Kingmaker

Kingmaker is a Path of War option that allows players to fight others (if online) or AI-controlled Lords from the Campaign. Each AI opponent has their own difficulty and specialties which make them unique AIs.

Playthrough

In Kingmaker, the player can pick from one of the maps the game has already placed, or one that they have created from the Map Editor themselves. Up to 8 players can play in a Kingmaker match at any given time. Players must have at least one opponent or will be unable to play this mode. 

The starting point of the player(s) and/or AI are already on the map, signified by a Keep symbol. Estates are shown as flag symbols on the map. Players can change their starting points by clicking on the area they are in and move it to another Keep area. If used on an Estate, the player will gain ownership of that estate once the match begins. Every map has various resources, although the estates and keeps themselves have their own resources, and will need to control other estates to get those resources if they are not bought.

In addition, each estate "specializes" in a set of resources; for example, an "Iron" estate will mean that the estate will focus on iron mines and a few apple farms for food. A "bread" estate means that the estate will create only bread as its only food, creating the buildings needed to make bread. The estates do harvest wood, but will turn their wood pits to "sleep" mode after reaching 100 wood. They will turn it back on once that number falls down to 80 or lower.

All players, human and AI, always begin with the same resources and starting units. Through the Map Editor, you can add buildings and units. Buildings are "neutral" when placed on the map and are under the player's control if they start there/buy the estate. The amount of Hovels you can build on the map varies on how much the map is designed to hold; a 2 player map allows for a population of up to 120 max (not including military excess), while up to 8 players will only put a max of 96 population. The AI often tends to make massive mistakes however, such as taunting when they are about to besiege you and destroying their buildings.

Some of the AI do not counter their popularity-decreasing factors, such as gong and rats. An example is Sir William, who neglects building Gong Pits (although it could be a bug). Other AI are not affected by them, such as Olaf, who is only affected by gong (he clears them out however), and has no crime and rats infesting his castle. 

To win, players must defeat all the other opponents by killing their lord. After a lord is killed, their castle estate can be captured by staying on the rooftop. If this does not happen, the AI/player can still fight without their lord. Once a castle estate is captured, all other estates that the AI/player owned will now be owned by the player who captured the castle.

Starting resources/units

All players, human and AI, obtain these at the start.

Starting Units

• 20 Spearmen
• 10 Archers
• 2 Swordsmen

Starting Resources

Food

• 150 of Meat, Cheese, Apples and Bread 
• 30 of Eels, Geese, Vegetables, Pigs and Wine (once a Lord's Kitchen is constructed)
• 15 of Barrels of Beer, Wheat, Flour and Grapes

Other Resources

• 10,000 Gold (can be changed before starting a match at intervals of 2,500 from 5,000-15,000 max)
• 600 Wood
• 150 Stone
• 75 of all weapons (once an Armory is constructed)
• 30 Iron, Pitch
• 15 of Hops, Wool, Candles, Cloth

Tips

• Focus on defense for the first few moments of the game, and buy enough Stone for your fortifications. This allows an early defensive wall around your land when needed.
• If going on offense, build hovels and start recruiting ranged units/mercenaries and an Engineer's Guild/Siege Camp. Without an Engineer's Guild, you can only create a few units at a Siege Camp.
• Keep an active set of troops at the castle. While your units may be attacking someone else, another player/AI might be attacking you and it may be too late to bring them back. Although a Barracks counteracts this, if Catapults and Trebuchets were brought by the besieger, it can be destroyed rather quickly.

The AI

Each AI (Artificial Intelligence) is based on the characters encountered during Campaign. Their difficulty reflects how offensive they are when launching a siege and defense based on keep size. Their starting keep is based on if the player provided one for them, and how large their estates are. The only time they will use a Small Keep/Wood Keep is if one is provided or if their estates are too small for them.

Edwin

• Difficulty: Easy
• Notable facts: Recruits Armed Peasants and Spearmen frequently, makes a tiny enclosure which can be easily overrun; creates very little defense. Uses a Small Keep.

Sir William

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable facts: Creates an enclosed castle, although a bug causes the eastern wing of his enclosure to be always open for easy swarms. He mainly trains Archers and Swordsmen for both defense and attack. Uses a Medium Keep if a keep is not provided for him.

Lady Seren

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable Facts: Recruits Armed Peasants at first for an early defense, but will quickly replace them with Light Cavalry for offense. Uses Archers for defense and creates a medium enclosure, the west wing having a wood wall defense but has Killing Pits and Man Traps covering it. Always uses a Small Keep regardless of map size.

The Hawk

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable Facts: Very defensive lord, having a tower-mounted magonel and puts Rolling Logs on castle walls, creating a rectangular enclosure. Mainly uses Archers and Outlaws for offense and defense. Always uses a Small Keep regardless of map size.

The Bull

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable Facts: Offensive lord, creating a skull-like enclosure (although poorly), using Horse Archers, Crossbowmen, Macemen and Outlaws for offense and defense. Also uses War Hounds for defense. Always uses a Wood Keep regardless of map size.

The King

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable Facts: Another defensive lord, the King focuses more on economy rather then attacking, like the Hawk. However, he likes to send small groups of unmounted Knights out to harass others and capture estates. He creates an enclosure with the size depending on what keep he starts out with (can use all three stone keeps)

Olaf

• Difficulty: Medium
• Notable Facts: Another offensive lord, but uses only Berserkers and Axe Throwers for both defense and offense. Attacks very early when possible and creates a wood enclosure around his Wood Keep. Focuses mainly on selling spears for money as his mercenaries are expensive to recruit. Uses either a double layer enclosure or a circular one.

The Hammer

• Difficulty: Very Hard
• Notable Facts: Powerful, well-balanced offense consisting of Outlaws, Crossbowmen and unmounted Knights. Uses Horse Archers for defense and his defenses are based on what keep he starts off with (can use all three stone keeps), but will always use the Large Keep when possible. With a Large Keep he creates two enclosures, one containing vital buildings such as the Barracks, and smaller one leading to the Keep. With a Medium Keep he creates a double layer enclosure with some units near stone baskets to throw stones at enemies below who manage to penetrate the first layer.