Sturgia: Shieldwalls of the Frozen North

Sturgia rewards players who enjoy grinding foes down with armored infantry, brutal axes, and relentless shieldwalls. This guide covers how to exploit their snowbound geography, economy, troop tree, and siege power—plus how to counter them if you meet them on the field.

Cultural identity & bonuses

• Norse/Slavic inspired clans anchored by a Grand Prince and longship culture.

• Reduced campaign speed penalties in snow and strong militia growth help winter warfare; lean into winter offensives when other factions slow down. (Pair with Terrain & Weather Effects.)

• Infantry-heavy recruitment pool and plentiful throwing axes reward aggressive mid-range play.

• Weakest archery lineup in Calradia—compensate with skirmishers or mercenary bowmen.

Geography and starting lands

Core towns: Varcheg (shipbuilding and fish), Omor (timber and furs), and Tyal (gateway to Khuzait trade). These sit behind rivers and snowfields that slow invaders.

Travel notes

• Use rivers and shoreline loops between Varcheg ↔ Tyal for safer caravan routes; detour south in wartime to avoid Battania/Vlandia raids.

• Hardwood and fish are cheap here—smelt to charcoal for smithing and sell dried fish/furs south for early cash (Economy & Trade Guide).

• Snow attrition on speed still matters; keep herd penalty low and bring extra horses (see Party Speed Explained).

Economy setups that actually pay

• Fur & fish shuttle: Buy furs in Omor/Revyl villages, sell in the Empire or Aserai towns. Rotate back with olives or dates to feed garrisons.

• Hardwood → charcoal → smithing orders: Tree-rich Sturgia fuels profitable javelin/2H sword orders; combine with Siege Warfare & Engineering perks for faster engine builds.

• Workshops: Breweries in grain towns near Omor, Smithies in Varcheg, Wood Workshops near Tyal. Sell/flip if caravans trigger wars.

• Caravans: Send a fast scout companion with 8–12 mounted guards on the Varcheg → Pen Cannoc → Epicrotea triangle; avoid wartime marches through Khuzait grasslands.

Troop roster deep dive

Key takeaways from the Sturgia Troop Tree:

• Frontline anvil: Sturgian Heavy Spearman → Sturgian Heavy Axeman bring huge shields and throwing axes. They are your anti-cavalry core (see Infantry Line Tactics).

• Shock specialists: Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker deletes shieldwalls with 2H axes. Pair with Inspired Warrior captain perks for morale shocks.

• Noble cavalry: Druzhinnik Champion is outclassed by Banner Knights but still hits hard; keep them in reserve for flank wipes.

• Scouts & skirmishers: Brigands and Shock Troops fill your throwing weapon niche; use loose formation before charging.

• Ranged problems: Hunters are serviceable but lose to Vlandian or Battanian bows. Plug gaps with mercenary crossbows or recruit prisoners from conquered foes (Best Infantry Units ranks Sturgia highly in melee, not range).

Sample upgrade priorities

• Early: 60% Heavy Spearmen, 20% Brigands, 20% Druzhinnik Recruits.

• Mid: 50% Heavy Axemen, 15% Heroic Line Breakers, 20% Druzhinnik Veterans, 15% recruited mercenary archers.

• Late: 45% Heroic Line Breakers, 25% Heavy Axemen with javelins, 20% Druzhinnik Champions, 10% specialist archers or ballista crews during sieges.

Formations and battlefield play

• Shieldwall first contact: Hold fire until 20–30 meters to land throwing axes, then charge. Rotate battered units behind fresh lines to avoid morale dips (Morale and Desertion Control).

• Loose → wall toggle: Start loose against archers, swap to wall before cavalry hits. Sturgia excels at absorbing charges, then counter-charging with axes.

• Bracing: Keep at least two ranks of spears braced against horse archers; angle toward flanks when facing Khuzait.

• Captain perks: Put Line Breakers under captains with Athletics/Two-Handed perks for melee damage auras. Use Steward captains to offset high wages.

• Terrain: Fight in forests and snow to slow enemy cav; if forced into plains, anchor on ridges and use infantry squares (see Terrain & Weather Effects).

Army compositions by phase

Early game (party size ~50):

• 30 Heavy Spearmen, 10 Brigands, 8 recruits on horses to dodge bandits, 2 Druzhinnik Recruits.

• Keep speed ≥5.3 on map (Party Speed Explained); avoid hauling prisoners until leadership rises.

Mid game (90–120 troops):

• 45 Heavy Axemen, 15 Heroic Line Breakers, 15 Druzhinnik Veterans, 10 mercenary crossbows, 20 Brigands/Skirmishers.

• Play aggressive: volley axes, charge with a wedge of Druzhinnik on edges, keep infantry in line or tight wall.

Late game (150–220 troops & armies):

• 60 Heroic Line Breakers, 40 Heavy Axemen with shields, 30 Druzhinnik Champions, 20 specialist archers from captured nobles, 20 engineers/siege crew.

• Field armies lean 2:1 infantry:cavalry. Call allies only when cohesion is ≥80 (see Army Cohesion & Food Management).

Siege & wall fighting

• Attackers: Build 2 trebuchets and 1 ram; keep one treb packed to dodge counter-battery (Siege Warfare & Engineering). Heroic Line Breakers excel on ladders—send two staggered waves to avoid feed.

• Defenders: Put Heavy Axemen on inner wall corners and Heroic Line Breakers behind gates. Ballistae help compensate for weak native archers.

• Supplies: Snow campaign slows siege camps; overstock grain/fish to prevent morale spirals (Army Cohesion & Food Management).

Campaign logistics in snow

• Carry 6–8 food types to keep morale steady; smoked fish and butter are cheap staples from northern villages.

• Prioritize horse ratio to beat herd penalty; keep pack animals capped at 1.5× cargo need.

• Companion roles: Scouting-heavy builds shine here (forest/snow perks) while a Steward captain offsets high infantry wages. If you lack archers, make your surgeon dual-purpose bowman.

• Winter marches drain cohesion slower for Sturgia, so time offensives November–February while Vlandians slog.

Economy, politics, and fief play

• Fiefs to crave: Varcheg for shipyard trade, Omor for hardwood/furs, Tyal as a bridgehead vs. Khuzait. Stack Granary + Fairgrounds to stabilize loyalty.

• Policies: Council of the Commons (influence from militia), Royal Guard (bigger party) once influence is stable, and Sacred Majesty for mid-late tribute swings. Weigh them against food strain.

• Workforce: Recruit Nord/Varyag wanderers for Athletics/Two-Handed captaincy; buy loyalty with quests from notables (Economy & Trade Guide).

• Allies/enemies: Battania hates your forests; Khuzait outruns you—avoid open plains wars until you stack horse archers from prisoners.

Fighting against Sturgia

• Break the wall: Saturate with crossbows and shock troops that ignore shields (Best Infantry by Faction). Target captains first to drop melee bonuses.

• Bleed them before melee: Horse archers or javelin cav kite their slow infantry. Force fights on open plains or deserts where snow/cold bonuses vanish.

• Disrupt throwing axe volleys: Loose formation until axes land, then reform tight; send light cav to harass skirmishers rather than the main wall.

• Siege defense vs Sturgia: Focus fire on ladders; heavy infantry relies on getting onto walls. Burning rams early wins time.

Hero & companion build notes

• You: Vigor/Endurance weight; One-Handed or Two-Handed 200+ with Athletics 150+ to captain infantry effectively. Steward 150 keeps wages sane. Add Charm for fief votes (see Kingdoms of Calradia).

• Captains: Two-Handed + Athletics for Line Breakers; Polearm + Riding for Druzhinnik flankers. Pick Engineering/Medicine companions to bolster sieges and recovery.

• Party morale safety net: Keep 10–15% budget for prisoner ransoms and weapon sales; donations to garrisons boost influence when snowstorms stall fighting.

Checklists

• Early: Secure hardwood + fur route, pick up a scout with snow perks, craft/sell 2–3 orders to afford first workshop.

• Mid: Transition to Line Breakers, add 10–20 mercenary archers, capture a coastal castle to anchor income.

• Late: Run winter offensives with full shieldwall core, delegate caravans, and keep two siege engines packed to dodge counter-battery.

• If invading Sturgia: Fight south of the snowline, burn granaries, and avoid river crossings during blizzards.

For deeper mechanical details, cross-reference Best Infantry Units, Infantry Line Tactics, and Party Speed Explained as you tune your campaign.