Revision 1

Running a settlement in Stronghold 4 means balancing several interlocking systems. Food keeps the population fed, taxes raise income from the people, and honour returns as a resource earned through the life of the court. These inputs feed into one another through supply chains that the player must keep flowing.

Keeping subjects content is part of the challenge. Push taxes too high or let food run short and a settlement suffers, so players weigh the demands of war and construction against the wellbeing of the people who make the castle work.

The economy is tied directly to castle design: workshops, farms, and stores have to be placed and connected sensibly, and the seasons can help or hinder production from one part of the year to the next.