Stronghold: Warlords, the newest installment in Firefly Studios’ long line of real-time strategy games, adds a new dimension that plays with the more diplomatic side of war. In addition to the traditional enemy AI, there are several neutral warlords dispersed throughout the map, waiting to pledge their allegiance to the highest bidder.
These neutral warlords can offer services that, when used properly, can greatly tip the scales of battle. Here’s everything you need to know about the Stronghold: Warlords diplomacy system.
Stronghold: Warlords Diplomacy — How to Get Diplomacy Points
Stronghold: Warlords doesn’t draw inspiration from actual diplomacy, per se — you aren’t engaging in talks with the neutral warlords. Instead, the whole system evolves around Diplomacy Points, which are vital throughout the entire process. You will automatically generate about six Diplomacy Points per minute, but there is a way to boost this.
The Consulate and Emissary buildings will both improve Diplomacy Point generation. Consulates can be built for 200 gold, with a build cap set at four, while Emissaries cost 500 gold to construct, with a build cap set at two. To make the system more efficient, you can connect the Consulates and Emissaries to your stronghold with roads, which will make each building pump out 33% more Diplomacy Points.
Through tinkering, I found that the max amount of Diplomacy Points you can produce is 162 per minute, which should be more than sufficient.
Stronghold: Warlords Diplomacy — Winning Over Warlords
Of course, warlords are of no use if they haven’t sworn fealty to you yet. You can accomplish this through two ways: by force, or by buying their loyalty.
Each warlord is different in both their capacity to defend themselves and how resolute they are against being bought out. If attacking, you must kill all of the warlord’s guards, and deplete the warlord’s health, before capturing the stronghold. Once you’ve done this, you’ll gain access to all of his benefits.
To buy a warlord out with Diplomacy Points, open the warlord map by clicking on the Diplomacy Point (DP) logo in the bottom left-hand corner. This will bring up an overhead look of each warlord-controlled region. Click on the region you want to do business with, and click on the tab to the right with the icon of a bowing man. There, you will be able to purchase Obedience with DP. Buying 10 Obedience costs 20 DP, while 20 Obedience will run you 50 DP.
Once you’ve pumped in the requisite amount of Obedience, then you can Demand Obedience from the warlord. Be careful, though, as other AI or human players can still try and sway this warlord through diplomatic means, so you should always monitor the diplomacy screen so they don’t swipe it out from under you.
Benefits of Warlords
All that effort has to be worth something. Each warlord has a certain base perk that it offers. Additionally, you can make various demands called Edicts, from resource to military support, in exchange for DP. Upgrading the warlord, with a maximum of Rank 6, will unlock further Edicts, or improve upon those that already existed.
Here’s a complete breakdown of each of Stronghold: Warlord’s eight warlords, including each perk, edict, and upgrade they offer.
Stronghold: Warlords Crane
The Crane’s perk increases housing quality, which in turn provides more happiness in the population. Each warlord’s perk affect is increased with each upgrade.
- Rank 1- Boost Diplomacy (Cost 30 DP, 30 shipments of 6 Diplomacy Points in 10 second intervals
- Rank 2- Can purchase 12 shipments of 5 gold in 10 second intervals
- Rank 3- Upgrade Castle
- Rank 4- Increases shipments of gold to 7 and Diplomacy Points to 9
- Rank 6- Bumps it up to 10 Gold per shipment; Launch Attack (Cost 50 DP, send 5 Auxiliary Archers to designated region)
Stronghold: Warlords Pig
As a perk, the Pig provides a small boost in Diplomacy Points. Its allegiance can be bought for 120 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Request Shipment of rice, wood, or meat (Each costs 20 DP, each will have 12 shipments of 6 in 10 second intervals)
- Rank 2- Upgrade Castle (Adds layer of walls, other defenses)
- Rank 3- Boost rice to 9 units per shipment
- Rank 4- Boost vegetables to 9 units per shipment
- Rank 5- Boost rice to 12 units per shipment, meat to 9 units per shipment
- Rank 6- Boost vegetables and meat to 12 units per shipment
Stronghold: Warlords Ox
The Ox’s perk increases worker productivity, giving them the ability to carry more goods and drop them off at your Stockpile. Its allegiance can be bought for 100 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Request Shipment of wood or stone (Each cost 20 DP, stone is 12 shipments of 2 resources in 10 second intervals, while wood is 12 shipments of 7 resources in 10 second intervals)
- Rank 2- Request Shipment of iron for 20 DP (4 shipments of 3 iron in 30 second intervals)
- Rank 3- Upgrade castle
- Rank 4-5- Increase the amount of each resource you receive for Request Shipment Edicts
- Rank 6- Boosts Upgrade Castle
Stronghold: Warlords Dragon
The Dragon is incredibly difficult to capture through both military and diplomacy. As a perk, it increases Fear Factor bonus, which can in turn boost population happiness or productivity. Its allegiance can be bought for 250 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Request Relief Force (Cost 100 DP, sends 2 Fire Lancers), Upgrade Castle
- Rank 2- Request Relief Force (Cost 100 DP, sends 1 Fire Arrow Cart)
- Rank 3- Launch Attack (Cost 200 DP, Sends an army of 16 Auxiliary Archers and Axemen and 2 Rocket Launchers to a designated region), now get 4 Fire Lancers for Relief Force
- Rank 6: Now get 2 Fire Arrow Carts for Relief Force, Launch Attack grows to 20 Auxiliary Archers and Axemen and 3 Rocket Launchers
Stronghold: Warlords Turtle
Fittingly, the Turtle is focused on defense, as its perk improves the quality of towers, turrets, and gatehouses. The Turtle is the most bare-bones in terms of purchasable benefits. Its allegiance can be bought for 120 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Upgrade Castle, Man the Walls (Each cost 40 DP. Man the Walls adds Archers and Crossbowmen to the walls for defense)
- Rank 2-6- Further ability to Upgrade Castle, upgrades to Man the Walls and perk bonus
Stronghold: Warlords Horse
The Horse’s perk increases the Stable’s respawn rate, which means you can produce more cavalry. Its allegiance can be bought for 120 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Request Relief Force (Cost 80 DP, provides 4 Auxiliary Cavalry)
- Rank 2- Launch Attack (Cost 150 DP, sends 4 Horse Archers to designated region)
- Rank 3- Upgrade Castle
- Rank 5- Launch Attack (Cost 300 DP, sends 3 Imperial Cavalry to designated region)
- Rank 6- Increases second Launch Attack to 5 Imperial Cavalry
Stronghold: Warlords Tiger
The Tiger’s perk allows melee units to do more damage per strike. Its allegiance can be bought for 200 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Upgrade Castle, Launch Attack (Cost 80 DP, sends 5 Imperial Soldiers to designated region)
- Rank 2- Boosts to perk, Upgrade Castle
- Rank 3- Increases Launch Attack to 8 Imperial Soldiers
- Rank 4- Launch Attack (Cost 200 DP, Sends 5 Imperial Warriors and Crossbowmen and 10 Auxiliary Archers and Axemen to designated region), Build Siege Camp (Cost 10 DP, constructs a usable Siege Camp)
- Rank 5- Boost to perk
- Rank 6- Increases second Launch Attack to 8 Imperial Warriors and Crossbowmen and 16 Auxiliary Archers and Axemen
Stronghold: Warlords Mouse
The Mouse is the most meagre of the neutral warlords, providing a boost to rice shipment drop-offs as a perk. Its allegiance can be bought for 40 Obedience.
- Rank 1- Request Shipment of rice or wood (Cost 20 DP each, 12 shipments of 6 rice in 10 second intervals, 12 shipments of 5 wood in 10 second intervals)
- Rank 2- Request Shipment (Cost 20 DP, 4 shipments of 1 bow in 30-second intervals)
- Rank 3- Increases shipment of rice to 9
- Rank 4- Increases shipment of wood to 7
- Rank 5- Increases shipment of bows to 2
- Rank 6- Upgrade Castle
Armed with this knowledge, you now know what each neutral warlord does in Stronghold: Warlords. Use this information to help your playstyle, and make your ability to conquer more efficient. Check out our guide for beginners for some more tips.
Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net
I’m a freelance journalist from the United States with words in USA Today and The Loadout. When I’m not writing, you can find me getting mad at Rocket… More about Will
