Estates are a source of raw materials and gold in Stronghold 2.
A fortified estate owned by The Hammer.
There are two types of estates: a village estate and castle estate.
Village estates[]
Village estates are found in almost all maps and add a twist to the gameplay. These villages focus on a specific specialty and revolve their economy specifically around it provided that space is available. There are multiple specialties that an estate can be devoted to, although those in maps provided by the game focus on a very simple and small economy. Estates will feed their peasants with two apple farms if they do not focus on apples (in which three are made instead) or other foods. Estates do not utilize other resources outside of their specialty unless they were pre-placed.
All estates have one stockpile, a granary and the estate flag right outside the primary stockpile. They will also build a sawpit, although they will quickly toggle it off once their wood needs have been satisfied. They will also build a Carter's Post to which their goods will be sent to their landowner in the custom amount of 40. The amount of hovels that can be built is the same as with all other estates if not pre-placed.
Estates are neutral at first in maps unless otherwise directed in custom matches and scenarios. The player can buy an estate for 100 honor. An owned estate gives 50 gold to their owner every month as part of automatic taxes regardless of development in the area. The player can further customize estates once it is under their control. Most military buildings (including walls) cannot be constructed in estates (making pre-placed in Free Build the only option for them), although an Armoury, engineer's guild, treasury, Lord's Kitchen, bedchamber and courthouse are still available, allowing for some areas to be blocked off from infantry and cavalry.
Like castle estates, village estates also have popularity which is primarily determined by food levels in the granary. If the popularity is low, the estate will usually try to regain popularity by increasing rations. While village estates do not generate gong, rats or crime, gongs and rats will still carry over from former castle estates.
The player cannot control the weapon production at village estates, so only bows, spears and swords can be created from their respective workplaces.
To seize an enemy estate, the player must bring units to the estate's flag and clear the surrounding area of any enemy military units. When no enemy military units are in range, a countdown from 2000 units starts; if this reaches 0 before any enemy unit is in range, the player will seize control of the estate. It is recommended not to destroy the buildings since ownership is given to the player without any cost. However, carters in the process of delivery to the enemy's estate will be immediately flagged as hostile by them once the estate is seized, so it is recommended to delete those posts right away to cancel the shipment and allow the player to redirect resources to their own.
Castle estates[]
A castle estate is created when a computer lord's castle falls in custom skirmish. The estate is controlled by a simple AI, which inherits the former castle's template and tries to rebuild it every time (walls, towers and traps, respectively). It also runs a more advanced economy and actually creates armies if ordered to do so. Some goods are sent by the estate as well, mostly food and wood. Excess buildings from the former lord won't be replaced.
This estate can be utilized to three different roles:
- Economic: in this state the estate produces and delivers goods as village estates do.
- Defensive: the estate builds up a small garrison to defend itself.
- Aggressive: the estate builds up a fair-sized army and attacks one of the owner's enemies.
The castle estate produces all food types and acquires wood, stone and iron. It also places poleturners, fletchers, an armourer and a blacksmith. It also buys in spears to speed up recruitment.
The estate uses spearmen and archers to defend and attack. The attacking army consists around 50 spearmen and 15 archers. A siege camp is also erected by the allied estate and it builds two catapults and hires a dozen laddermen. It sends the spearmen to the fore, later followed by the archers.
- Note: castle estates usually appear in custom missions and in a few campaign missions. Most of the time they are replaced with a village estate, which behaves just like a normal estate does.