Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is a castle-building strategy game set during the Crusades. Its units are the soldiers and specialists you train to attack an enemy castle or defend your own, and each one has a job, whether that's holding a line, sneaking into a castle or breaking its walls. The roster falls into three groups: European troops, Arab mercenaries and the Bedouin units added in this edition. Knowing what each group does helps you decide who to train.
Faction
European
Archer
A quick, unarmored bow troop with long range that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 12 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Bow
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Long-range fire; can climb ladders, dig moats, and ignite pitch ditches from a brazier.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, and a bow in the Armory.
Crossbowman
A slow ranged troop whose accurate bolts pierce metal armor.
- Recruitment Gold
- 20 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Medium
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Crossbow
- Armor
- Leather
- Special Role
- Accurate bolts can pierce metal armor, though the unit moves and reloads slowly.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, a crossbow, and leather armor in the Armory.
Spearman
A lightly equipped melee troop that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 8 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Very Low
- Speed Rating
- Average
- Weapon
- Spear
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Low-cost melee infantry that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, and a spear in the Armory.
Pikeman
A slow, armored defender with a pike who can dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 20 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- High
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Pike
- Armor
- Metal
- Special Role
- A durable defensive troop for holding narrow approaches; can dig moats.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, a pike, and metal armor in the Armory.
Maceman
A mace-wielding assault troop that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 20 Gold
- Attack Rating
- High
- Defense Rating
- Medium
- Speed Rating
- Average
- Weapon
- Mace
- Armor
- Leather
- Special Role
- Fast assault infantry that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, a mace, and leather armor in the Armory.
Swordsman
A heavily armored foot soldier with high attack and defense, but very low speed.
- Recruitment Gold
- 40 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Very High
- Defense Rating
- Very High
- Speed Rating
- Extremely Slow
- Weapon
- Sword
- Armor
- Metal
- Special Role
- Elite heavy infantry with strong attack and defense.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, a sword, and metal armor in the Armory.
Knight
A fast mounted swordsman who needs a horse from the Stables.
- Recruitment Gold
- 40 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Very High
- Defense Rating
- High
- Speed Rating
- Very Fast
- Weapon
- Sword
- Armor
- Metal and horse
- Special Role
- Fast mounted melee troop suited to sudden sorties against enemy siege equipment.
- Training Route
- Barracks; needs an available peasant, gold, a sword, metal armor, and a horse bred at the Stables.
Tunneler
A lightly equipped specialist who tunnels under enemy walls and turrets.
- Recruitment Gold
- 30 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Very Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Pick Axe
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Digs beneath enemy walls and turrets to collapse them.
- Training Route
- Tunneler's Guild; recruited there for gold.
Ladderman
A fragile troop that carries ladders for crossing enemy walls.
- Recruitment Gold
- 4 Gold
- Attack Rating
- -
- Defense Rating
- Very Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- -
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Carries ladders so troops can cross a wall without breaching it.
- Training Route
- Engineer's Guild; recruited there.
Engineer
The specialist who builds and operates siege equipment.
- Recruitment Gold
- -
- Attack Rating
- -
- Defense Rating
- Very Low
- Speed Rating
- Average
- Weapon
- -
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Builds and operates siege equipment; can also dig moats.
- Training Route
- Engineer's Guild; trained there.
Black Monk
A staff fighter recruited from the Cathedral.
- Recruitment Gold
- -
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Medium
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Staff
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Staff-wielding religious fighter.
- Training Route
- Cathedral; recruited through its troop panel.
Temple Guard
A staff fighter recruited from the Grand Mosque.
- Recruitment Gold
- -
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Medium
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Staff
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Religious fighter armed with a simple staff, trained at the Grand Mosque.
- Training Route
- Grand Mosque; recruited through its troop panel.
Faction
Arab
Arabian Bows
A fast ranged mercenary similar to the European Archer.
- Recruitment Gold
- 75 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Bow
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Ranged mercenaries that serve as a quick alternative to European bow troops.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Slave
A very weak torch carrier that can burn buildings and dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 5 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Extremely Low
- Defense Rating
- Extremely Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Torch
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- A cheap torch carrier that can set buildings alight and dig moats.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Slinger
A fast, lightly protected troop that fires stones at close range.
- Recruitment Gold
- 12 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Very Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Sling
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Short-range ranged troop that attacks with stones.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Assassin
A concealed wall-climber that can use a grappling hook to take gatehouses.
- Recruitment Gold
- 60 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Average
- Speed Rating
- Average
- Weapon
- Scimitar
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Uses a grappling hook to climb walls and capture gatehouses; stays hidden until spotted.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Horse Archer
A very fast mounted bow troop that can shoot while moving.
- Recruitment Gold
- 60 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Average
- Speed Rating
- Very Fast
- Weapon
- Bow
- Armor
- Horse
- Special Role
- Mounted archer that fires while moving.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Arabian Swordsman
A slow, metal-armored melee troop with high attack and defense.
- Recruitment Gold
- 80 Gold
- Attack Rating
- High
- Defense Rating
- High
- Speed Rating
- Extremely Slow
- Weapon
- Scimitar
- Armor
- Metal
- Special Role
- Heavy melee mercenary with strong attack and defense.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Fire Thrower
A slow, lightly protected troop whose Greek fire harms soldiers and buildings.
- Recruitment Gold
- 100 Gold
- Attack Rating
- High
- Defense Rating
- Low
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Greek Fire
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Throws Greek fire at troops and buildings.
- Training Route
- Mercenary Post; hired for gold.
Faction
Bedouin
Skirmisher
A fast javelin thrower that can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Recruitment Gold
- 25 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Javelin and dagger
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Throws replenishable javelins before fighting with a dagger; can climb ladders and dig moats.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Sapper
A wall-breaking specialist with fire-resistant clothing.
- Recruitment Gold
- 50 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Low
- Defense Rating
- Average
- Speed Rating
- Average
- Weapon
- Pick Axe
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Specializes in breaking walls and is resistant to fire, reducing the danger of pitch defenses.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Camel Lancer
A very fast camel-mounted lancer for chasing mobile targets.
- Recruitment Gold
- 40 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- Average
- Speed Rating
- Very Fast
- Weapon
- Lance
- Armor
- Camel
- Special Role
- Fast mounted lancer used to chase other mobile targets.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Heavy Camel
A mounted pair that combines a melee fighter and an archer.
- Recruitment Gold
- 100 Gold
- Attack Rating
- High
- Defense Rating
- High
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- Bow and sword
- Armor
- Leather
- Special Role
- Combines a melee fighter and an archer on one camel.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Demolisher
A slow wall breaker whose shield protects it from projectiles for a time.
- Recruitment Gold
- 80 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Medium
- Defense Rating
- High
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Hammer
- Armor
- Leather
- Special Role
- Breaks walls and reveals nearby enemy defenses; its shield blocks projectiles for a time.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Eunuch
A very slow heavy fighter whose two scimitars can hit groups at once.
- Recruitment Gold
- 100 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Very High
- Defense Rating
- Medium
- Speed Rating
- Extremely Slow
- Weapon
- Two scimitars
- Armor
- Metal
- Special Role
- Heavy fighter whose sweeping attacks damage groups; can dig moats.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Healer
A quick, fragile support troop that heals other units.
- Recruitment Gold
- 100 Gold
- Attack Rating
- Extremely Low
- Defense Rating
- Extremely Low
- Speed Rating
- Fast
- Weapon
- -
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Support troop that heals units on the battlefield.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
Ambusher
A fire-pot thrower that hides when stationary.
- Recruitment Gold
- 130 Gold
- Attack Rating
- High
- Defense Rating
- Low
- Speed Rating
- Slow
- Weapon
- Greek Fire
- Armor
- -
- Special Role
- Hides while stationary and throws fire pots at enemies that come within range.
- Training Route
- Bedouin Stockade; hired for gold.
How Units Are Recruited in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Every soldier is trained from an idle peasant, so the number of spare peasants you have sets how big your army can grow. Each group is trained at its own building, and the cost depends on the group.
European troops are paid for with gold at the Barracks, but their weapons and armor have to be made in your workshops and stored in the Armory first. Knights also need a horse from the Stables. Tunnelers come from the Tunneler's Guild, and Laddermen and Engineers come from the Engineer's Guild. Engineers also build and man all siege equipment.
Black Monks come from the Cathedral, and Temple Guards come from the Grand Mosque. Arab mercenaries are hired for gold at the Mercenary Post, with no weapons or armor to make first. Bedouin units are hired for gold at the Bedouin Stockade in the same way.
European and Arab Units: How the Two Groups Differ
Armor is one clear difference between the two groups. Arabian Swordsmen are less armored than European Swordsmen, so the European version is the sturdier of the pair.
Arab mercenaries rely more on trickery and ranged fire. Some Arab units are built for stealth, and Slingers hit hard but only from short range.
Bedouin Units Added in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
Definitive Edition adds the Bedouin units, and you hire them for gold at the Bedouin Stockade. They cover a wide range of jobs, from speed and numbers to wall-breaking, healing and defense.
Sappers and Demolishers handle the walls. Sappers take them down, and their armor resists fire, so pitch defenses do less damage to them. Demolishers also uncover enemy defenses and carry shields that guard against missiles for a time.
Skirmishers are cheap and work best in large groups, while Camel Lancers chase down fast targets. Heavy Camels carry a fighter and an archer.
Eunuchs are slow, but they deal area damage and make excellent defenders. Ambushers hide while standing still and throw fire pots.
FAQ
What is the cheapest unit in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition?
Slaves are the cheapest units in the game. They also carry torches that burn buildings.
Can Assassins capture a castle's gatehouse?
Yes. Assassins climb walls with a grappling hook and capture gatehouses, and they stay invisible until an enemy spots them.
Which units heal troops in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition?
Healers, one of the Bedouin units, are the only units in the game that heal troops. They're poor fighters, so they're best kept back from the fighting.
Can Horse Archers shoot while moving in Stronghold Crusader?
Yes. Horse Archers fire while they're on the move, so you don't have to stop them to take a shot.