The Call to Arms
Mission 4: Krak de Chevaliers - The Siege of Arqah
Objective: acquire 50 ale
Supplies: 75 wood, 4 iron, 50 apples; 5 bows, 5 spears; 500 gold
Trade options: wood, stone, iron, swords, armour
In this mission you have to supply to defenders of Arqah with ale in order to restore their morale, as Saladin is preparing a siege against Arqah with a massive army. You have to secure the ale producers against Arabian forces, which raid the countryside frequently.
Right in the beginning of the game, you have the choice to site your keep. There are two choices: on the plateau west to the oasis or on the east, placing it very close to the farmlands. The first location is more preferrable, as it is relatively close both to the stone/iron deposits and the oasis.
After siting the keep, place the granary as close to the lake as possible. Place some apple orchards around it. Near the keep, build the trading post, the armoury and the barracks. Build a fletcher, a blacksmith and an armourer around the armoury. Place two iron mines on the ore and a quarry with two oxen on the rocks. Build woodcutters and hovels using up the remaining wood. Iron can be sold for a healthy gold boost. Fresh archers should be stationed on the keep.
Your quarry area should be sealed off first with low walls and no gatehouse. This leaves only one way to get in. From incoming wood start building hop farms and breweries. Add more fletchers to increase archer output. You may even add one or two poleturners to recruit spearmen. Seal off your encampment well in the east. Add some wells if you want to.
Scripted events will obstruct your ale production. Hop weevil will periodically attack your crops and fires will cause some buildings to burn. Against fires you can utilize wells or demolish your burning buildings (regaining some wood to replace them). Bother rebuilding your buildings or swapping them to more useful ones.
Taxation is essential to gain gold. You have three options to gain popularity: rations, chapels and inns. Forget placing inns as they remove your hard-earned ale barrels. Chapels are very unreliable because of the large area to cover, so stick to rations. You may afford -4 or -6 taxes (adjust them according to popularity).
Small invasions will occur every now and then. The first two of them consists slingers and horse archers, later Arab bowmen and swordsmen will join. Defend your granary with swordsmen and spearmen, as the Arab swordsmen will march there first. Your archers will take care of the missile troops. Use lookout towers to increase efficiency.
The invasions are repetitive until you achieve the 50 ale requirement. When this is fulfilled, you win!
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| The Call to Arms | Saladin's Conquest |
| Nicacea, Arrival in The Holy Land Heraclea, The Journey South Antioch, The Counter-Siege Krak de Chevaliers, The Siege of Arqah Jerusalem, The Final Assault |
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 |
| The Kings Crusade | Crusader States |
| Belvoir Castle, Delaying Tactics Tyre, Drawing the Line Konya, Frederick Barbarossa Limassol, The Conquest of Cyprus Jaffa, Recaptured |
Kingdom of Armenia County of Edessa Principality of Antioch County of Tripoli Kingdom of Jerusalem |