Stronghold Crusader

Stronghold Crusader (SHC) is the successor to Stronghold released in September 25, 2002.
==Overview==
The medieval mixture of city building and real-time strategy of Stronghold continues with Stronghold Crusader. Crusader provides a lot of new content with additional campaigns, units and gameplay modes. The universe of Crusader shifts away from England to the arid lands of Little Asia and the deserts of Arabia.
Four historic trails are available for revisiting the Crusades of the 10th to 12th centuries. The player can command the Crusader forces in the First Crusade, or face the invaders in Saladin's campaign, fighting battles and participating in sieges. The Kings' Crusade campaign reminisces the invasion of three Crusader kings, while the Crusader States campaign illustrates the ever continuous infighting of the Crusader landlords.
Skirmish can be played against not only humans, but new computer opponents as well! Eight different AI characters are featured, who can be confronted in a series of missions in the Skirmish Trail, or a new customizable Custom Skirmish mode. These personalities can interact with the player, build their own castles and lead attacks against each other.
Freebuild from Stronghold makes a recurrence, offering a peaceful cast building mode for those unwilling to fight.
==Plot==
Stronghold Crusader takes place in the 11th to 12th century, recreating the campaigns of Christian empires and the Papacy against the Islamic forces of Arabia, who occupy the Holy Land, the homeland of Christian religion.
The First Crusade plots the Christian armies and the Templar bearing arms and marching through Byzantium and Little Asia and arrive to Jerusalem, liberating the Holy Land from the Islam.
Saladin's Campaign and the Kings' Crusade takes place in the Third Crusade, where the Arabian forces managed to recapture Jerusalem. Though the Europeans delved deep into Arabia, neither side could force a decisive victory, ending the war with a peace treaty and a mutual access for both religions in Jerusalem.
The Crusader States campaign is a fictional setting after the first crusade, where the most influential European knights declare themselves rulers and battle each other over influence and wealth.
==Gameplay==
Stronghold Crusader retains the core gameplay elements from Stronghold. Moreover, new units are introduced, who bring a diverse array of tools and tactics. Mercenary units are Arabian warriors, who can be immediately hired for gold. While not as strong as their European counterparts, they are more all-round and provide more tactical utility on the battlefield. Mercenaries allow players to be more aggressive in the beginning, bringing combat to the open and force players to be more mindful over their defenses.
==New content==
*Eight interactive AI characters are available in the Custom Skirmish mode, both offline and multiplayer.
*New game modes: Skirmish Trail, Historical Campaigns
*New Arabian units: assassin, horse archer, slave, fire ballista, fire thrower, arabian swordsman, slinger, Arabian bowman.
==Topics==
==Legacy==
Stronghold Crusader is considered to be one of the most successful games of the Stronghold franchise. Its unique gameplay and setting was widely well-regarded among fans and players. Two sequels were spawned to both deviate from and carry on with the core gameplay:
*Stronghold Crusader Extreme is an extended version of the base game, which introduces new mechanics to broaden gameplay experience.
*Stronghold Crusader 2 brings its roots from the base game, while replaying the desert experience in 3D with the addition of new units, mechanics and characters.
Stronghold Crusader is often referred to as an anchor in discussions of later games' aspects and topics. The game has a solid fanbase even these days.
==Requirements==
*Operating System: Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP
*Processor: 300mhz (550mhz+ preferred)
*Memory: 64MB
*Hard Drive: 850MB
*Video: 4MB DirectX 8.1 Compatible
*Sound: DirectX 8.1 Compatible
*CD Rom: 8x Speed
*Modem: 56k (for Internet Play)
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==Files==
*Single-Multi-Player Demo v1.1 88 MB from GamersHell
== Internal Links ==
* Stronghold Crusader Units
== External Links ==
*FireFly Studios
*Stronghold Crusader Youtube channel "Stronghold Addiction"
*Stronghold Crusader Fansite
*Facebook topic
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