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About Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Stronghold Crusader HD transports players to Arabian battlefields of the Crusades, letting them command either Richard the Lionheart’s Crusaders or Saladin’s forces. The HD remake bundles the original Stronghold Crusader and the Extreme variant while adding high‑resolution graphics and a zoom‑out battlefield view.
The game offers four historical campaigns, a dedicated Extreme mode with a larger unit cap, new units such as Assassin and Horse Archer, and over 100 skirmish missions that increase in difficulty.
01 / THE GUIDE
Historical Campaigns
Four campaigns document the First, Second and Third Crusades as well as internal Crusader‑state conflicts. Battles include Nicea, Heraclea, the siege of Antioch, Krak des Chevaliers and the Siege of Jerusalem.
Players may lead either the Crusaders or Saladin’s army, providing distinct narrative perspectives on the same historic events.
- Compare objectives between the Crusader and Saladin sides to see how each campaign frames the same battle.
- Observe which units are available in each campaign for planning purposes.
02 / THE GUIDE
Extreme Mode
Extreme mode plays like the original Stronghold Crusader but raises the unit cap from 1,000 to 10,000 troops. It also adds Tactical Powers such as Arrow Volley and introduces new buildings.
The mode includes the Crusader Extreme skirmish trail, offering a distinct set of challenges for players seeking larger battles.
- Experiment with larger armies to see how the increased cap influences battle flow.
- Try the Arrow Volley power early to gauge its effect on enemy formations.
03 / THE GUIDE
HD Battlefield View
The HD remake provides a zoom‑out view that displays the entire map on a single screen, supporting new high‑resolution resolutions. This lets players observe troop movements and siege progress in real time.
With the whole battlefield visible, strategies such as flanking attacks or feigned retreats can be coordinated more precisely.
- Zoom out to monitor enemy approaches before committing to an assault.
- Watch siege engine deployment from the full‑map view to time attacks.
04 / THE GUIDE
New Units
The HD version introduces units like the stealthy Assassin and the nimble Horse Archer, each described as having unique abilities. These units add tactical variety to both campaign and skirmish battles.
Deploying these new troops alongside traditional infantry can create unexpected combos, especially when using the larger unit cap in Extreme mode.
- Mix Assassin units with standard infantry to exploit stealth in surprise attacks.
- Pair Horse Archers with ranged support to maintain pressure while staying mobile.
05 / THE GUIDE
Skirmish Missions
The game includes over 100 skirmish missions, each designed to be more challenging than the last. These missions test fortress designs and army tactics across a range of objectives.
Skirmish missions can be played in both the standard and Extreme versions, offering flexibility in difficulty and scale.
- Start with lower‑difficulty skirmishes to test unit combinations before tackling harder missions.
- Use the full‑map view to plan defensive layouts that can withstand larger enemy forces.
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