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Part 6
The Settlers

Part 6

Learn about Thordal, the final knight in The Settlers, and the promotion system for upgrading your city and unlocking new buildings and units.

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Learn about Thordal, the final knight in The Settlers, and the promotion system for upgrading your city and unlocking new buildings and units.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Thordal: Thordal, known as the Lord of Song, is the final knight. His passive ability increases the number of families your settlers gain after a festival. His active ability entertains nearby settlers with singing.
  2. 2
    Promotions: Promoting your knight is how your city is upgraded. All cities start with limited building options, and each promotion unlocks new building types and, crucially, new military units. Early tutorial maps restrict promotions, but later maps have no limits, though diminishing returns exist.
  3. 3
    Promotion Process: To get promoted, your settlement must meet specific criteria for each level. Once requirements are met, move your knight to the marketplace and press the glowing green promotion button next to the minimap (a small map displayed on the HUD (heads-up display — the on-screen icons showing health, ammo and the minimap)). This triggers a proclamation with a button to confirm the promotion and upgrade your settlement.

Promotion Levels:

  • Level 1 - Lord/Lady: No requirements. Grants access to all Resource Buildings, Food Retailers, Clothing Retailers, Wooden and Stone Walls, and Trails. Needs Food. This is the default level. Build woodcutters, food suppliers, retailers, and a tanner. Upgrade your castle and mine stone if available.
  • Level 2 - Sheriff: Requirements: 10 Settlers, 6 Clothes, Level 2 Castle. Grants access to Sword Smith, Sword Barracks, Cleaning Retailers, and Thief. Troop Salaries are enabled. Needs Clothing. Build a soap maker and broom maker. Find a stone quarry if you don't have one. Seek an iron mine for military buildings on maps with heavy military activity. Consider beekeepers and stocking honey before promotion. Upgrade your storehouse and cathedral as high as possible, aiming for Level 4 in all three special buildings early.
  • Level 3 - Baron/Baroness: Requirements: 30 Settlers, 12 Cleaning, Level 2 Castle/Storehouse/Cathedral. Grants access to Medicine, Bow Maker, Bow Barracks, Tavern, Festival, and Stone Roads. Needs Cleaning. You gain access to Bowmen and the festival. Hold a festival if affordable to boost efficiency. Start stocking raw materials and consider building two of every building to help reach Level 5.
  • Level 4 - Count/Countess: Requirements: 50 Settlers, 18 mead (from 2 taverns), Level 3 Castle. Grants access to Baths, Siege Workshop, Battering Ram, Mounted Catapult, and ammo carts. Tax manipulation is enabled. Needs entertainment and wealth. Build two bathhouses immediately. Use the ram against enemy forts with stone walls. If under attack, build stone walls and catapults if affordable. The next level requires 20 buildings at the rich level. Set taxes and troop salaries to 0 to manage reputation and finances, especially if not holding too many festivals. Ensure at least 20 retailers are rich; build structures using abundant raw materials if close to the 20-retailer mark. Unless catapults at Level 6 are desired, further promotions might not be necessary, but continue upgrading special buildings for their benefits.
  • Level 5 - Marquis: Requirements: 70 Settlers, 20 Rich retailers, Level 3 Castle/Store/Cathedral. Grants access to Theater, Banner Maker, and Siege Tower. Needs Decorations. Reaching Level 5 and above is primarily for attacking stone fortresses with catapults. Otherwise, Levels 5, 6, and 7 offer minimal advantages for winning maps. Decorations and the theater are not essential for most gameplay.
Tips
  • Thordal's passive ability is useful on every map as it increases settlement efficiency by allowing more families.
  • His active ability is less critical if your city provides adequate entertainment.
  • Focus on building essential resource and food buildings early at Level 1.
  • Prioritize finding stone and iron mines for upgrades and military production.
  • Building two of each retailer can help meet the requirements for higher promotion levels.
  • Manage your economy carefully, especially at Level 4, by adjusting taxes and troop salaries.
  • Upgrading special buildings (Castle, Storehouse, Cathedral) provides benefits beyond promotion requirements.

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