more!) and co-op multiplayer previews for a chance of pace. Warlords features a whopping 16 units and 10 siege weapons, in addition to many different castle defences and other special units like the warlords themselves. This got us thinking... Just how many ways are there for soldiers, peasants, monks and innocent diplomats to die in the game?



It turns out the answer to that question is at least 22! That's right. We counted 22 unique means by which these virtual lives can be snuffed out in an instant (Not Pictured: Death by flooding). So what better way to celebrate this digital carnage than with a montage of death and destruction? Set to the tune of the William Tell Overture by Rossini, watch as our Videographer Aaron Hayden cuts, crushes, incinerates and obliterates his peasant population in the name of your entertainment.



If you'd like to try your hand at orchestrating complicated, gunpowder-related fatalities in Stronghold: Warlords at launch, then be sure to wishlist the game ahead of its March 9th release on Steam. You'll find out as soon as the game comes out, be notified of any launch discount and be among the first to catapult diseased animals over enemy walls at launch.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKXA64asjIw
Today we reveal even more footage of our unique shared base co-op mode, coming to Stronghold: Warlords' multiplayer at launch on March 9th 2021! Using fresh multiplayer gameplay from our pre-release build, this preview follows two brave 'Lords of Firefly', as Nick and Aaron carefully level up the challenge from last week with two medium difficulty opponents.



Going up against the legendary Thuc Phan and Qin Shi Huang on a fresh multiplayer map, our developers must choose between a fresh selection of warlords in the form of the Dragon, Pig and Mouse. Each provides unique tactical options, perks and advantages for the controlling player, assuming they can either win their allegiance using Diplomacy or force them to bend the knee with military pressure.



We still have plenty to show between now and launch, so stay tuned for more multiplayer videos as we complete work on this game mode and build toward our March 9th release date.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VyRFVrUq7A
Today we reveal footage of our shared base co-op mode for Stronghold: Warlords, including our first ever multiplayer gameplay! Allowing players to share control of a single castle when playing together online, Warlords' 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.



Our new warlords system, which allows players to command a network of unique AI warlords across the battlefield, also benefits from co-op mode. Co-op play means advanced players can share the grand strategy gameplay of the warlords between them, optimising their use of each one for economic or militaristic purposes.



Early on in a match one player can 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 commander lays siege to the enemy, their co-op partner can divert resources and direct pincer attacks from nearby captured warlords!

Co-op mode will be available as a multiplayer feature in Stronghold: Warlords at launch on March 9th 2021.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l8jV5RnS-k
As our latest 'castle sim' in what is now a nearly 20 year history (!), Stronghold: Warlords has invited hundreds of questions during the course of development from series fans. In the past we've covered everything from basic questions about game content to returning units and advanced multiplayer features. As we approach release however it seems there are still about 100 questions remaining that we could answer before launch on March 9th. Enter our new 'Pre-Launch' Q&A series, created in the hopes of answering every single major pre-release question we have from fans about our upcoming RTS.



So pull up a chair, pour yourself a tankard of mead and join Natasha as she quizzes Nick for one last time, in a series of three in-depth Q&A videos. Answering questions against the backdrop of fresh gameplay, captured from a recent build of the game, Nick and Natasha blast through nearly 100 questions collated from social media, forums and fan sites for these three videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4zqkb1GccQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=163myxnh5X4
While we have attempted to answer every question raised since the game's reveal at E3 2019, some will inevitably have slipped through the cracks. So if you don't hear your question answered in part one of the series be sure to check out parts two and three (above) or join the Stronghold Discord to ask our developers directly. We've really enjoyed having an open dialogue with fans during Warlords' development and whether its a feature suggestion for this game or something for future titles in the series we want to hear it!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

Dear Stronghold Community and Fans,

Last week we announced that we had come to the difficult decision to delay the release of Stronghold: Warlords for a second and final time. The release date will no longer be January 26th 2021. We will instead be launching Stronghold: Warlords six weeks later on March 9th 2021.

The reason behind this is that the games multiplayer mode is simply not ready to be released yet. We have run into some unexpected issues with it and - while we have worked very hard to resolve these with our current deadlines - we need more time to iron them out. We want to be as transparent as possible with you about this and we did consider releasing as planned, delaying Multiplayer to go live in a future update. However as we have promised Multiplayer functionality for Stronghold: Warlords at launch for over a year now, releasing without it wouldnt be fair to players.



We want to thank you for your continued support and patience. Delays are never desired by any studio - especially this close to the announced release date - and we can only apologise for the disappointment it causes. It is however necessary if we want everyone to have an excellent, full experience with Stronghold: Warlords when it launches on March 9th, 2021.

In the meantime we have reactivated our old Warlords demo on Steam for anyone who missed it last year. Please bear in mind this build is from August 2020 and thus does not feature the polish, final feature set or roster of playable units you can expect from the game at launch.

To play the demo version please follow this link for full details on how to download it on Steam.



If you'd like to discuss the demo with fellow fans and developers at Firefly you can do that by joining the Official Stronghold Discord.

Thank You,
Firefly Studios

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEmuZGaWZX0
As you know Stronghold: Warlords will be the first game in our 'castle sim' strategy series to introduce gunpowder siege weapons. Coming in the form of thunder crash bombs, the fearsome mortar, hwacha fire arrow cart and more, each can be used in different ways to cripple and eventually conquer rival players. Spread fire across enemy farmlands by catapulting bombs over their walls, blow apart defences with massive cannonballs or breach their castle walls with ancient rocket launchers. Castle defences even benefit from the addition of gunpowder, with mounted hwacha able to mow down lightly armoured enemy infantry before they can approach your walls.



What you probably aren't aware of is that rocks and Chinese thunder crash bombs won't be the only thing you're launching over 300 meters come January 26th... That's right, diseased animal ammunition is returning to the series in Stronghold: Warlords! While the humble Pig featured early in our design documents as an intended option in siege warfare we weren't always sure about what other animals would be lucky enough to make the cut. Enter the Stronghold Discord community, who voted overwhelmingly for Water Buffalo over hot contenders like the 'Large Bactrian Camel' and 'A Horse With a Sore Throat'.



Whatever you decide to launch over the walls of your enemies next year Stronghold: Warlords should have your covered with 10 siege weapons, 16 units and a plethora of siege defences for those turtle players out there. These will all be playable at launch in multiplayer, free build, skirmish and also unlocked over the course of the game's 30 mission single player campaign. We can't wait for players to get their hands on Warlords as we approach launch on January 26th, 2021.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsS5tinXmQM
Join us for a full rundown of Stronghold: Warlords' titular warlords system, straight from the mind of Stronghold series Lead Designer and Co-Founder Simon Bradbury. Once again taking the video hot seat, Simon walks us through the finer details of Warlords' new grand strategy gameplay elements. Accompanied by all new multiplayer footage, as well as a first look at the latest version of the warlords system itself, Simon goes in depth for the first time about what this new addition means for our 'castle sim' series.



Discussing the history of Stronghold's estates and their evolution into the current warlords system, today we're revealing new gameplay showing how this feature will work in multiplayer, the later stages of our campaign, skirmish and free build. In the final game players and computer opponents will battle it out military or politically, gaining 'influence' over warlords across the map by any means necessary. With the ability to force a warlord to bend the knee by military might or use diplomacy points to gain favour with them over other players, it is up to the player to decide how and when to conquer each warlord.



There's a lot to go over, so stick with us to find out more about the game's passive warlord perks, edicts which can be used to issue commands, upgrades to edicts and castles, different warlord archetypes and more! If you like the look of the new and improved warlords system please do wishlist Stronghold: Warlords on Steam to be notified of the game's release on January 26th 2021.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMvLtj3lhLc
In our final Stronghold: Warlords campaign preview to be released before launch we bring you over 45 minutes of unedited, uninterrupted and commentary-less gameplay! In response to community requests we've emphasised the new music, sound effects and raw gameplay in today's playthrough, which shows off the first mission from our Japanese campaign segment. Chronicling the exploits of key characters and events from 16th Century Japan, our single player campaign was always planned to take players across to the Land of the Rising Sun as of their building and besieging campaign.



Beginning at Inabayama Castle (now known as Gifu castle) in 1567, in Stronghold: Warlords we have Toyotomi Hideyoshi as our chosen Japanese AI Lord. Hideyoshi lived during the Sengoku period in Japan, in which the feudal states constantly fought each other for territorial control. Beginning his military career in the Oda clan as an army recruit to the Ashigaru, Hideyoshi's impressive service earned him a place as a retainer to the now somewhat famous clan leader Oda Nobunaga.



Featuring our latest beta build and a raft of player driven improvements and tweaks, made possible with the Stronghold Discord and some excellent player feedback from our recent demo, we really feel like Warlords is going from strength to strength as we make our way toward launch on January 26th 2021. If you have feedback on playable builds or what you've seen here today be sure to join the Discord and let us know!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tZEYgdzp0
Firefly Studios Designer Stephen Richards and series creator Simon Bradbury have revealed four major improvements to AI behaviour found in their upcoming castle sim sequel Stronghold: Warlords. This new entry in the historical real-time strategy series will usher in major improvements and refinements in how computer controlled opponents interact with the player, each other and any warlords present on the map.



AI behaviours related to castle management, skirmish combat and city building have been completely revamped for Stronghold: Warlords, in addition to being able to work with the new warlords system. Much like the archetypes of the warlords themselves - such as the Ox, Tiger and Crane - each enemy AI will adhere to a distinct style of play over a set of predetermined behaviours. The decisions made by computer opponents will now be made according to map layout, tactical positioning of warlords, available resources, current army composition and their priorities at different stages of gameplay.



In practical terms this means less hard coded, predictable behaviours and more flexibility in how AI opponents can outmanoeuvre the player, but also how it deals with the evolving situation within its own castle. Independent of the player, AI will build, sell resources and train their army according to changing priorities over the course of a skirmish match. Just as a human player would, the AI will adjust its focus between city building and RTS combat while also battling it out with the player for control over each maps selection of warlords.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYTtEUgUEA
Available on Steam during the weeklong the Autumn Steam Game Fest, our new beta Stronghold: Warlords demo can be downloaded right now. That's right! Between October 7th and 13th players will be able to try out our latest build, a brand new mission from Warlords' Vietnam campaign starring the warlord Thuc Phan. After October 13th the demo will no longer be available, so move fast if you want this chance to play our upcoming 'castle sim' before launch and let us know what you think on Discord.

What better way is there to pass the time waiting for that demo to download, than by watching one of our handsome developers play through it for you? Follow our resident Videographer Aaron Hayden as he walks players through some of the new features, visuals and challenges offered by our latest Stronghold: Warlords demo. Expect new info, laughter and perhaps a few tears as Aaron attempts that precarious balance between achieving a perfect run and voicing a full mission walkthrough for the uninitiated.

Players can expect today's new footage and dev commentary to be followed by additional Feature Spotlight videos in the coming weeks and months. Addressing the most common questions about Warlords' gameplay on Discord and YouTube, such as planned A.I. improvements and the titular warlords system, these new videos will also feature more map sizes and community driven features.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQQ3lk3enKM
We have released new gameplay footage revealing four brand new units coming to our upcoming castle sim RTS Stronghold: Warlords. Each with their own special abilities, counters and tactics, the Ninja, Warrior Monk and mounted cavalry all make their Stronghold series debut in this new video.

The Ninja, Warrior Monk, Imperial and Auxiliary Cavalry join the games 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.



[h3]Ninja[/h3]
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.

[h3]Warrior Monk[/h3]
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 Monks 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.



[h3]Imperial Cavalry[/h3]
The Imperial Cavalrys 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.

[h3]Auxiliary Cavalry[/h3]
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 enemys defences and allow your more powerful units to plough through.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BviS6ns_8k
We're spotlighting Stronghold: Warlords' economic campaign segment with 20 minutes of fresh gameplay footage! Featuring new developer commentary and insight from Senior Programmer Matt Smith and marketing lead Nick Tannahill, this new developer diary features plenty of classic Stronghold gameplay in our new setting.

From medieval events and the distinct possibility of fire... To new changing weather conditions and map hazards, Stronghold: Warlords' 'Path of Peace' campaign will give you plenty to think about while growing your castle economy.



Following The Scribe, Warlords' economic-centric missions will test your city builder and sim skills as you're tasked with gathering resources, growing your population and fulfilling unique objectives as you fight against the clock (or in this case - tiger attacks).

Today's dev diary also features new community driven improvements such as UI scaling, wandering priests and other examples of that ever important 'wuselfaktor'. This new beta build should be taken as a sign of more improvements to come before Stronghold: Warlords launches on January 26th 2021.



We value your feedback hugely, so please keep it coming as we endeavour to make as many improvements as possible between now and launch!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfmFaG3ymE0
As shown during the Gamescom Studio show, we're giving you a first look at our Japanese campaign missions following Toyotomi Hideyoshi! This new developer commentary footage shows details on the new Warlord System and provides a closer look at some of the new units coming to Stronghold: Warlords at launch on January 26th, 2021.



While the base game will be made available on Steam for $39.99, 34.99 or 29.99, Stronghold: Warlords will also be purchasable as a digital Special Edition. Our Special Edition package contains:

Stronghold: Warlords Base Game
Stronghold HD on Steam
Full Stronghold: Warlords Soundtrack (Composed by Robert Euvino)
'Art of Warlords' Digital Art Book
Feature-Length 'Making Of' Stronghold: Warlords Documentary



Including developer interviews and behind the scenes footage from the last three years of development, the Warlords Documentary provides an honest look at modern indie game development at a small studio during a global pandemic. The Warlords art book and soundtrack will contain high quality source material from Firefly Studios artists and Stronghold series composer Robert Euvino. As an added bonus Special Edition owners will also receive a copy of Stronghold HD on Steam. The Special Edition will cost $49.99 USD, 44.99 or 39.99

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

We have just announced that the release date for our upcoming RTS castle sim, Stronghold: Warlords, has been moved from September 29 to January 26, 2021. Given the impact of COVID-19 on individual team members, this new date will result in the best possible Stronghold experience for fans of the series.



We hadnt intended for the recent global situation to impact our development, and when we announced September 29th as our release date we fully believed we would succeed in meeting it. That said, the effect COVID-19 has had on us as individuals, as well as a company, has brought us to the point where weve had to take a step back, assess what areas of development still need work, and make the tough, but necessary decision to delay.

Heres a few words on the delay from Stronghold Lead Designer, Simon Bradbury:

Warlords is almost there and I'm loving playing it. We are currently playtesting and balancing, and there's bags of fun and challenge in there already. We are laser focused on absolutely anything that just doesn't feel right, so we need some extra time for those aspects given the current climate.

We know we can get Warlords super polished by January. Were proud of what we have already achieved, but we feel we have to take that extra bit of time before we are happy to show it to the world. Hopefully you will stick with us as Warlords will most definitely be worth the wait.



As always thank you for your support and understanding. Were incredibly excited to see you play Stronghold: Warlords on January 26th!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pgwdzunMNQ
Today we're showing half an hour of brand new Genghis Khan campaign gameplay footage! Featuring developer commentary from Stronghold: Warlords Lead Programmer Tony DeLibero, this new video features hitherto unrevealed units, warlords and castle structures.



A snapshot of the later stages of Warlords' Mongolian campaign segment, today's campaign preview takes players to 1227 AD as the great Khan moves to crush rebelling Xia forces. Surrounded on all fronts by hostile warlords and a well-protected enemy lord, players must first rush to bring each warlord under their command before launching an all out siege on the enemy. Attacking immediately would be foolish, however with enough warlords pledging their gold, resources and troops players can amass an army powerful enough to take down the enemy stronghold.



Featuring Mongolian structures like the new keep and yurt hovels, as well as cavalry units to be revealed in full next month, this new campaign preview is positively brimming with Stronghold: Warlords teases. As we journey with each campaign preview from ancient China and the Mongol Empire to Vietnam and feudal Japan, virtual castle builders can expect more reveals and raw gameplay in the coming weeks. So make sure you're subscribed to Firefly Studios YouTube channel 2with notifications turned on to avoid missing out on the latest Stronghold news!

Please Note: This is a beta build and not representative of the final game. Details such as arrow trails, some unit animations and the UI are still being worked on, with improvements to be expected before launch.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMj48CZdEuo
We've just released a new dev diary featuring fresh campaign gameplay! Using the current beta build of our upcoming castle sim Stronghold: Warlords, Nick and Matt showcase the Chinese portion of the games 31 mission single player campaign. The Armies of Yan occurs toward the end of the Warring States period in 226 BC and features plenty of castle building, defending and besieging.



Over the course of 40 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay, Senior Programmer Matt Smith walks us through the latest additions to our castle building RTS series. Showcasing new units like the Fire Lancer, the titular warlords mechanic and castle sieges, this dev diary is the first in a new series providing an early look at the games main single player game mode.



As Stronghold: Warlords approaches launch later this year new campaign previews will be released showcasing game features and improvements, but also to collect feedback from players. With particular attention to community requests, new Warlord abilities and the all important wuselfaktor, we've been paying close attention to player suggestions since the games 2019 E3 reveal. For over a year now our devs have been processing feedback on the games visuals, sound effects and most recently gameplay from our Steam Game Fest demo, which can still be played by joining the official Stronghold Discord.

Castle builders will be able to journey from ancient China and Vietnam to feudal Japan and the Mongol Empire when Stronghold: Warlords launches on Steam.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uHzrAiDq8U
Today in a new Feature Spotlight we unveil 10 minutes of fresh gameplay for Stronghold: Warlords, revealing six siege defences available in the game at launch on September 29th. Living up to the series legacy as a castle sim, todays reveal has everything from caged tigers to gunpowder traps and front line barricades.



To defend against the many troop types and siege weapons in Stronghold: Warlords, players will be able to customise their walls with traps and bolster their outer defences. From classic Stronghold staples to new gunpowder-fuelled defensive traps unique to this new entry, Stronghold: Warlords will give players plenty of options for dealing with siege force of all shapes and sizes.



These range from proximity traps to those players must trigger manually. So while a tiger will break free from its cage and attack approaching troops (and your own if youre not careful!) gunpowder trails must be set off by arrow fire or other incendiary triggers. Used them in tandem and players can decide how and when their web of trails and gunpowder stashes explode, to most effectively disrupt enemy siege attacks.



Wooden defences will also be included in the initial campaign missions and early skirmish mode play, giving players cheaper options for erecting a quick defence early on. These include Arrow Towers, castle wall Hoardings and wooden Barricades, all of which serve as excellent secondary defences for those inclined to turtle during a mission or multiplayer match.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFPj57jx1R8
We have just released nearly an hour of fresh Stronghold: Warlords gameplay in the form of a full Free Build scenario play-though! Once again spotlighting our unique Free Build sandbox mode, revealed last week as part of The Escapist Indie Showcase, here players are asked to construct their dream stronghold. Once built they can test their creation against increasingly challenging infantry invasions, siege weapons, difficulty settings and medieval 'events'.



Watch as Firefly's own Aaron Hayden takes us through the basics of Free Build, how this classic mode will interact with the new 'warlords' system and other Warlords gameplay fundamentals. Designed as a special game mode within Stronghold: Warlords, Free Build is essentially as difficult as you make it. Players who simply want to build to their hearts content are free to do so, while those who wish to create the tightest and most strategically sound citadel can test their theories with wave upon wave of AI invasions.



Playable until Monday 22nd June as part of the Steam Game Festival, Stronghold: Warlords was recently announced for a Steam release on September 29th. The game will launch with a full single-player campaign, bonus economic campaign, free build, custom skirmish and mutliplayer modes.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dei0FvLynuo
We are pleased to announce that Stronghold: Warlords will include the series' classic Free Build game mode, allowing players to put their stronghold to the test with AI invasions. In Free Build players design a castle with near unlimited resources, customise its defences and finally launch wave after wave of invasions, putting their creation to the test.



Free Build is designed to be played in many different ways. A selection of large open maps to choose from, each with picturesque scenery and monuments, will allow players the option to simply build to their hearts content if they desire. As in the main campaign, skirmish mode and multiplayer the titular Warlords mechanic can also be used to help build their dream citadel, sending key resources and providing buffs to their castle economy.



Invasions will come with a host of options, including a selection of unique siege armies to throw at your castle walls. Test your mettle against everything from squads of tribesmen and stealthy ninja to battalions of cavalry and armoured legions with powerful siege weapons. The challenge can be further modified with invasion difficulty settings and the ability to add random events such as peasant revolts, moth infestations and deadly roaming tigers. Players will also be able to create custom Free Build maps, adding their own events, invasions and warlords to capture.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-OJ3EwsT50

We're proud to announce that Stronghold: Warlords, the latest entry in our castle sim series, will be released worldwide on September 29th 2020. Set to launch almost two decades since development started on the original Stronghold, the date and new co-op mode were revealed exclusively as part of IGNs Summer of Gaming event in a new multiplayer trailer.

At launch Warlords will include full multiplayer functionality, support for AI opponents and a unique co-op mode allowing two players to work together building, defending and besieging from the same castle. Multiplayer will include the ability to play in teams with friends and against the AI, but also the option to control a single castle cooperatively. Players in co-op can choose to handle the economy from the start or build up an army and focus on their military. During a siege one player could control defensive units like Fire Lancers and Archers, while the other triggers castle traps and puts out the inevitable fires!



Multiplayer will also feature the games new Warlord mechanic, with smaller AI powered castles dotted around the battlefield that can be conquered through force or diplomacy. Once captured players can team up with these characters, all of whom have their own unique archetype and abilities, to outnumber and encircle rival players. Upgrading them to unlock more powerful castles, armies and perks, Warlords can be used to boost your economy or crush opponents entirely with a decisive pincer movement.



The September 29th release date will be a worldwide simultaneous digital release on Steam. The game will be playable across multiplayer using Steam, as well as launching with full Steam Workshop support. This will allow the Stronghold community to create recreations of historic citadels, and upload custom maps and scenarios from day one.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

Cast Your Vote on Discord - https://discord.gg/u3ms8MK

You herd correctly! Our new competition asks players to vote on one of four ill-fated animals to be used as the game's fourth trebuchet ammo type. Voting through the official Stronghold Discord, players will be able to decide which of the four deceased creatures can be used to spread disease in enemy castles when Stronghold: Warlords launches later this year.



Sometimes high walls, food and clean water just arent enough to survive a siege. Throughout history many a Lord has foolishly turtled up, believing they have the supplies to outlast their enemys military resources and patience. That is of course until they hear the distant sound of a trebuchet loading up and firing a different type of ammunition. Is it a horse? Is it a water buffalo? You decide!



Real medieval sieges could take months, with besiegers launching all manner of objects over enemy walls with the aim of spreading disease and panic. Our in-game spin on this siege strategy involves launching one of four departed animals over enemy walls and into their castle. Creating a temporary cloud of disease upon impact, the chosen animal type will affect the size and spread of disease within the enemy castle. Players will have to keep their soldiers and peasants well away from the affected area, with disease able to damage units and even shut down parts of their castle economy.



While Stronghold has always allowed for some manner of diseased, deceased animal to be flung at your enemies, until now they were limited to European and a few Middle Eastern creatures. With Warlords however the series has broadened its horizons to include water buffalo, a hoarse horse, former caged tigers, and the bactrian camels of Mongolia. Players can vote on their preferred animal ammo type by joining the official Stronghold Discord server and reacting to the trebuchet vote post in the #announcements channel.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK-Ue_sssbg
Join the Stronghold Discord - https://discord.gg/u3ms8MK

The latest episode in our 'Soldiers of Warlords' series finally takes us to feudal Japan, as we reveal the first Japanese troop type coming to Stronghold: Warlords. With the ability to charge down enemy units foolish enough to stand in their way and eliminate high profile targets like enemy Lords, the Samurai makes for a unique addition to your medieval army. True to their historical roots and long history in games, we've tried to do justice to these disciplined feudal fighters with interesting attributes and a powerful unit ability.



We also return once more to ancient China with the reveal of two additional Imperial troop types, namely the mace-wielding Guardsman and almost unstoppable Imperial Warrior. Expensive to recruit and powerful once mastered, these Imperial troops will make a serious dent in any enemy siege force. With the Guardsman's ability to deal area damage when he swings his Heavy Mace and the high damage output of the thickly armoured Warrior, we expect Imperial troops to feature in the later stages of the single player campaign and online multiplayer.



We hope you enjoy today's video and look forward to even more unit reveals as we approach launch later this year! With 16 troop types and even more siege equipment, we're aiming for Warlords to provide players with more tactical siege options than ever. In bringing back classic siege weapons, features and making the most of our new setting with all-new troop types, Warlords is being designed as the definitive 3D Stronghold.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

New Interview with Series Producer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5pwX9RQIc
Welcome to Stronghold Sessions. Today marks our second episode in a series of extended, unedited interviews lifted from the '20 Years of Stronghold' documentary released last year. Join us as we sit down with Paul Harris, General Manager and Producer of many Stronghold and non-Stronghold titles here at Firefly Studios for more than 15 years!



Paul discusses the early beginnings of Stronghold 2 including tales from the trenches, design goals and player feedback. We then move onto how 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'His Dark Materials' inspired Stronghold Legends and even what Paul's ideal future Stronghold title would look like. Suffice to say the man is a fan of castle customisation!



There are many more planned Stronghold Session interviews for later down the road. So if you're interested in hearing more extended interviews from Firefly Studios developers - from Marketing to Programming - then make sure you subscribe to Firefly Studios on YouTube to catch the latest episodes.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4FihZ7Cke8
Join the Stronghold Discord - https://discord.gg/qMG7Zae

Firefly Studios is asking YOU - the Stronghold fans - to submit your screams, grunts, shrieks, hollers and groans to be featured in the final game. Unable to source actors and record audio in person, our hope is that enough players will be willing to warm up their vocal chords and scream into a microphone for the chance to themselves perish in-game.



While in the past we have invited fans to vote on weapon designs, armour and even which deceased animals can be thrown by trebuchet, submitting screams is new for us! The current global pandemic is presenting developers of all shapes and sizes with unique challenges, but we're hoping players will enjoy letting it all out and bursting a few ear drums in the process.



You can take part by joining the #screams-of-stronghold channel on the official Stronghold Discord server (link above), where you can find out more about the submission process and technical requirements to make their screams useable in-game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/907650/Stronghold_Warlords/

A few bugs were fixed in a recent mini update and a little change was made.

1. Some people experienced issues saving the game, that bug should be fixed now;
2. The Objective of Mission 12 wasn't clear. The Objective text was changed an a new hint was added to makes it clearer where Lady Catherine will be waiting;
3. The limit for buildings and troops was removed in Freebuild mode.

A few bugs were fixed in a recent mini update and a little change was made.

1. Some people experienced issues saving the game, that bug should be fixed now;
2. The Objective of Mission 12 wasn't clear. The Objective text was changed an a new hint was added to makes it clearer where Lady Catherine will be waiting;
3. The limit for buildings and troops was removed in Freebuild mode.

Battering Rams are no longer able to climb walls and buildings.
Knights will no longer summon horses if they are situated on a wall or building, or are within a tunnel and cannot mount there. This fixes several cases where a horse could become permanently stuck right away.
Instead of always getting the nearest horse, the nearest horse that can path find to the knight is selected instead.
Knights and horses will now cancel mounting while the horse is running to the knight if they encounter any problems. The horse will become immediately available for another knight or will attempt to walk home.
If you have any saved game when horses were stuck, the mounting will be cancelled.
Wall enhancements such as Hoardings, Braziers, and Burning Logs will no longer come detached from walls when created in the Map Editor.
Issues where Brazier flames and light sources could become offset from the brazier base upon load are now fixed.
Towers and walls will no longer become disconnected ( bug which closes the paths from the wall to the top of the towers ) after a map is edited more than once. For the existing maps with this issue, it is necessary to replace existing towers and walls.
Small parts of walls will no longer linger after they have been destroyed.

Battering Rams are no longer able to climb walls and buildings.
Knights will no longer summon horses if they are situated on a wall or building, or are within a tunnel and cannot mount there. This fixes several cases where a horse could become permanently stuck right away.
Instead of always getting the nearest horse, the nearest horse that can path find to the knight is selected instead.
Knights and horses will now cancel mounting while the horse is running to the knight if they encounter any problems. The horse will become immediately available for another knight or will attempt to walk home.
If you have any saved game when horses were stuck, the mounting will be cancelled.
Wall enhancements such as Hoardings, Braziers, and Burning Logs will no longer come detached from walls when created in the Map Editor.
Issues where Brazier flames and light sources could become offset from the brazier base upon load are now fixed.
Towers and walls will no longer become disconnected ( bug which closes the paths from the wall to the top of the towers ) after a map is edited more than once. For the existing maps with this issue, it is necessary to replace existing towers and walls.
Small parts of walls will no longer linger after they have been destroyed.

Steam Trading Cards are now available for the Stronghold 3 players. You can now collect and trade with your friends 9 Trading Cards representing different characters from the game, 5 Backgrounds with amazing in-game sightings and 5 emoticons to express anger or amusement using faces of different characters such as the Boy or Pig.

After you collect all 9 Trading Cards, you will be rewarded with a Badge. The badges are the heads of different Stronghold 3 lords, such as The Jackal, The Wolf, The Princess and so on. To collect the cards you must play the game. Show everyone the true strength of a true Stronghold 3 player!

Steam Trading Cards are now available for the Stronghold 3 players. You can now collect and trade with your friends 9 Trading Cards representing different characters from the game, 5 Backgrounds with amazing in-game sightings and 5 emoticons to express anger or amusement using faces of different characters such as the Boy or Pig.

After you collect all 9 Trading Cards, you will be rewarded with a Badge. The badges are the heads of different Stronghold 3 lords, such as The Jackal, The Wolf, The Princess and so on. To collect the cards you must play the game. Show everyone the true strength of a true Stronghold 3 player!

Greetings Sire! This winter our kingdom expands, weve conquered the lands of our enemies. Two talented Stronghold 3 Community members Sorin and Dennis created 11 maps for us to enjoy:

3 Siege Maps (Ironforge, Thunderbluff and Chateau de Falaise);
2 Freebuild maps (so you can build a peaceful kingdom);
6 Multiplayer maps (for two and three players to show your skills in battle against other human players);

The update is free and available for PC version of Stronghold 3 Gold and it will automatically download on your computer.

Greetings Sire! This winter our kingdom expands, we’ve conquered the lands of our enemies. Two talented Stronghold 3 Community members Sorin and Dennis created 11 maps for us to enjoy:

• 3 Siege Maps (Ironforge, Thunderbluff and Chateau de Falaise);
• 2 Freebuild maps (so you can build a peaceful kingdom);
• 6 Multiplayer maps (for two and three players to show your skills in battle against other human players);

The update is free and available for PC version of Stronghold 3 Gold and it will automatically download on your computer.

Stronghold 3 Gold is Now Available on Steam and is 85% off!*

Now available for Linux, PC and Mac! Stronghold 3 Gold arrives with the new Blackstaff 5 mission single player campaign and bonus Historical Sieges.

*Offer ends October 13 at 10AM Pacific Time

Check back for new deals every Monday at 10AM Pacific.

Check back for new deals every Monday at 10AM Pacific.

Today's Deal: Save 75% on Stronghold 3 Gold!*


Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Thursday at 10AM Pacific Time

Today's Deal: Save 75% on Stronghold 3 Gold!*

Stronghold 3 Gold arrives with the new Blackstaff 5 mission single player campaign and bonus Historical Sieges.

Set during the events of Stronghold 3’s military story, the Blackstaff campaign follows Thomas Blackstaff as he hunts down the three escaped sons of The Rat. Travel across the sea to Greyshore Island to battle the Evil Brotherhood.

Bigger than ever before, the world’s favorite castle sim now contains 3 core campaigns (including the new Blackstaff Campaign), 4 multiplayer modes (including the new Coronation mode), a free build sandbox mode and 12 historical sieges.

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time

Save 75% on Stronghold 3 Gold during this week's Midweek Madness*!


Stronghold 3 is the long-awaited third installment in the award winning castle-building series. Set 10 years after the original, the Wolf it seems, has cheated death and during his painful recovery he’s become even more bitter and twisted. Now he seeks revenge. Raiding villages and towns during the dead of night, the Wolf has created a tide of panic and you and your allies are the only force that stand against him. In this stunning new update to the world’s favorite Castle Sim - will you triumph by day or die by night?


*Offer ends Thursday at 10AM Pacific Time

The Steam Summer Sale continues today with huge savings throughout the store!

Today's Daily Deals Include:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops
  
• Wargame: European Escalation
  
• Spec Ops: The Line
  
• Stronghold 3 Gold
  
• Grand Theft Auto Franchise
  
• Railworks 3: Train Simulator 2012
  
• Company of Heroes Franchise
  
• LIMBO
  
• Indie Bundle V - featuring Defcon, Aaaaa for the Awesome, Ticket to Ride, TRAUMA, SpaceChem
  

Stronghold 3 Gold is Now Available on Steam and 20% Off!*

Now available for PC and Mac, Stronghold 3 Gold arrives with the new Blackstaff 5 mission single player campaign and bonus Historical Sieges.

Set during the events of Stronghold 3’s military story, the Blackstaff campaign follows Thomas Blackstaff as he hunts down the three escaped sons of The Rat. Travel across the sea to Greyshore Island to battle the Evil Brotherhood.

Bigger than ever before, the world’s favorite castle sim now contains 3 core campaigns (including the new Blackstaff Campaign), 4 multiplayer modes (including the new Coronation mode), a free build sandbox mode and 12 historical sieges.

Offer ends Friday, June 1st at 10AM PST.

Stronghold 3 Gold arrives with the new Blackstaff 5 mission single player campaign and bonus Historical Sieges.

If you purchased Stronghold 3 before May 25th, you will be automatically upgraded to the Gold through Steam!

A huge thank you to the loyal fans of Stronghold!

Stronghold 3
Version - 1.10.27781
Patch notes


Economic Systems Rebalanced

Peasants now move 66.66% faster.

Immigration rates have been increased.

In multiplayer the rate has been increased even higher.

All farms now produce 25% more food. Bread production been increased by 40%.

Vegetable gardeners produce and carry 50% more vegetables per delivery.

Range units (Archers, Crossbowmen, etc) now gain an attacking bonus based on terrain height

Troop Movement Changes

Macemen, Armed Peasants and Monks always run.

Men at Arms now always walk, instead of running into attack.

Pikemen walk a little faster.

Ranged troops can move and attack troops behind walls when within their line of sight.

Rally points for the Siege Camp have been added

New Market added with Autobuy/Autosell feature

Markets are no longer required to buy or sell goods. Goods can be traded via the Stockpile, Granary, Keep and Armoury.

The new Market is an advanced trading building which costs 200 wood and features a slider with controls for automatically trading goods, with individual settings per good type.

Multiplayer - Coronation Mode

In Coronation Mode players start off at the lowly rank of “Village Idiot” with limited access to buildings and military units. By generating honour players can move up the ranks, gaining new technology and weaponry along the way. The first King to achieve the rank of “Emperor” will win the game.

Coronation Mode features upgradable Keeps which have their own defences and provide additional housing for workers and troops.

New Coronation Mode map - Marshlands

Performance improvements

Simulation step has been tweaked so that scripts are now called 4 times less often.

Skinning of actors has been optimised - These include animations now do not blend from a distance, PoseDrivers are not recreated everytime there is a LOD change and the game now prioritises existing PoseDrivers, rather than always expanding the PoseDriver pool.

Pathfinding has been optimised - Buildings are now treated a one large obstacle rather than a number of small obstacles.

Sound has been optimised - combat vocalizations are no longer decompressed into memory, resulting in a memory savings of up to 100 Megabytes after a long game session.

Additional user interface options

Vsync matches your monitor’s refresh rate to the in-game frame rate to prevent screen tearing. Enabling Vsync will reduce performance so we have added an option to turn Vsync Off/On in the Options menu.

Full Screen/Windowed mode added to the Options menu.

Camera Changes

Previously when zooming out the camera would tilt until eventually the game would be viewed top down. This camera tilt has been removed. The game can still be viewed top down by pressing the Space Bar.

Health bars are now drawn for currently selected Lord units on their icons in the GUI.

Troop/Building Limits

Troop and building maximums have been added to Single Player, in order to prevent performance issues when the numbers get too high.

These limits can be overridden by changing the relevant settings in the Documents/Stronghold 3/Profiles/options.xml file.

Minimap

Flag icons have been added to the minimap for Capture the Flag mode.

Messages and map location notifications have been added when estates and flags are being captured.

Notifications have been added to show the map location of new reinforcements.

Miscellaneous

Game speed changes using the -/+ keys are now displayed onscreen.

Game speed can also now also be controlled using i/o keys (to help some laptop users that couldn’t use -/+ keys).

The in-game message log history has been increased to 50. The message scroll buttons can be held down to scroll through them.

Unwanted saved games can now be deleted in the “Load Game” screen.

The mouse cursor is locked to the game when in Full Screen or Windowed mode. Pressing ALT + TAB will unlock the cursor in Windowed mode.


Bug Fixes

The CTRL groups (CTRL+1/2/3) are now saved in a save game and available when the save game is loaded.

Fixed the Keep’s Enable/Disable all industries buttons from breaking when an ox post was present.

Fixed the green directional cursor appearing when right-click dragging, even when only enemies or buildings were selected.

Fixed the first mouse click on a newly loaded map not being able to create a selection marquee.

Fixed units becoming deselected when dragging the mouse to operate GUI controls and releasing it over the game view.

Placing a storage building will no longer open the storage building’s GUI panel, which was making it difficult to continue placing buildings.

The chat key (Enter) is now disabled in single player mode.

Troop health bars are now draw correctly when max health is above 100% due to Good Lord buildings

Fixed some issues with troop speech when Lord units were part of the selection

Added minor GUI feedback sounds to some controls

Tooltips for troops and building costs have been reformatted to be more readable. Tooltips have been added for placing rally points and increasing buy/sell amounts.

Fixed the stop command not functioning for Trebuchets, Battering Rams and Burning Carts.

Fixed honour gains not being tracked correctly for in-game statistics

Changed maximum building limit in Multiplayer and Singleplayer to only track the player’s primary estate

Reformatted the siege camp panel to look better in Single Player.

Fixed the cutscene replay button appearing too soon for the final campaign mission cutscenes.

Icon added for the Haybale / Harpoon launcher.

Fixed issues with troops not being able to properly navigate the square bastion in certain circumstances.

Fixed the shortcut key “L” not selecting non-standard lords in multiplayer.

Visual damage from troops attacking walls better reflects number of hit points left.

Some French Keyboard and German Keyboard fixes.

Map Editor - Deleting the Engineer’s guild and saving was causing a crash.

Added some more audio easter eggs... the scribe may say a bit more here and there, and certain units have a bit more to say.


Other things to be aware of in Stronghold 3

Line of Sight Changes

Troops on towers/gatehouses/platforms are now less restricted by Line Of Sight. This change was made primarily in order to avoid frustrating situations where troops standing at one side of a tower couldn't fire directly down at enemies on the ground on the other side of the tower.

The side effect of this change is that sometimes you will see troops shoot through structures when it may look like they shouldn't be able to. Whilst this is obviously not ideal we decided the gameplay benefits of this change outweighed the visual inaccuracies caused as a result of this change.

Graphic Settings Recommendations

If you are using a graphics card with 256mb video memory, we recommend playing on Low settings. If you are using a graphic card with 512mb video memory, we recommend playing on Medium settings. Using High settings or at least High Texture High detail may lead to crashes with 256mb/512mb onboard memory on the video card.

4 Player Multiplayer Recommendations

4 Player multiplayer can be demanding for lower spec computers, particularly lower spec CPUs. For the best 4 player multiplayer experience we recommend playing on a high spec computer such as an Intel i5 or i7 based computer with at least 4GB RAM.

Map Editor

Loading 2 maps into the Map Editor consecutively will cause problems when saving the next map. Please open one map, edit it and save. Then exit the editor and re-load to edit the next map.

Keyboard shortcuts

A list of all the keyboard shortcuts are available in English, German and French on the Firefly Website at the following address - http://bit.ly/sh3keys

We are delighted to announce Stronghold 3 Gold Edition! Set for release on May 25th for PC and Mac, the Gold Edition bundles the latest version of Stronghold 3 with a new “Blackstaff” single player campaign. It will also unlock new historical sieges, previously only available through special editions of the game.

Stronghold 3 Gold features all the extra content and tweaks added to Stronghold 3 since release. This includes 3 core campaigns (including the new Blackstaff Campaign), 4 multiplayer modes (including the new Coronation mode), a free build sandbox mode and 12 historical sieges.

Anyone that purchased Stronghold 3 before the launch of the Gold Edition on May 25th will have their copy of the game automatically upgraded to Stronghold 3 Gold through Steam.

Siege Towers and Laddermen make their multiplayer debut today and can be built directly from the siege camps.
Other additions to online play include an automatic resync feature, score rebalancing and increased starting goods.
Multiplayer maps have been tweaked, making it easier for players to design and build their castles.

An ‘Attack Move’ command has been added to help protect troops from ambush, as well as a button that deactivates all working buildings, which is handy when you need to quickly raise an army.

Follow the link for a full list of patch notes and tips on how to use the new units:

Stronghold 3
Version - 1.9.26498
Patch Notes


Multiplayer
- Multiplayer games will automatically resync if an error occurs.
- Laddermen and Siege Towers can now be built from siege camps (multiplayer games only). See notes at the bottom of the page.
- You can no longer walk on your enemies’ estates in multiplayer during peace-time.
- Multiplayer maps have been edited and tweaked, making it easier for the player to build.
- Multiplayer starting goods for High, Med and Low have been increased.
- The default building limit in multiplayer has been changed to 100.
- Scoring in multiplayer games has been rebalanced. On the score screen: goods are reported by category, and building reports have been simplified.
- Steam avatars now appear in the multiplayer lobby.
- Multiplayer lobby now auto-refreshes every 10 seconds.
- Auto-save has been disabled in multiplayer games.


General
- The keep panel now has buttons to turn all work buildings on or off at once. This is very useful in an emergency when you need to raise an army quickly.
- You can now buy/sell in greater quantities by holding down SHIFT in the market.
- Burning carts can now not attack or destroy stone buildings.
- Attack Move has been added. When sending your troops to a destination you can use Attack Move to command them to retaliate if attacked en route. See notes below.
- The skybox is fixed in free-look mode (Press Alt + F to unlock the camera).
- Added “Texture Quality” setting to graphics options. Anisotropic filtering will be used when this is set to Medium or High.
- Knight movement speed now returns to normal after the horse is killed.
- User Maps: Map descriptions and Objectives are now shown when selecting a map.
- F1 key opens the Freebuild Panel in Freebuild mode.
- Fixed industry on/off buttons to be much more responsive.
- Food popularity report panel: The number of days supply of food is now shown in place of daily production.
- Ale and Church reports now indicate if an inn or church has not been built.
- Ale and Church rates sliders start set to 1x now, enabling their popularity bonuses by default once the relevant buildings and supplies are available.
- UI tab buttons to select storage building panels are now disabled if the relevant building has not been built. Hotkeys to select storage buildings (G,H,J,K) will display a hint if the building is not available.
- Fixed the UI incorrectly displaying a fractional sale of goods when clicking “sell” for goods values smaller than 1.
- The amount of gold traded when buying and selling goods is now shown above the buy/sell buttons.
- Subtle sound effects now play when issuing orders to Lord units to indicate if the command will be carried out or not.


Notes on using Laddermen and Siege Towers
(Only available in multiplayer modes)

Laddermen:
- Laddermen are created at the siege camp.
- Laddermen have 1 ladder which they can place against stone walls by targeting the walls and right-clicking.
- Ladders are placed on the wall depending on where you have the camera focused, the same way stairs are placed.
- All troops can move up and down ladders to gain access to walls.
- Laddermen will return to the siege camp for another ladder after placing theirs against a wall.
- Laddermen can also slide ladders down the far side of walls from on top of them using the same method as placing them against the walls.
- All troops can push ladders off walls.
- Ladders are automatically destroyed after 2-3 days

Siege Towers:
- Siege towers are created at the siege camp.
- Siege towers can be docked against stone walls by targeting the wall and right-clicking.
- Units can be placed on siege towers and will fire missiles as the siege towers moves to its location.
- Once the siege tower is docked against a wall, units can climb up and down it to gain access to the walls.


Notes on using Attack Move
- Normally when sending troops to a destination they will ignore enemies they encounter and always attempt to reach their destination despite sustaining damage.
- If you hold CTRL when selecting a destination your troops will retaliate if they encounter troops along the way.
- After killing the enemies your troops will then continue to their destination as originally commanded.


If you experience odd problems after updating please verify your Steam cache files.
Problems such as: Odd characters in the menu, buildings cannot be placed in-game, language or speech missing or anything you had in the game before but don’t after updating the game.

To verify your Steam cache files:
- Open Steam > Library
- Right click on Stronghold 3 and select Properties
- Select the Local Files tab and then click Verify Integrity of Game Cache

This weekend only, Save 50% on Stronghold 3!

Set 10 years after the original, this long-awaited third installment in the award winning castle-building series follows the Wolf who it seems, has cheated death and during his painful recovery he’s become even more bitter and twisted. Now he seeks revenge.

Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time.

Stronghold 3
Version - 1.8.28566
Patch Notes

Patrol added – Troops can now be set to patrol between 2 patrol points (see below for more information).

Barracks Assembly Points added – Individual troop types can now form up at designated assembly points (see below for more information).

Reworked wall system to prevent small sections of wall remaining after deleting walls (This is fixed for newly placed walls, some pre-placed walls will still have occasional issues).

Fixed an issue with the walls occasionally causing hoarding/rolling/stairs to change/disappear.

Fixed an issue involving Woodcutters occasionally getting stuck in the stockpile.

Fixed the issue with troop’s stance automatically changing to aggressive.

Fixed a crash related to rain and video memory on the ATI 1950 video card (might have affected other videocards too) in military mission 6, 11 and economic mission 2.

Fixed an issue with the Lord returning from the dead when loading a save game in Military Mission 15.

Fixed an issue that made troops invincible in Freelook mode.

Fixed an issue where projectiles remained in Freelook mode.

Objects embedded in the wall which was of varying height is no longer too high/low for the wall.

Several issues resolved with Military Campaign Mission 14 with troops stuck on and in walls.

Fixed issue when entrances to certain tunnel entrances on towers wouldn't work.

When moving troops in formation use single right click to move troops at the same speed (all move at speed of the slowest troop) and double right click to move troops at their default speeds.

Boiling oil no longer kills your own troops when dropped from the gatehouse.

Stopped the music from changing when animal invasions or troop reinforcements are triggered. (Affects Military mission 2 in particular.)

Fixed issue with audio from troops attacking walls (as well as some other sounds) cutting each other off causing audio distortion.

Fixed an issue with not being able to place walls in multiplayer custom maps & The Deadshore.

Fixed an out of sync in Multiplayer related to walls.

Fixed an out of sync related to Knights on Horses attacking.

Fixed an out of sync in 4 player Multiplayer related to the type of Lord chosen by players 3 and 4.

Mangonels and other tower siege equipment can no longer attack during peacetime in Multiplayer.

After loading a save game all the previous missions will now be unlocked in the campaign menu.

Scores have been fixed for user-created Military based maps.

Fixed a crash when loading a savegame with fire (thanks to Bob, MK & Kostas for sending us their savegames).

Various crashes have been fixed.

Patrol:
- Select troops and left-click on the Patrol button in the slide-out command drawer.
- Right-click on terrain or walls to set the patrol destination.
- The troops will march back and forth between their starting position and the patrol destination.

Barracks Assembly Points:
- Select the Barracks, and right-click on a troop build button.
- A rally point banner will appear on the cursor. Place it by right-clicking, or left-click to cancel.
- Troops of that type will now march to the rally point automatically when they are recruited.

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If you experience odd problems after updating please verify your Steam cache files.
Problems such as: Odd characters in the menu. Buildings cannot be placed in-game. Language speech is missing or anything you had in the game before but don’t after updating the game.

To verify your Steam cache files:
1. Open Steam > Library
2. Right click on Stronghold 3 and select Properties
3. Select the Local Files tab and then click Verify Integrity of Game Cache

Patch will automatically download through your Steam client.