Saladin - Stronghold Crusader AI Lords

Saladin is a skirmish opponent in Stronghold Crusader & Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition.

Overview

Salah ad-Din is a well-known medieval figure and strategist from the Crusades. Standing up and uniting the Arabic tribes under the religion of Islam, he fought effectively and dominantly against the impending Crusaders. Having earned a fame among Western soldiers and rulers alike, Saladin also showed mercy and displayed benevolence to the raiders. In Stronghold, Saladin is an embodiment of knowing the ins and outs of managing a desert economy, as well as using the loyal Arabic units to their fullest.

Castles & Defenses

Saladin always builds rectangular castles bordered with massive Round Towers, Large Gatehouses and a single layer of thick, crenellated walls. Inside are found numerous Bakeries, Breweries and even some metalworkers to refine iron into slightly more expensive equipment. On one or two sides, moat surrounds a batch of Good Things just outside of the walls. Arabian bowmen accompanied with sporadic Fire Throwers are garrisoned in the towers and the gates. While Saladin refrains from using traps, his large towers host a Ballista or Mangonel each, which provide good overwatch in close proximity of his castle. His Keep is guaranteed to house numerous Arabian bowmen and Arabian swordsmen to protect the Lord, who also deploy to address harassment issues.

Saladin's castle is densely built and relatively large, but it has a tendency to be undermanned, lacking in relative firepower. It can thus fall short to an overwhelming number of ranged units of your own, such as a large ball of Horse Archers, or a combination of Crossbowmen and Fire Ballistae pushing under Mantlet protection can quickly reduce any opposing units around the castle. Horse Archers are very effective, as the tower engines have trouble hitting these moving targets. The nature of Saladin's enclosure makes him also vulnerable to Siege Tower attacks, or less so to an Assassin attack taking over the gates, so that your troops can take control of towers and eliminate the sluggish garrison on the Keep. Make sure to remove Fire Throwers from the wall sections you intend to penetrate! Fire Ballistae are also very effective at lighting up the city of Saladin, which the Water Pot workers may have trouble extinguishing in before most of the troops and peasants fry to death.

Economy

Saladin runs a very extensive economy relying on mass industry and production. He builds numerous Stone Quarries and Iron Mines, of which the latter is used to fuel Armorers and Blacksmiths to squeeze some extra profit out of iron ingots. In terms of food, Saladin produces Apples and Bread through numerous Bakeries, which he uses mainly for income. Breweries and Hops Farms also provide a steady supply to Inns to increase taxes and possibly reduce rations for getting more money. To reward his hard-working people and to boost the morale of his troops, Saladin always builds maximum positive Fear Factor.

Raids & Sieges

Saladin likes harassment less than sieges, however he likes to keep his enemies on his toes. Right from the outset, Saladin sends out Horse Archers to probe defenses and pick off stray workers, being more of an annoyance than an effective lockdown formation. Horse Archer squads may eventually grow to medium-sized groups that also need significant firepower to counter. When his economy is in full swing, Saladin eventually constructs up to five Catapults, and sends them forward to wreak havoc in the ranks of enemy military and economy.

Relying on expensive Arab mercenaries, Saladin takes quite some time to assemble his siege armies until later. When he attacks however, he brings almost the entire Arab mercenary arsenal to overcome his enemies. Arabian swordsmen make the bulk of his frontline along with some Arabian bowmen as cover, however additional Horse Archers arrive to distract ranged defenders by encircling the enemy enclosure, as well invisible Assassins target gatehouses to capture them and provide free way in. Fire Throwers could arrive to provide very ineffective close range support. Slaves may also be added in if the victim includes moat. Saladin also tosses in a few Engineers to build Catapults and Fire Ballistae to work on the fortifications and the defenders alike.

Keeping Saladin under control may prove relatively easy, given how he needs time to field his armies. His Horse Archers will arrive very soon however, so keep plenty of ranged units in towers to contain the threat. Crossbowmen may be a universal answer to Saladin's Arab troops, since even Arabian swordsmen die to three to four shots. When his main army arrives, try picking off the Engineers first, so that the siege engines won't be built. The rest of the siege group may be easy pickings for your Crossbowmen, however pay attention to Assassins who may be intercepting your formation. Should Saladin arrive early though, get a few Fire Throwers on your walls to swat off attacking melee troops and moat diggers. Place Tower Ballistae in your larger towers to snipe enemy siege engines and rallying troops from afar, but protect them with ranged units, or risk being overwhelmed.