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Castle building is one of the confirmed core systems in Chronicles: Medieval. Players construct and expand fortifications as part of claiming and holding territory within the medieval sandbox world. Castles serve as both a base of operations and a strategic asset to defend against rival factions and hostile forces.
Construction and Expansion
Players build and upgrade their castles over the course of a playthrough. Enhanced castle tiers and siege machinery are among the features planned for development during the Early Access period, meaning the full scope of the construction system will expand post-launch based on community feedback and the development roadmap.
Defense and Sieges
Castles must be defended against attackers. Field battles and skirmishes are the main battle types in the Early Access build, and defending a castle against an assault is part of that experience. The most elaborate full-scale siege battles, along with higher castle tiers and advanced siege machinery, are part of the planned development during the Early Access period rather than guaranteed at the initial launch.
Territorial Control
Holding castles and territories is tied to the broader power structure of the game world. Players who accumulate enough territory and influence can rise to rule kingdoms, managing vassals and responding to the political pressures of other lords and factions. Territorial control is linked to the game's economic and diplomatic simulation, so sieges and caravan raids can affect the resources available to both attackers and defenders.
Castle and city ownership flows from the title system. A title tied to a settlement or region grants its holder ownership of the villages, castles, and cities within it, which become a source of income through taxation. During a war, occupying an enemy's castles and cities contributes to the attacker's warscore, the measure that decides how well a war is going and what can be demanded in the eventual peace. Holding a castle is therefore both a defensive asset and a bargaining chip. See Lords, Power, and War for how titles, sieges, and warscore connect.