When it comes to castle warfare in Stronghold Definitive Edition, ranged units make up the majority of whether an attempt to take over a territory is successful or not. Ranged units often provide the melee units with cover fire as the latter tries to breach defenses. But establishing an ironclad defense, ranged units are often the go-to implements that get the job done.
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But among the game’s ranged units, which one is the best? Here are all the available ranged units, both ground troops and siege weapons, and their corresponding rank based on their cost and effectiveness when deployed on the battlefield.
6 Trebuchet
Longest-Range Siege Weapon
Cost
- 150 Gold
- 3 Engineers
When playing on the offensive side of Stronghold Definitive Edition, sieging castles can be a tall order. Well-defended castles often sport dozens of towers filled with Archers and Crossbowmen to take care of wall-scalers without much trouble. When encountering this predicament, calling in for the Trebuchets is the best option.
Trebuchets shoot the farthest-reaching projectiles in the game. They hurl large rocks and can take out swathes of enemy units if they are clustered together. In some areas, they can also load up deceased cattle and fling their corpses onto targets, adding shock value and fear to those on the wrong end of their firing trajectory.
The downside of Trebuchets is that they cost a lot to deploy: 150 Gold and 3 Engineers are needed to have these operational. On top of this, Trebuchets cannot be moved from where they are placed. On the side of the defenders, a stationary Trebuchet is okay, so long as it’s pointed in the direction of the invaders.
5 Catapult
Classic Siege Weapon
Cost
- 150 Gold
- 2 Engineers
The Catapult is a staple long-range siege unit in the Stronghold games. These are a menace, especially in the Campaign missions where players are supposed to stave off invading forces. On the battlefield, Catapults are a serious threat to castles and their walls. They can decimate wooden and stone walls with ease, thanks to their somewhat accurate low-angle boulder hurls.
However, Catapults are often costly, since they need 2 Engineers and 150 Gold to function. They also need a fixed location to get assembled on the battlefield and are rather slow when trying to move around, and their Engineers can be sniped by Archers or Crossbowmen if left unprotected.
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Catapults also need Stones for ammunition, so if the stockpile doesn’t have Stones, they cannot fire. If they find cow carcasses, they can chuck them beyond walls to spread disease to the people inside the castle.
4 Mangonel
Defensive Rock Hurling Weapon
Cost
- 50 Gold
- 2 Engineers
The Mangonel is the defensive counterpart of the Catapult. It can only be set up atop towers and can bring down clusters of rocks onto ground units and siege weapons in a wide area. This is due to its erratic ammunition spread: it can either focus on a specific location to decimate groups of units, or its rocks can cover a bigger area.
Mangonels are excellent at crowd control, but at the same time, they can hit friendly units. In most cases, when players have Mangonels on their battlements, it is best not to command their ground units into the fray. They also need their tower to be placed in excellent positions to maximize the units they can hit.
3 Tower Ballista
Anti-Siege Weapon Specialist
Cost
- 50 Gold
- 2 Engineers
Tower Ballistas are Crossbowman’s big brothers. They fire big bolts that deal massive damage to a small area. Once operational, Tower Ballistas are effective at taking out invaders’ siege weapons and sturdy units like Knights in one shot.
These defensive machines are often built on big towers since they are effective when placed in decent elevated areas. Compared to Mangonels, Tower Ballistas are more accurate with their shots but are slower to reload their bolts if they miss.
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In most cases, Tower Ballistas are best placed as the second line of defense after Mangonels. Their accuracy as defensive weapons is essential taking out enemy catapults and trebuchets from a safe distance.
2 Crossbowman
Effective Infantry Control
Cost
- 20 Gold
- 1 Crossbow
- 1 Leather Armor
Crossbowmen are the more specialized ranged ground units in Stronghold Definitive Edition. They are highly effective against armored ground units like Macemen, Pikemen, Swordsmen, and Knights. This is due to their crossbows, which can fire at higher speeds than Archers, making them exceptionally dangerous against general infantry.
To balance Crossbowmen, players need more resources to train their peasants. They need Crossbows and Leather Armor, the latter needs a Dairy Farm and a Tannery: these cost quite a lot of Wood and Gold. Once these structures are built, it takes a bit more time for workers to process the leather required for the armor to be crafted.
When shooting, they have a shorter range compared to Archers and need a bit more time to reload between shots. To compensate for this, players need to position them atop walls or towers and have other ground units for support.
1 Archer
Reliable and Long-Range Ground Unit
Cost
- 12 Gold
- 1 Bow
Archers are the first ranged unit players can train in the game. They offer excellent defensive and offensive options for players who are either defending their castles or trying to siege one. This is due to their amazing range and decent rate of fire: when positioned on high ground such as walls or towers, they can hit almost anything on the map.
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Archers are especially dangerous when in groups since their volleys can obliterate ground units. That said, they tend to struggle against heavily armored units and implements that protect infantry from their arrows, such as Swordsmen, Knights, and Mantlets.
In terms of value, Archers are also affordable: players can amass a good number of Archers if they want, and their impact during battles is never to be scoffed at.
Stronghold: Definitive Edition
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- November 7, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Firefly Studios
- Genre(s)
- Simulation , Strategy