Stronghold (2001 Video Game) - Gameplay

Gameplay

In Stronghold, the player takes the role of a lord in a kingdom. The goal is to create a stable economy and a strong military to defend against invaders, destroy enemy castles and accomplish the mission objectives.

Stronghold contains several modes of gameplay, with both combat based and economic missions. The main game mode is the military campaign, which is based upon a map of England. The backstory to the campaign begins when the King invades a barbarian enemy, where the King is captured and held for ransom. Four Lords take control of the Kingdom, dividing it into their personal territories. The player is represented by a young, inexperienced commander, whose father is killed in an ambush by one of the villains, helped by two lords remaining loyal to the king. The player then has to regain control of the Kingdom, re-gaining control of one county each mission. The player has to defeat each of the four Lords in the campaign, receiving help from the King once he has been successfully ransomed mid-game. An economic campaign is set after the main campaign, where the player re-constructs parts of the Kingdom. The player is set goals to complete against a variety of obstacles, such as bandits and fire.

Other game modes are one-mission combat and economic scenarios, where the player has to complete either military or economic goals. A Siege mode is included in the game, where the player may attack or defend several historical castles. Free build mode is another game mode; here the player has the option of building a castle without any objectives. More scenarios can be created for the game using the built-in map editor.