Knights of the Crusades News

[p]Hey Everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]Welcome back to our ninth weekly update – and it`s a big one, as this marks our second major milestone. Version 0.32 brings some of the most significant core Kingdom War gameplay changes in years.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve overhauled how your kingdom develops, with building construction and research now taking months on the world map. And RTS and world map modes now have true continuity between them – bringing long-term strategy and planning to the forefront.[/p][p][/p][p]This update also delivers a full rework of Eastern Europe, adding several new playable Slavic and Pagan nations, a massive music expansion, smarter AI, and a complete balance pass across multiple factions. Most importantly, this milestone completes our broader goal of making each culture feel truly unique – with distinct units, mechanics, music, art, and more.[/p][p][/p][p]Slavic nations like Novgorod and Smolensk now stand apart with wooden-only towns, all-new visuals, and custom voice acting – while Pagan tribes such as Livonia bring fresh gameplay and exclusive unit rosters. All of this builds on the unique design direction we previously introduced for Muslim factions.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve also added 20 new music tracks to deepen immersion, and reworked over a dozen units and buildings for Eastern factions. Finally, the entire game has been rebalanced to reflect the new pacing and cultural variety.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again for all your feedback – it`s been essential in shaping every weekly update. Check out the full Update 0.32 details below![/p][p][/p][h3]Disclaimer: [/h3][p]With an update of this magnitude, we expect a few new issues to pop up, and we’ll still need about a week to wrap up all the loose ends – like giving each culture a unique tech tree and finalizing some art assets. We expect everything to be ironed out with the 10th update next week.[/p][p][/p][h3]Building Times[/h3]

• [p]Building construction time added to the world map – no longer instant[/p]
• [p]Buildings now take time to construct on the world map[/p]
• [p]Time to construct is shown alongside the building cost[/p]
• [p]Construction time ranges from 1 month to 1 year[/p]
• [p]Notifications now appear when buildings start and finish construction[/p]
• [p]Buildings take significantly longer to complete in RTS mode[/p]

[p][/p][h3]RTS World Map Transition[/h3]

• [p]Improved continuity when switching between RTS and world map[/p]
• [p]Switching between RTS and world map no longer auto-completes all tasks[/p]
• [p]Buildings under construction on the world map continue building in RTS[/p]
• [p]Incomplete construction in RTS mode will continue progressing on the world map[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Research Times[/h3]

• [p]Technologies in the research window now take time to unlock[/p]
• [p]It`s possible to research several technologies at once[/p]
• [p]Technologies take from 2 to several months to complete[/p]
• [p]Added voice dialogue and event log notification when research is completed[/p]
• [p]Constructing Academies and Churches improves research speed and cost (WIP)[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Slavic Nations[/h3]

• [p]Major changes to Eastern Europe on the world map[/p]
• [p]Kievan Rus split into Principalities of Chernigov, Smolensk, Novgorod, Suzdal, and Kiev[/p]
• [p]Four new unique playable kingdoms added to sandbox: Republic of Novgorod, Principality of Smolensk, Principality of Chernigov, Principality of Kiev[/p]
• [p][/p]
• [p]Completed work on Slavic nations' unique gameplay and art[/p]
• [p]Slavic nations use only wooden materials – no stone walls[/p]
• [p]Unique voice acting and flags added for Slavic armies on the world map[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Pagan Nations[/h3]

• [p]Added two playable Pagan nations – Chiefdom of Livonia and Chiefdom of Liuthania[/p]
• [p]Began work on implementing Pagan art set and gameplay differences (WIP)[/p]
• [p]Work in progress – many assets currently shared with Slavic nations[/p]
• [p]Unique unit roster for Pagan nations (partially shared with Slavic factions)[/p]
• [p]Pagan nations have more units available at the Hamlet's Mustering Hall, but fewer in their cities[/p]
• [p]Pagan nations don`t get access to high-tier siege engines – no trebuchets or catapults[/p]
• [p]Pagan nations don`t have crossbowmen but can train basic mounted archers[/p]

[p][/p][h3]New Units – Slavic[/h3]

• [p]Fully unique unit roster for Slavic nations[/p]
• [p]Slavic factions gain extended options for Rams and Siege Towers[/p]
• [p]Slavic nations can train basic mounted archers but do not have crossbowman tech[/p]
• [p]Added unique unit art for 12 Slavic units[/p]
• [p]Slavic units feature a distinct look – national clothing, hats, beards, and chainmail-dominant armor[/p]
• [p]15 new lord portraits designed for Slavic factions (WIP)[/p]

[p][/p][h3]New Building Art – Slavic[/h3]

• [p]New town houses for Slavic nations[/p]
• [p]New Town Hall added for Slavic towns[/p]
• [p]Slavic towns designed to use only wooden materials[/p]
• [p]Work in progress: large town designs for Slavic factions[/p]
• [p]Work in progress: new village houses for Slavic towns[/p]
• [p]Work in progress: new textures for Slavic buildings[/p][p][/p]

[h3]AI Improvements[/h3]

• [p]Further decreased rate of AI attacks on the world map in certain scenarios[/p]
• [p]Fixed a major issue with AI attacking large cities and behaving poorly[/p]
• [p]Large towns are now properly defended by the AI instead of the garrison running out[/p]
• [p]AI will only ride out from towns if it`s 100% certain it can win[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Balancing[/h3]

• [p]Major gameplay rebalance to account for new building construction system[/p]
• [p]Additional balancing of progression based on new research timings[/p]
• [p]Gameplay rebalanced for Muslim factions[/p]
• [p]Gameplay rebalanced for Slavic factions[/p]
• [p]Gameplay rebalanced for Pagan factions[/p]

[p][/p][h3]New Music[/h3]

• [p]Unique Slavic music set added with 16 all-new tracks[/p]
• [p]Expanded Muslim music set from 6 to 16 tracks, all newly composed[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Other[/h3]

• [p]All-new lord portraits for Nomad factions like Cumania and Pechenegs[/p]
• [p]New portraits for Pagan tribal factions – Livonia and Liuthania[/p]
• [p]Lowered War/Peace window layer so it doesn`t clash with the "Defeat..." window[/p]
• [p]Added close button for the tutorial tooltip window[/p]

[p]Hey Everyone,[/p][p] [/p][p]This week’s update brings a major round of balancing and improvements across all areas of the game - with focus on world map performance, RTS battle flow, and key balancing changes to the campaign and economy.[/p][p] [/p][p]The world map has seen a big boost in performance, especially in regions like Greece, Anatolia, and the Middle East. The Nile region has also been completely reworked into a lush and vibrant landscape. We've also cleaned up several visual issues, including palm trees and world edge polish.[/p][p] [/p][p]On the campaign side, we've overhauled how Crusader armies behave after the First Crusade, preventing late-game exploits and making their actions more grounded. We’ve also improved town entry mechanics with clearer rules and UI feedback.[/p][p] [/p][p]RTS battles feel smoother and more cinematic now — with better AI, slowed-down combat pacing, and far less lag. Auto-resolve has been reworked to reduce frustrating unit losses, and healing now happens in real time rather than waiting for the end of the month.[/p][p] [/p][p]Thanks again for sticking with us - and we’re just getting started. Here's the full list of changes in Game Version 0.31:[/p][p][/p][h3]World Map Changes[/h3]

• [p]Major performance boost across the entire world map.[/p]
• [p]Drastically improved performance in Greece, Anatolia, and the Middle East regions.[/p]
• [p]Reworked Nile region — now lush and green.[/p]
• [p]Fixed Beirut incorrectly displaying as Acre.[/p]
• [p]Polished the top-left corner and outer edge of the world map.[/p]
• [p]Greatly improved the visual quality of palm trees.[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Campaign Changes[/h3]

• [p]After completing the First Crusade, Crusader armies now garrison in captured cities[/p]
• [p]Fixed exploit that allowed easy conquest of the Middle East using Crusader armies[/p]
• [p]Tripoli now correctly transfers to Crusader control after the Crusade[/p]

[h3]Major Balance Changes[/h3]

• [p]Hamlet capture cost increases by 50% (base) for each hamlet you control[/p]
• [p]City capture cost increases by 50% (base) for each city you control[/p]
• [p]Combat food drain increased by 30% — cow and chicken income reduced accordingly[/p]
• [p]AI now attacks much less frequently[/p]
• [p]Army unit healing now occurs in real time, no longer tied to the end of the month[/p][p][/p]

[h3]General Balancing[/h3]

• [p]Player units heal faster near friendly towns[/p]
• [p]AI units heal more slowly[/p]
• [p]Auto-resolve is now less likely to kill player units when clearly winning[/p]
• [p]Auto-resolve now favors damaging units over killing them[/p]
• [p]Stronger forces benefit more from auto-resolve[/p]
• [p]Reduced renown rewards from battles[/p]
• [p]Monthly renown output from buildings reduced by ~50%[/p]
• [p]Rebalanced income, upkeep, and renown for Order and Church buildings[/p]
• [p]Slightly slower accumulation of personal time[/p]
• [p]Entering a town now deducts 1 minute of personal time[/p]
• [p]Player must have at least 2 minutes of personal time to enter a town[/p]
• [p]Added message notifying player when they lack enough time to enter[/p]
• [p]Rebalanced attack stats for Macemen and Billmen[/p][p][/p]

[h3]RTS Mode Improvements[/h3]

• [p]Major reduction in lag during RTS battles[/p]
• [p]Combat slowed slightly for improved cinematic pacing[/p]
• [p]Better overall combat flow in RTS mode[/p]
• [p]Ranged units now properly auto-attack targets[/p]
• [p]RTS AI now defends large cities more effectively[/p]
• [p]AI will no longer sortie unless player is heavily outnumbered[/p]
• [p]Large-town sieges are now significantly more difficult[/p]
• [p]Nighttime lighting in RTS is now brighter[/p]
• [p]Reduced distance fog, especially in winter[/p]
• [p]Fixed terrain appearing overly bright in fall season[/p]
• [p]Fixed bug with newly constructed buildings being sideways or upside down in Army vs Army camps[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Other Fixes and Changes[/h3]

• [p]Fixed rare game-breaking issue where the game could freeze during a cinematic[/p]
• [p]Major corrections to Spanish translation[/p]
• [p]Major corrections to Italian translation[/p]

[p]Hey Everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]This weeks second regular update update addresses several campaign and world map issues, focusing on performance, balance, and AI improvements.[/p][p][/p][p]AI now behaves more realistically across the map – no more constant pressure, but more strategic movement and engagements. We’ve added a significant world map performance boost and rebalanced the early Templar campaign to ease the difficulty curve.[/p][p][/p][p]You'll also find UI polish and bug fixes, along with reworked timing for the First Crusade departure, giving you more time to prepare. Thanks again for your continued support and here`s the full update details - Game Version: 0.30:[/p][p][/p][h3]World Map AI Improvements[/h3]

• [p]AI attack frequency adjusted in both Sandbox and Campaign modes[/p]
• [p]More AI armies now roam and battle each other across the map[/p]
• [p]Final fixes applied to prevent players from getting overwhelmed by AI attacks[/p]
• [p]Another major world map performance boost – lag spikes significantly reduced[/p]
• [p]Templar Campaign AI no longer spawns overpowered armies early on[/p]
• [p]General AI behavior improved for Templar campaign gameplay[/p]

[h3]World Map Fixes & UI Improvements[/h3]

• [p]Palm trees in desert regions now look much better[/p]
• [p]Major performance boost in the Holy Land/desert areas[/p]
• [p]Renown/Faith tooltip now shows income from Buildings and Chapterhouses[/p]
• [p]Fixed bug with broken ghost armies showing up in the Military list[/p]
• [p]Only player armies show healing/damage effects[/p]
• [p]Resource reward window properly hidden behind fade screen[/p]
• [p]Renown and Faith bars now show +Amt indicators[/p]
• [p]Fixed tax/coin display showing incorrect values[/p]
• [p]Resolved bug with bright white flags on world map armies[/p]

[h3]Other Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Tutorial prompt now appears after clicking “Start Campaign”[/p]
• [p]Fixed issue with "Play Tutorial" achievement not unlocking[/p]
• [p]Resolved UI layering issue between army buttons and recruit window[/p]
• [p]York and other large cities – fixed tasking units to front and keep walls[/p]

[h3]Balancing Changes[/h3]

• [p]Month length increased by 50% – giving players more time to reach Constantinople[/p]
• [p]Crusader armies now depart for Constantinople in June, arriving late 1096[/p]
• [p]France no longer starts at war with the Holy Roman Empire[/p]
• [p]Tons of internal campaign rebalancing tied to extended month length[/p]
• [p]Chapterhouses now unlock up to 20 Order units for nearby army recruitment[/p]

[p]Hey Everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]This week brings a smaller but essential update as we fix key issues from last week’s major patch. World Map AI behavior has been overhauled – no more relentless spam attacks, with AI now launching fewer but stronger assaults. The eastern regions of the map also got a makeover, improving both level design and strategic options.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve also rebalanced Order mechanics – expect higher costs across the board and proper unit spawning in RTS. As always, thanks for your feedback and support – see you on the battlefield![/p][p][/p][p]As always thanks for all your feedback and here`s the full update details - Game Version: 0.29[/p][p][/p][h3]Engine Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Resolved the new loading screen crashing issues introduced in the last update[/p]

[h3]World Map AI Improvements[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a major bug causing AI factions to launch excessive attacks in Campaign mode.[/p]
• [p]Adjusted attack frequency in both Sandbox and Campaign – AI will now strike less often, but with stronger armies.[/p]
• [p]AI armies are now better composed and more impactful when they engage.[/p]

[h3]World Map Updates[/h3]

• [p]Smyrna is no longer at war with the Teutonic Order.[/p]
• [p]Expanded the eastern regions of the world map.[/p]
• [p]Improved level design in the newly added eastern territories.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug with birds flying unusually slowly.[/p]
• [p]Eastern Middle East edge is now far more playable and accessible.[/p]
• [p]All armies can now register Holy Orders in Rome.[/p]

[h3]RTS Mode Updates[/h3]

• [p]Fixed issue with Order building UI buttons shifting on mouse hover.[/p]
• [p]Visual overhaul for Order buildings: Headquarters, Hospital, and Hostel.[/p]
• [p]Units now spawn correctly from the Order Headquarters.[/p]

[h3]Balance Changes[/h3]

• [p]Rebalanced the cost of Order units and buildings.[/p]
• [p]Order structures and troops are now significantly more expensive.[/p]
• [p]Chapterhouse setup cost has been greatly increased.[/p]

[p]Hey Everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]Welcome back to our fifth weekly update – and this one is absolutely packed. Version 0.28 brings a massive new layer of depth with unique army rosters for Western and Muslim nations, several new unit types, improved campaign content, sweeping balance changes and a number of gameplay changing features.[/p][p][/p][p]A total of eight new units have been added – including Siege Towers, Mounted Archers, and Heavy Macemen – while several others were fully reworked. This now means that different cultures plays very differently with several unique units per culture, with new tactical choices and technologies to unlock them. For example - Muslim nations now dominate in the open field with mostly mounted armies packed with horse archers, while Western nations work great in sieges.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve also rolled out a major performance boost on the world map – many players will see up to 20 FPS improvements. AI aggression has been dialed up significantly – larger nations now feel genuinely threatening, and border skirmishes are frequent.[/p][p][/p][p]Campaign players will be happy to see 16 new quests, major scripting fixes, and smoother First Crusade progression. We also rebalanced RTS training, battle retreat logic, and siege pacing to improve flow and realism.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks as always for all your feedback – your support helps us keep moving fast. Check out the full update details below! - Game Version: 0.28[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Engine and Performance[/h2]

• [p] Major visual performance boost on the world map - up to +20 FPS on most systems[/p]
• [p] Fixed rare campaign load bug that prevented proper start[/p]
• [p] Fixed rare level load failure affecting some scenarios[/p]

[p][/p][h2]New Culture-Based Unit Rosters[/h2]

• [p] Western and Muslim culture groups now use distinct unit rosters[/p]
• [p] Each faction now has 8 different units depending on cultural group[/p]
• [p] AI builds and fields different units based on nation culture[/p]
• [p] RTS and World Map now reflect culture-specific unit availability[/p]
• [p] Technologies now unlock different units for different cultures[/p]

[p][/p][h2]New Units and Visuals[/h2]

• [p] New unit: Arbaletist and Veteran Crossbowman (Western factions)[/p]
• [p] New unit: Heavy Maceman (Western)[/p]
• [p] New unit: Mounted Archer and Veteran Mounted Archer (Muslim factions)[/p]
• [p] New unit: Siege Ram (Muslim factions)[/p]
• [p] New unit: Siege Tower (Western factions)[/p]
• [p] Battering Ram - completely new art and stats[/p]
• [p] Belfry - completely new art and stats[/p]
• [p] Reworked Maceman portrait, visuals and stats[/p]

[p][/p][h2]World Map Features[/h2]

• [p] Armies only heal near own/ally towns and if they have food[/p]
• [p] Armies now cost Renown to field: 0 / 20 / 40 / 60 e.t.c increasing for each new army[/p]
• [p] Player can now sell resources at ally and neutral cities (Recruit Menu)[/p]
• [p] Armies now show healing indicator on the Army UI[/p]
• [p] Edge of the world map added to the eastern side[/p]
• [p] Fixed excessive silver rewards when defending towns[/p]
• [p] Updated news feed to avoid broken line formatting[/p]
• [p] Army strength now displays correctly when using custom names[/p]
• [p] Fixed cut-off background for Research titles[/p]
• [p] Unlocked techs now show tooltip popups when hovering icons[/p]

[p][/p][h2]World Map AI Improvements[/h2]

• [p] AI now targets closer cities instead of crossing the map[/p]
• [p] Major boost to world map AI aggression and activity[/p]
• [p] Larger kingdoms (e.g., France, Byzantium) now field massive armies[/p]
• [p] Fixed inactive AI armies not moving to targets[/p]
• [p] Overall strategic AI behavior drastically improved[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Campaign Overhaul[/h2]

• [p] 10 new quests added to the Seljuk campaign[/p]
• [p] 6 new quests added to the Templar campaign[/p]
• [p] Improved pacing and onboarding in both campaigns[/p]
• [p] Seljuk campaign diplomacy now behaves properly[/p]
• [p] Fixed critical bug in First Crusade progression logic[/p]
• [p] Defense of Antioch mission time reduced from 20 to 12 minutes[/p]
• [p] Crusader armies no longer capture player objectives by accident[/p]
• [p] Tutorial “Scout the World Map” quest is now easier to complete[/p]

• [p]Can no longer invite Godfrey to help siege Ma`arat al-Numan.[/p]

• [p]Fixed "Capture Hamlet" objective not completing in the campaign.[/p]
• [p]Fixed player not receiving a reward for acquiring 600 Faith in the Crusader and Templar campaigns.[/p]
• [p]Fixed incorrect cinematic playing after acquiring Faith in the Crusader and Templar campaigns.[/p]
• [p]AI Crusader armies now set off much later — around May 1096 — giving the player a better chance to travel with them.[/p]
• [p]Fixed AI Crusader armies very rarely arriving in Constantinople on time.[/p]
• [p]Combat tutorial now lasts longer before victory is declared.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]RTS Training Logic & UI[/h2]

• [p] Units in RTS now train logically with space and population checks[/p]
• [p] Retreated units are removed from population count[/p]
• [p] Strong/high-level units will now fight to the death instead of retreating[/p]
• [p] Retreated units no longer re-enter battle automatically[/p]
• [p] Improved visibility of building names in towns[/p]
• [p] Palisade gatehouse now aligns properly with adjacent wall sections[/p]
• [p] Fixed unit unlock issues in RTS mode[/p]
• [p] Disabled double-click selection on unit overlay portraits[/p]
• [p] Bird flight speed corrected for RTS camera[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Art Updates[/h2]

• [p]Reworked all building icons.[/p]
• [p]Building icons now show symbols to easily identify their function[/p]
• [p]Improved playable player characters with several new ones[/p]
• [p]Professional soldier battalions now carry a flag banner into combat[/p]
• [p]Player's floating unit portraits are now much more visible[/p]
• [p]Allied group portraits are no longer as prominent[/p]
• [p]Player army flag is now easier to spot in the Your Own Order and Templar campaigns[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]Combat & Balance Changes[/h2]

• [p] Major rebalance of Muslim armies - Horse Archers are now core units[/p]
• [p] Unit speed now varies by armor weight - light units move faster[/p]
• [p] Light units can effectively skirmish heavier units at range[/p]
• [p]Personal Time accumulates more slowly.[/p]
• [p]Increased price of all basic hamlet buildings: Storehouse, Silver Mine, Barn, Stone Mine, Lumber Camp, and Hunter Lodge.[/p]
• [p] Fixed bug causing cavalry to move too fast in Loose formation[/p]
• [p] Reduced RTS defense time: Hamlet 12 → 8 min, Large City 20 → 16 min[/p][p][/p]

[h2]Other Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Fixed a bug allowing some mounted units to run while in naval combat onboard ships[/p]
• [p]Fixed archers not being able to attack Knight Commander and Chevalier units[/p]
• [p]Fixed armies not playing the correct walking animation on the world map during cinematics[/p]
• [p]Night-time city and unit elimination effects (fires, torches, etc.) now occur simultaneously[/p]
• [p]Units created from buildings now form up better if there is no default rally point[/p]
• [p]Units coming out of the Town Hall now form up especially well[/p]
• [p]Changed Bristol to Cardiff[/p]
• [p]World map winter lighting is now brighter[/p]