Stronghold Crusader 2 will feature the Sultana, the game's first female opponent

Those eager to build and defend castles must be getting impatient. Stronghold Crusader 2 was meant to release on Tuesday but is now delayed until September 23. Never mind though, because when it does release it will feature the series' first female opponent in the form of the Sultana.

The developer diary below gives some insight into what you'll be contending with whenever the Sultana attacks your stronghold. Suffice to say, the Sultana isn't an especially brutal enemy, but one which “prefers deception and intelligent use of the land over brute force,” according to the Firefly team.

“The key to defeating the Sultana lies in the game's new unit balancing,” a spokesperson for the studio wrote . “Gone are the days where players could dominate every skirmish match by spamming Horse Archers or mobbing the opposing player with Assassins. The Sultana prefers specialised units, which must be used against her to win. Counter Horse Archers with charging Sassanid Knights, Sassanid Knights with Pikemen in a 'dug-in' defensive stance, Pikemen with fire from Oil Pot Throwers and so forth, depending on which units she opts for in a given match.

“Every unit has a counter, with the Sultana designed to train players in the art of unit selection. Defeat her and learn one of the most important lessons in Stronghold.”

Check out the video below: