The Kahinah - Stronghold Crusader AI Lords

The Kahinah is a skirmish opponent in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition.

Overview

The word "kahin/kahinah" means priest/seer; as such, the Kahinah is an avid defender of Islam and the Islamic church. Being emboldened by the sweltering heat and cruel desert warfare, the Kahinah is poised to strike her adversaries with her loyal Bedouin fighters. As a pious lady, she relies heavily on her religious institutes and an expansive industry, while showing a menacing and sometimes belittling demeanor towards her enemies and her subordinates alike.

Castles & Defenses

The Kahinah builds tight rectangular enclosures with thin lines of walls surrounding a tightly packed bailey. The outside of the walls is ensured to have small packs of hidden Pitch Ditches and ample numbers of Wardog cages, deterring any charges against the Keep. Defense turrets are placed on each corner with small groups of Arabian bowmen, ready to light up the close proximity of the castle. The inside of the castle is bound to welcome invaders with slews of Killing Pits.

The Kahinah's castle is well equipped against melee infantry, but lacks the much desired ranged firepower and tower-mounted equipment against a full scale assault. While the war dogs are sort of reliable against a Demolisher wave, they are vulnerable to Catapults as well as armored troops, which can run to the walls without impunity. The Kahinah's Keep is bound to be swarming with troops, but even then, his band of troops lack the punch from afar. Lighting up the castle may greatly reduce the number of defenders as they are scrambling about in the fire, as well as docking a Siege Tower can provide a large area for troops to negate height disadvantage and whittle down the opposition.

Economy

The Kahinah has a modest castle economy, which she augments with an extensive industry and slightly less imposing food production. She builds quarries, iron mines and a slew of pitch rigs, as well as she grows apples and wheat for a modest number of bakeries. She institutes a low degree of negative Fear Factor to boost her economic output and to afford a larger number of troops. She builds a large number of Mosques within the enclosure to spread religion for bonus popularity.

Raids & Sieges

Bedouin troops are the Kahinah's specialty, and she isn't afraid to use them in droves. Heavy Camels are by far her favourite troops, sending them in groups of 8-12 to raid her enemies. These troops are usually sent in a line rather than a tight formation, but their durability and ability to fire arrows may also prove annoying particularly early on in the game, however their efficiency wanes as time goes on. The Kahinah also deploys light groups of Skirmishers & Arabian bowmen to patrol her outlying buildings, as well as she keeps a band of Skirmishers and Eunuchs to address harassments. 

The Kahinah's sieges are relatively infrequent, as she prefers to keep pouring his gold into her Heavy Camel raids. Should the time arise though, she ventures out with a rather unremarkable group of various Bedouin units. She brings a bulk of Heavy Camels and Eunuchs, as well as a light band of Skirmishers to pick off stray units and Demolishers to eventually pummel through enemy constructions. Her trusty Engineers also create Fire Ballistae to reduce the number of enemy armored units and other sturdy troops.

It should be apparent that the Kahinah loves her raid groups the most. Her Heavy Camels could prove troublesome to dispatch, however the first few waves pose the most threat only. As such, keep a mix of a few Crossbowmen and heavy-duty troops on an intercepting path. Against a full-fledged siege battalion, deploy numerous Mangonels and Ballistae, or optionally Fire Ballistae of your own. Rocks and giant bolts can make quick work of the Kahinah's Bedouins and siege engines. The Kahinah's siege army is most vulnerable while forming up: try to make an effort to remove her fastest troops before her heavy bulk arrives. As her Eunuchs and Demolishers tend to lag behind, you can eventually deploy a mass of ranged units to effortlessly nullify the Kahinah's offense.