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         Stronghold: Crusader Unit guide and Battle tactics/strategies
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 Written by Richard "tardounderdog" Wise

 This guide is here to replace the current (and horrible) guide I already have
 on GameFAQs.com. This one will be a lot more detailed and easier to read as
 the current one on GameFAQs was nmy first guide ever (and it's the worst one
 to say the least)

 ========
 WARNING: While I'm very proud of you sending in fake codes, stop it now. I've
 ======== Recieved many fake codes such as "Unlock the Lord to train at the
          barracks."

          Do NOT send them in. In fact, do not send in codes or links to some
          trainers unless I call for them! If you do send in a fake code, I'll
          just yell at you and call you stupid and I'll send them back right to
          you.


 O. Update History (dd/mm/yy)

 Version 1.2 --1/3/05 -- I was swamped with work and barely had time to update.
                         I've actually started on battle strategies and a basic
                         strategy is here. Also, I've sent it in to a few sites.
                         I also recieved a few requests to host it on a free
                         site. Read the announcement guys.

 Version 1.1 --27/2/05-- Added more hints and tips. I'll add some units soon.

 Version 1.0 --26/2/05-- Started the guide. Made a bit of a start on hints and
                         tips.

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Table Of Contents

O. Update History
I. Introduction
  a. Personal Rant
  b. About this guide
  c. What I want and Don't want in emails
  d. Contact Details
II. Legal Stuff
  a. Sites with hosting permission
  b. Important announcement!
III. General Hints and Tips
IV. Battle Strategies
  a. The iron fist of the war machine
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                            I. Introduction
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 Hello all and welcome to my guide for Stronghold Crusader. This is an in depth
 guide regarding units and battle tactics. Over time it will include a strategy
 for the Crusader Trail and the Campaigns. But that will only happen when the
 guide is up and running on a site or two. Please read on and I hope this guide
 is of use to you.

 A. Personal Rant

 This is here to replace the lame guide I originally wrote for GameFAQs.com.
 That guide is horrible. I ran it through ign's FAQ formatter and it came out
 looking pathetic and the information is just about useless. Anyway.

 I goto school, have a social life and I'm a busy person so please don't get
 annoyed if I don't update every day. I'll update as much as I can.

 If you want me to hurry up and finish the guide, mail me some money. Money is
 good.


 B. About This Guide

 This is a unit and battle tactics guide For Stronghold: Crusader (PC). Over
 Time it will include a crusader trail guide and a campaigns walkthrough but
 for now it's just an in depth guide.

 C. What I want and Don't want in Emails

 What I want:

 - Questions
 - Your own battle tactic ideas
 - Tips
 - Hints
 - Secrets
 - Stories of your greatest victory

 What I don't want:

 - CHEAT CODES (I'll ask for them soon)
 - Fake cheat codes
 - Stupid questions
 - Permission to host the guide on a free site

 If you are unsure of what your's fits in to, email it in.
 Please have a subject title other than "Stronghold: Crusader".
 Ones with no subject title get read last.

 Please keep the grammar good. No AIM or MSN gibberish. Anything like "How do u
 Defeet d@ guy in da lvl were u hve lke 300 gold plz hlp k thnx bb" gets the
 bin real fast without being read.

 D. Contact Details

 My email address is [email protected] I will only allow people to add me
 to AIM if they ask for it.


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                            II. Legal Stuff
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 This guide is copyright of Richard Wise. It may not be reproduced, edited, or
 distributed without written consent of Richard Wise. Any person(s) found
 violating this will be sent an email and the site host contacted. Repeat
 offenders may find a legal case sparking up.

 A. Sites with Hosting Permission

 The following sites have permission to host this guide:

 www.gamefaqs.com
 www.gamespot.com
 www.neoseeker.com
 www.ign.com
 www.cheatplanet.com
 www.supercheats.com

 More will be added to the list over time.

 B. Important announcement!

 As of 26/2/05 there is to be NO free sites hosting this guide. That means
 no freewebs, angelfire, geocities or whatever unless you pay for the site.
 Only registered and paying sites that get many visiters a day (like gamefaqs)
 may host the guide.


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                            III. General Hints And Tips
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 To avoid being destroyed or having your base overrun, I've included a little
 hints and tips section. Read on.

 Always build walls. They are the key in defending your base from your enemies
 attacking you. The moment the game starts, use whatever stone you have to
 build a wall around your lands. No walls means your base is in a perfect spot
 to be overrun by mace, spear and sword.

 Build courtyards and such. I always Surround my buildings with walls and have
 courtyards loaded with crossbows, maces and a couple of siege weapons. This
 means that if the enemy do indeed overrun my primary wall and knock it down,
 they have to face a rectangle shape area full of angry soldiers before taking
 another wall section down to face even MORE soldiers.

 Never rely on spearmen as your attacking force. They are weak armoured and a
 quick bolt from a crossbow can silence one instantly. Only use them to block
 off small areas of your castle.

 Always build outposts. Set the high towers around your castle and have bowmen
 and maces (or spears) around it. That way when an attacking force comes in,
 the outpost archers will fire upon them while your spearmen (or macemen) pound
 upon the army.

 Keep your castle organised. This is simple. Sometimes it's good to build some
 sort of access way around your castle. Simply build a wall, then have a one
 square gap then build the wall. This way your forces can run along the access
 way in between the walls to fight off enemy forces and not be weakened by
 archery fire.

 Seige equipment is annoying, especially Mangonels (catapaults). Always have
 a dozen or so slaves and a dozen or so archers on standby so they can rush out
 and destroy the siege equipment before it does some real damage to your castle
 and your buildings.

 When the enemy bombards you with a giant army that quickly overruns your wall
 defences and slowly makes its way towards the keep to slay your king, use
 whatever gold or weapons you have to hastily build a last line defence group.
 Sure there's a good chance they'll be slaughtered but it buys a bit of time
 and it helps protect your king.

 Keep fifty or so archers or crossbowmen in an area far away from your base,
 like on the other side but not near the enemy. This is so when your castle
 needs desperate help and your troops have been slaughtered, a surprise bolt or
 arrow bombardment will throw the enemy attack off course and may even push the
 invading force back to where they came from.

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                            IV. Battle Strategies
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 Battle is not so easy in Stronghold: Crusader. In fact, there's always a great
 chance that just sending in troops wave by wave and no tactics will result in
 your army slaughtered and your weapons and gold wasted. Read on to see how you
 can succeed in battles with my strategies. I have tested these and they work
 about ten times as better as just a mindless charge into the walls and be shot
 to pieces by arrows and bolts.

  A. "The Iron Fist Of The War Machine"

  This is a devastatingly powerful (and very expensive) way to bring your enemy
  and their castle smashing to their knees. It involves a simple but powerful
  strategy that should be used against a particually strong castle.

  Start off by planting a fair few fletcher huts and have them pump out a mix
  of arrows and crossbows. Aim to have around 100 of each ranged weapon.

  While the ranged weapons are being made, have your blacksmith's pump out the
  maces and swords. Again, aim to have around 100 of each of the two weapons.

  This is one of the most important parts of the attack. Pikemen. These guys
  are heavily armoured and powerful. Have your poleturner's produce pikes. Do
  not make spears as spearmen are incredibly weak.

  When all the weapons are done, a massive stock of armour will be required to
  protect every single troop. Produce around 200 leather armour and 200 metal
  armour. This will take a while and if iron becomes short, purchase some from
  the market.

  This is the KEY to the attack. Build an Engineer's guild and train engineers.
  These guys are capable of massive damage when you build siege equipment.

Have 10 siege towers and 10 battering rams madeand have 30 engineers left
over.
  These remaining engineers will be important later.

  Now train all the troops. The count should be:

  100 bowmen
  100 Crossbowmen
  100 macemen
  100 swordsmen
  100 Pikemen

  Time for the enemy to be killed by a giant wave of troops? Not yet. First the
  enemy walls must be knocked out. This is where the siege equipment comes in.
  Have the 30 engineers get a distance away from the enemy castle (not to far
  though but not close enough to be in range of bowmen or crossbowmen) and have
  them construct trebuchets. These are massive and powerful war machines. They
  can send a wall smashing down in a few well placed shots. Do not fire upon
  the enemy yet. Now bring in the 10 battering rams and 10 towers and place
  them behind the trebuchets.

  Now move your giant army towards the siege equipment. When they are all there
  the war begins and victory is at hand.

  Have the trebuchets fire at DIFFERENT locations of the wall. Have one fire
  here and the other fire there. Now send in the battering rams at various spots
  around the castle wall and have them smash at the walls.

  Now the siege towers come into play. Have the towers dock at undamaged enemy
  wall around the castle and quickly move the engineers away so they do not get
  hit by enemy arrows and bolts.

  Now send forward the Macemen to the seige towers and up upon enemy walls. Use
  the macemen to run around the walls and towers, killing as they go. While you
  send the macemen off, send the pikemen through the damaged wall and into the
  enemy base. Use the swordsmen for the same purpose.

  Now for ranged units. Send these guys along the enemy farms and such which
  will be away from the base. Have them fire upon the farms and such, killing
  any military presence around there.

  Now for the final wave and the end of the war. Have the macemen, pikemen, and
  swordsmen charge towards the enemy keep. Send them ALL up to the top of the
  enemy keep and slaughter the enemy lord. Victory!



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