STRONGHOLD: CRUSADER SALADIN'S CONQUEST WALKTHROUGH ----------------------- by me, bullet sword of Gamefaqs.com Rated T for Teen. ======== Contents ======== 1. Intro 2. The Story 3. Who is Saladin? 4. Arabian units 5. The Conquest -Damascus, The Balance of Power Shifts -Kerak, Reynald's Treachery -Aleppo, Consolidation of Power -Horns of Hattin, Battle on the Hill -Jerusalem, Retaking the Holy City -Aftermath 6. Notes 7. Thanks ======================================================================== 1.=================================INTRO================================ ======================================================================== The second historical campaign in Stronghold: Crusader. In this campaign, you now take control of the Arabians and fight your way from Damascus to Jerusalem. The events of the first campaign have already happened. ======================================================================== 2.============================= The Story ============================= ======================================================================== 1174 A.D. Sultan Nur el Din dies and Saladin assumes control of his Arabian empire. Before he can recapture the region's conquered cities, Saladin must deal with problems at home. ======================================================================== 3.========================= Who is Saladin?============================= ======================================================================== Saladin is a Muslim warrior who fought in the crusades. He was the most famous Muslim person in the 1100's. He later signed a truce with Richard the Lionhearted. That truce is NOT part of the game. ======================================================================== 4.===========================Arabian Units============================== ======================================================================== In Saladin's conquest, you will only be able to Arabian units in battle. You will need to learn how to use them wisely because some might have special abilities. Don't worry about gold. Money is not important in this campaign. Arabian Archer Power: 4.5/10 Flaming arrow: 4.6/10 Defense:4.5/10 Speed:9/10 Cannot dig moats Info: The same as the European ones but more expensive Slave Power: 1/10 Defense: 2/10 Speed: 9/10 Can dig moats Info: This unit is so weak, it loses to an enemy woodcutter. Seriously! The only good thing is that the slave is cheap and set stuff on fire. Slinger Power: 3.6/10 Defense: 2/10 Speed: 9/10 Cannot dig moats Info: They are fast and they sling stones. They have shorter range than archers, but they sling fast. All of this for the price of one European archer. Horse Archer Power: 5/10 Defense: 5.5/10 Speed: 9.5/10 Cannot dig moats Info: WOW! Did you know that they can shoot and move at the same time?! They are freakishly useful. They just cost a lot. Arabian Swordsman Power: 8.8/10 Defense: 8.8/10 Speed: 4/10 Cannot dig moats Info: For 2x the price of two European swordsmen, you get a weaker one. Assassin Power: 7.6/10 Defense: 7.3/10 Speed: 6.7/10 Cannot dig moats Info: These guys are cool! Their special ability to climb walls is awesome. They're even hard to see for the enemy. So you know when the enemy saw your assassin, a "!" symbol will be on top of his life bar. Fire Thrower Power: 8.4/10 Defense: 6/10 Speed: 6/10 Cannot dig moats Info: These dudes can throw fire balls a very short distance. They can start a big fire too. Arabic fire ballista - this ballista can move and it packs a powerful punch. It can also set buildings on fire.-requires 2 engineers(In Saladin's conquest, this will only be used on the last level) Battering Ram-This will only be used on the first level. It can break down anything. Careful though. It is slow so protect it. ======================================================================== 5.=======================THE CONQUEST=================================== ======================================================================== Mission 1 Damascus, The Balance of Power Shifts Briefing: The vast majority of the cities previously under Nur el Din's rule have accepted Saladin as their new leader, but a few have remained dissident. Damascus is one of the main cities that has rejected Saladin's rule. Objectives: Assemble the army and march on to Damascus. Bring these rebels to order as an example of the rest using all the resources at your disposal. Eliminate all enemy units Strategy: Don't attack from the front! Hints: Use your archers and slingers as one to clear out an area of defenders. Sneak up your troops on one side of the wall and then smack a hole in the wall with the battering ram. Troops: 116 slingers 1 battering ram 10 Arabian archers Enemy troops: 5 Arabian archers on the southwestern tower. 5 Arabian archers on the north eastern tower. 6 slingers and 6 Arabian swordsman on top of the large gatehouse. 4 Arabian swordsman on top of the stone keep. The Siege: Alright. Like the hints said, use your archers and slingers as one. You start on the bottom of the map. The castle is on the north-western side of the map. The map doesn't offer a large area of land to run around in, but enough to get out of enemy archer fire. First, have your slingers and archers go to the southwestern tower and try to take out those archers. WARNING: Swordsman might come out of the gatehouse and attack you. They are slow, so you can get away with it. Your archers might not survive the attack. Once you have taken out those archers, go back to the starting point and regroup. Head to the other tower and do the same. Enemy slingers from the gatehouse might try to attack you. After taking out the archers, immediately take out the gatehouse swordsman and slingers. Now it's time to bring in the battering ram. Attack the gatehouse and then bring your slingers in to kill. Make them stand outside the keep and open fire on the remaining swordsman. WE ARE VICTORIOUS SIRE! ======================================================================== Mission 2 Kerak, Reynald's Treachery Briefing: Reynald of Kerak plunders rich Arab merchantmen in the shipping lanes of the Red Sea, thereby breaking the European's truce. Saladin respond's by laying siege on his castle. Objective's: Reynald is hosting a wedding party in his keep. Lay siege to castle and tear down the cathedral to show our intent. There is no time to capture the city as reinforcements from Jerusalem are already on their way. Instead, teach him a lesson by tearing down the cathedral on the eastern end of Kerak. Tear down the cathedral. NOTE: You WILL be timed on this. A bar will show how long until defeat. Strategy: Assassins are the key to this mission. Use them wisely. Hints: Use your assassins to climb the tall, undefended part of the wall on the north-eastern side of the city. Next, move your swordsman towards the gatehouse. If you timed both of these hints right, your assassins will open the gatehouse once your swordsman reach the gatehouse. Although you have slingers, bring them over to the south western lookout tower and occupy the European crossbowman. Troops: 3 assassins 72 slingers 24 Arabian swordsman Enemy troops: 2 European swordsman on the south eastern wall. 5 crossbowman on the perimeter turret east of the first gatehouse 4 European archers in the tall lookout tower next to the perimeter turret. 2 European swordsman guarding the cathedral. 1 European swordsman in front of the inner gatehouse. A lot more crossbowman and archers on the inner walls. The siege: First of all, don't even try to destroy the inner walls. You just get killed. Your only concern is the cathedral. Send you assassins to the south eastern wall and make them climb it. Immediately send your swordsman and slingers to the gatehouse. When your slingers get close enough, make them kill the ARCHERS. Kill the crossbowman last. They take more time to reload, so kill off the archers. Your casualties of slingers will most likely be high. While you are waiting, have your Arabian swordsman attack the front gatehouse. There are 2 European swordsman in the area of the walls that your assassins are going to climb. So look out. When your assassins open the gatehouse or your swordsman destroy the gatehouse (very unlikely), IMMEDIATELY go for the cathedral. Your swordsman will just plow through the European swordsman, so that is not a problem. VICTORY! ======================================================================== Mission 3 Aleppo, Consolidation of Power Briefing: After successfully bruising Reynald's pride, Saladin leaves Kerak and marches on to Aleppo while reinforcements from Jerusalem pour in to rescue the wedding guests. The city of Aleppo has thus far resisted Saladin's rule with the help of European troops from Antioch. Objectives: Bring Aleppo to it's knees by using the slave army supplied by the local emir. You will have to plan carefully to fight your way through it's 2 gates. Kill enemy lord Strategy: Slaves can change the course of history if used correctly. Hints: Use your assassins to kill the archers in both lookout towers BEFORE using your slingers to deal with the crossbowmen on the gatehouse. Use your assassins to capture the first gatehouse and then set fire to the first area. Use your assassins to again capture the second gatehouse and set the area on fire. Troops: 161 slaves 24 assassins 26 slingers 42 Arabian swordsman Enemy troops: 26 European swordsman in the first area 3 crossbowman on the first gatehouse 2 Arabian archers is both lookout towers 2 European swordsman inside the keep 6 European swordsman in the second area 3 crossbowmen in the east square tower The siege: Remember, European swordsman are stronger than the Arabian kinds. First, move your slingers further down the screen because they start out in range of the archers. Use about 14 assassins to clime the eastern wall and take out the archers in the lookout tower. Immediately make them go for the gatehouse and kill the crossbowmen. Just ignore those hints about bringing your slingers to kill the crossbowmen. After that, you send your assassins to the other lookout tower and then kill the archers. Regroup. Gather all your units and make them stand directly in front of the first gatehouse. Make your assassins climb it and capture it again. When you first took out the crossbowmen, the gatehouse was captured by you, so it would open. Once it is open again, bring your slingers and make them stand on top of the wall to attack those swordsman. Keep your slaves and swordsman out of the area. Send a couple of slaves and set fire to as many buildings as possible. Below are numbers of troops you should have by now. It is not accurate but you should have around these amounts. Remaining troops ---------------- 42 Arabian swordsman 20-26 slingers 16-20 assassins 150-154 slaves If you have something around these amounts, you're in luck. Most of the European swordsman should die in the huge fire you made. It takes a long while for the fire to die out. Just be patient... After the fire has died out, bring in a LOT of slaves and make them attack the inner gatehouse. It will barely do any damage, but this is only a distraction for the crossbowmen on the square tower. Bring your in assassins to deal with the crossbowmen. Remaining troops ---------------- 36-40 Arabian swordsmen 20-26 slingers 10-19 assassins 90-120 slaves Your slaves should break the wall once the assassins have finished the crossbowmen. Set fire to the remaining buildings and bring all your troops in to kill the lord once the fire has died out. YOU ARE VICTORIUS! ======================================================================== Mission 4 Horns of Hattin, Battle on the Hill Briefing: Saladin makes his move on Jerusalem and the European's main force is coming to meet him. Believing that they can replenish their supplies later, the European's pass through the hills without water. Objectives: Saracen forces have the European encampment trapped on a hill with no water. Although we are outnumbered, the enemy is deeply demoralized, so this will be an evenly matched battle. Many of their religious and military leaders are in the camp so a victory here will be a devastating blow for them. Kill enemy lord Strategy: Kill the enemies in the north-western forest before setting it on fire with your fire throwers. Troops: 30 horse archers 10 slingers 17 Arabian swordsmen 6 fire throwers Enemy troops: 15 European swordsmen in front of the first wall 6 crossbowmen on top of the first wall and second wall About 17 European swordsmen in between the two walls 7 knights in between the two walls 6 macemen in the north western area next to the farms 9 archers in the north western area next to the farms about 23 European swordsmen and 3 crossbowmen around the farm area I just mentioned 6 pikemen in that same farm area 10 European swordsmen next to the market on the west side 10 European swordsmen next to the north western brewery 9 European swordsmen right behind the second wall 40 European swordsmen on the northeastern part of the map 6 pikemen in that same area and also 2 or 3 crossbowmen 7 archers and 6 macemen also in that same area The siege: Don't say "IMPOSSIBLE!". When there's a will, there is way and I have one. Now, you see that big hill in the north western side of the map? Send all your horse archers there. Thankfully, none of the enemy units move unless you are just and inch away from them and they also have low attack due to no water. Once your horse archers are on the hill, hill the archers and macemen below. All your horse archers should be alive and they should only be damaged a little. You can take out some of the pikemen and 1 swordsmen. Once that's done, do you see that little open spot underneath you? It is on the hill. Its like a lower hill attached on the big hill. Move your horse archers there and you will be able to kill some crossbowmen without having them counterattack. Move them onto low land once again and then the EXTREMELY tricky part. The horse archer's unique ability to shoot and move is very useful. Do that to take out the crossbowmen on top of the walls. Keep moving and watch out for the European swordsmen!!!!! Your horse archer casualties will be high, but if you have less than 20, you should restart. The swordsmen won't come after you and when you are absolutely sure that there are no more crossbowmen on the walls, then shoot the European swordsmen. They are helpless. Bring in the sligers to help out. After the first layer of enemies are cleared, kill the helpless knights and swordsmen stuck in between the two walls. To speed it up, use your fire throwers and throw fire over the walls. Now this might be hard. Use your fire throwers and set the farms under the hill. Your fire throwers are slow and they will have to run away from the fire and the swordsmen on the other hill (the enemy's area) will chase them down. WOW! You actually set off the enemy's pitch ditches. When pitch ditches get set on fire, they get really deadly. You are not supposed to see the pitch until it lights up. The trail of burning pitch goes up into the enemy town setting everything on fire! Most of your enemies will get killed or severely damaged. Regroup and command your horse archers to go to the north-eastern side of the map and kill the other archers, pikemen, macemen, and swordsmen. There is no hill, so you might have to use the "run and gun" technique. Most of the European swordsmen should have been killed now. If there are any remaining, kill them. Send your Arabian swordsmen to kill the lord. YOU HAVE ACHIEVED VICTORY ONCE AGAIN! ======================================================================== Mission 5 Jerusalem, Retaking the Holy City Briefing: After decimating the European's main force and capturing or killing many of their figureheads, Saladin arrives at Jerusalem. He pauses, taking time to plan the siege. Objectives: This is the final assault. Jerusalem's best defense is it's immense city walls, the northwest point being the weakest section. Once the walls have been broken down the European's are likely to surrender. Eliminate all enemy units. Strategy: Let their knights come to you. Hints: Position your fire throwers carefully or else they will set your army alight. Defend your fire ballistae at all costs during the beginning using your Arabian swordsmen and assassins. Destroy the water posts before setting the city alight. Troops: 10 fire throwers 10 Arabian archers 8 Arabic fire ballistae 12 horse archers 12 assassins 6 slaves 17 Arabian swordsmen Enemy troops: About 57 knights outside the northeastern walls. About 18 knights to the east. 9 macemen behind the large gatehouse. 10 macemen inside the keep. 4 European swordsmen inside the keep. 3 knights beside the keep. 10 European swordsmen to the left of the barracks north of the keep. 5 knights behind the large gatehouse. 2 crossbowmen on the perimeter tower to the left of the large gatehouse and 2 archers on the other to the right. 6 archers on the northwestern square tower and 4 on the defense tower to the north of that square tower. 3 archers to the defense tower directly east of the other defense tower I just mentioned. 3 crossbowmen on the southeastern lookout tower. 4 crossbowmen in the northern lookout tower. The siege: Sounds impossible again. As long as you have at least 4 fire ballistae's, you will be fine. Gather all your archers and ballistas into the middle. Then surround it with Arabian swordsmen and assassins. Don't forget slaves. Put your fire throwers with your swordsmen. Then wait. The knights should come for you and your archers will pick them off. When one of your swordsmen die, put another one in it's place. The knights to the east will be easier. Keep waiting. Every knight on the entire map will come to get you and fail doing it. If all your fire ballitas survive, bring them to the gatehouse. When the crossbowmen come into range, immediately OPEN FIRE! Kill the crossbowmen first. Always. After taking out the enemies at the gatehouse, move to the lookout tower to the east. Once again, shoot them when they are in range. Now, you see the giant pot of water next to the cathedral? Destroy that pot of water so those dudes who work there can't put out the fire. There are two of these and one is out of range. Move towards the northeastern walls and take out any archer that comes into range. Keep moving and repeat for the next couple of archers and crossbowmen. If the other water pot is in range, then destroy it. After picking off as many archers and crossbowmen as you can, light as many buildings on fire as you can. Your fire ballistae's arrows can light stuff on fire if you plunge in enough arrows. Light the buildings next to enemy units first. The macemen behind the large gatehouse will all die and the European swordsmen will burn up after setting the barracks on fire. Once again, just wait. Now move your ballistaes to the corner of the walls south of the keep or just anywhere as long as your ballitaes are in range of the enemies in the keep. Then shoot them, bringing your assassins to capture the gatehouse. Bring all your troops to the gatehouse. The defense tower to the northwest will still have archers on it, but they are out of range. After bringing down the gatehouse (or capturing it), bring them in and kill any enemy in sight. CONGRATULATIONS! ======================================================================== AFTERMATH ======================================================================== Saladin sits and speaks with a European emissary inside of his tent as the battle rages on outside. Shortly afterwards the city surrenders unconditionally. Saladin allows many of the Europeans to buy their freedom. They filtered out of the city in two lines. One for freedom, and the other for slavery. ======================================================================== 6.============================ NOTES =================================== ======================================================================== Overall, this campaign should be easy. Gold wasn't even mentioned throughout all these missions. Money is no problem. Not too many notes. Always use your assassins for capturing gatehouses or small combat. Slingers are weak, but they are fast, so when they are being pursued be European swordsmen, run, then stop and attack for a little bit, then run again, then stop and attack and just repeat this. Use the "run and gun" technique with horse archers. It really helps dodging enemy arrows. ======================================================================== 7.=============================== Thanks =============================== ======================================================================== Firefly Studios and Gathering for making this. My wallet for having the money inside for buying this game. My computer. Myself. Gamestop for having this game. That is it. Look for my unit guide in this same game. Now it's time for the king's crusade!