There are many players out there still new to the game who give up in frustration as their progress slows to a crawl due to a lack of productivity cards and very poor early research allocation. In this walkthrough video guide I attempt to be a guiding hand, showing new players how to build up quickly and keep the game interesting even without a wallet full of greenbacks (aka money).

The following guide is presented as a day-in-review video log in which I go over the progress I made in the past 24 hours and show you what I researched and built and why I made the decisions I did. Following in my footsteps, it should be possible for you to become an alderman and ready to take a second village in a totally new world by day eight.

https://youtu.be/1qXOw73XcZM
Current Rank: Freeman

Research Completed:

• Stone Quarrying level 3
  
• Forestry level 3
  
• Tools level 8
  
• Scouts level 1
  
• Orchard Management level 8
  
• Dairy Farming level 1
  
• Mathematics level 2
  
• Merchant Guilds level 3
  
• Arts level 6
  
• Literature level 1
  
• Decoration level 2

Buildings completed:

• Woodcutters Huts: 8
  
• Stone Quarries: 9
  
• Apple Farms: 10
  
• Dairy Farms: 1
  
• Flower Beds: 5
  
• Dovecotes: 1
  
• Hovels: 2
  
• Market: 1
  
• Theater: 1

https://youtu.be/qI6Ln0i2W80
Current Rank: Commoner 2nd Grade

Research Completed:

• Stone Quarrying level 6
  
• Forestry level 5
  
• Fletching level 1
  
• Plough level 1
  
• Hops Farming level 8

Buildings completed:

• Woodcutters Huts: 1
  
• Dovecotes: 4
  
• Inn: 1
  
• Breweries: 3
  
• Fletcher: 1

https://youtu.be/ed04uruNKnM
Current Rank: Thane 3rd Grade

Research Completed:

• Stone Quarrying level 8
  
• Forestry level 8
  
• Fletching level 2
  
• Fortification level 4
  
• Arts level 7
  
• Literature level 2

Buildings Completed:

• Stone Quarries: 2
  
• Breweries: 1
  
• Hovels: 1

https://youtu.be/0KhhWohxeCk
Current Rank: Yeoman 5th Class

Research Completed:

• Fletching level 6
  
• Castellation level 3
  
• Command level 1
  
• Long Bow level 1

Buildings Completed:

• Stone Quarries: 3
  
• Breweries: 1
  
• Hovels: 1

Quests Completed:

• Gathering Materials 1
  
• Construction Crazy 3

https://youtu.be/rsU29WNR71k
Current Rank: Yeoman 4th Class

Research Completed:

• Castellation level 7
  
• Command level 4
  
• Defenses level 1

Buildings Completed:

• Woodcutter's huts: 3
  
• Breweries: 1

Quests Completed:

• Intelligence Gathering 1
  
• Flourishing Trade 1

https://youtu.be/3qRqw4w9S3k
Current Rank: Yeoman 2nd Class

Research Completed:

• Fletching level 8
  
• Command level 5
  
• Commerce level 1

Buildings Completed:

• Hovels built: 1
  
• Markets built: 1
  
• Orchards built: 3

Quests Completed:

• Intelligence Gathering 3

https://youtu.be/ZfYDJOv9G5o
Current Rank: Alderman 6th Class

Research Completed:

• Iron Mining 1 (total 1)
  
• Fortification 2 (total 6)
  
• Command 2 (total 7)
  
• Engineering 2 (total 2)

Buildings Completed:

• 1 Orchard ( total 14)
  
• 2 Stone Quarries (total 16)
  
• 1 Brewery (total 7)

Quests Completed:

• Wolf Hunt 1
  
• Spread the Word 3

https://youtu.be/VJmxkUf9XmQ
Current Rank: Alderman 6th Class

This is the last daily log, from now on I'll be doing a week-in-review vlog documenting my macro progress.

Research Completed:

• Leadership 1
  
• Captains 1
  
• Decoration 1 (level 3)

Quests Completed:

• Wolf Hunt 1
  
• Spread the Word 3

https://youtu.be/foWqMzsk58Q
Current Rank: Page 7th Class.

Research completed:

• Arts level 2 (total 9)
  
• Theology 10 (total 10)
  
• Engineering 5 (total 7)
  
• Literature 1 (total 3)
  
• Decoration 1 (level 4)
  
• Stockpile Capacity 1 (total 1)
  
• Command 1 (total 8)
  
• Construction 10 (total 10)
  
• Fortification 2 (total 8)

Quests Completed:

• Battle Hardened 1
  
• Team Player 2
  
• Feasting 1

https://youtu.be/yGmIYXRd-jY
Supplemental Videos referenced in this video:

• Pros & Cons of Joining a House: https://youtu.be/svotiZi_9DI
  
• Max Passive Honor Setup: https://youtu.be/thgEejrQO-A

Current Rank: Squire 3th Class

Research Completed:

• Literature 1 (total 4)
  
• Transportation 10 (total 10)
  
• Ordination 1 (total 1)
  
• Eucharist 1 (total 1)
  
• Commerce 1 (total 2)
  
• Mathematics 3 (total 5)
  
• Command 2 (total 10)
  
• Castellation 2 (total 9)
  
• Defenses 5 (total 6)
  
• Leadership 1 (total 2)
  
• Weapon Making 4 (total 5)
  
• Armour Working 1 (total 1)
  
• Poleturning 1 (total 1)
  
• Siege Mechanics 1 (total 1)

Quests Completed:

• Construction Crazy 4
  
• Gold Horde 3

https://youtu.be/4rE5Co31hQA
Forgot to mention it in the video but we had a couple of days of very bad weather (-30 popularity) during this last week.

Current Rank: Knight 4th Rank

Research Completed:

• Engineering 3 (total 10)
  
• Baptism 1 (total 1)
  
• Ordination 1 (total 2)
  
• Arts 1 (total 10)
  
• Decoration 1 (total 5)
  
• Literature 1 (total 5)
  
• Defenses 4 (total 10)
  
• Pike: 3 (total 3)
  
• Castellation 1 (total 10)
  
• Long Bow 9 (total 10)

Quests Completed:

• Resourceful
  
• Gathering Materials 2
  
• Battle Hardened 2
  
• Spread the Word 4

https://youtu.be/t6zEoO1h47Y
I played my first card today, 'Advanced Logistics', to speed up a cap I sent at an enemy to take my 4th Village. Advanced Logistics is one of the primary cards you'll be trading in your free cards for as a free to play player if you are in a fighting faction.

Current Rank: Baron 6th Rank

Research Completed:

• Pike: 7 (total 10)
  
• Captains 1 (total 2)
  
• Logistics 8 (total 8)
  
• Leadership 1 (total 3)
  
• Commerce 1 (total 3)
  
• Weapon Making 1 (total 6)
  
• Scouts 1 (total 2)

https://youtu.be/u_o4kbXDwq0
Current Rank: Baron 2nd Rank

Research Completed:

• Scouts 6 (total 8)
  
• Baptism 1 (total 2)
  
• Forced March 8 (total 8)
  
• Pilgrimage 1 (total 1)

Quests Completed:

• Wolf Hunt 2
  
• Healing the Sick 1
  
• Wolf Hunt 3
  
• Intelligence Gathering 2
  
• Flourishing Trade 2
  
• Law and Order 1
  
• Deer Hunter
  
• Exercise Your Right
  
• Living off the Land 2
  
• Ride Like the Wind 2
  
• Intelligence Gathering 4
  
• Law and Order 2

https://youtu.be/hTvNHq9VtWA
Current Rank: Viscount 8th Rank

Research Completed:

• Leadership 1 (total 4)
  
• Pilgrimage 7 (total 8)
  
• Theology 3 (total 13)
  
• Tactics 1 (total 1)
  
• Confession 1 (total 1)
  
• Extreme Unction 1 (total 1)
  
• Ransacking 1 (total 1)

Quests Completed:

• Silence the Wolves 1
  
• Intelligence Gathering 5
  
• Wolf Hunt 4
  
• Spread the Word 5
  
• Feasting 2
  
• Gold Horde 4
  
• Flourishing Trade 3
  
• Robber Baron 1
  
• Healing the Sick 2
  
• Villain 1
  
• Intelligence Gathering 6
  
• Wolf Hunt 5
  
• Team Player 3
  
• Feasting 3

https://youtu.be/-WSqi1Fa_DM
Current Rank: Viscount 4th Rank

Research Completed:

• Banqueting 4 (level 4)
  
• Baptism 1 (level 3)
  
• Catapult 1 (level 1)
  
• Sally Forth 2 (level 2)
  
• Weapon Making 2 (level 8)
  
• Mathematics 1 (level 6)
  
• Tactics 1 (level 2)

Quests Completed:

• Healing the Sick 3
  
• Fabulous Host 1
  
• Law and Order 3
  
• Fabulous Host 2
  
• Peacemaker 1
  
• Battle Hardened 3
  
• Silence the Wolves 2
  
• Fabulous Host 3
  
• Intelligence Gathering 7
  
• Rat Hunt 1
  
• Spread the Word 6
  
• Vipers Nest 1
  
• Justice 1
  
• Vandal 1
  
• Fabulous Host 4

https://youtu.be/gjE7vTaFgzQ
Current Rank: Viscount 1st Rank

Research Completed:

• Mathematics 2 (level 8)
  
• Pitch Extraction 1 (level 1)
  
• Marriage 1 (level 1)
  
• Horsemanship 7 (level 7)
  
• Banqueting 1 (level 5)

Quests Completed:

• Healing the Sick 4
  
• Gathering Materials 3
  
• A Blessing 1
  
• Construction Crazy 6
  
• Construction Crazy 5
  
• Fabulous Host 5
  
• Flourishing Trade 4
  
• Living off the Land 3

https://youtu.be/NaXqAQTORpU
Current Rank: Earl 9th Rank

Research Completed:

• Horsemanship 3 (level 10)
  
• Tactics 1 (level 3)
  
• Sally Forth 1 (level 3)
  
• Leadership 1 (level 5)
  
• Banqueting 3 (level 8)
  
• Confession 1 (level 2)
  
• Eucharist 1 (level 2)
  
• Armory Capacity 1 (level 1)

Quests Completed:

• Gourmet
  
• Ride Like the Wind 3
  
• Daring Raid
  
• A Blessing 2
  
• Gold Horde 5
  
• Spread the Word 7
  
• Intelligence Gathering 8
  
• Fabulous Host 6
  
• Law and Order 4

https://youtu.be/OacRj5b1mM8
Current Rank: Earl 5th Rank

Research Completed:

• Sally Forth 2 (level 5)
  
• Architecture 10 (level 10)
  
• Catapult 2 (level 3)

Quests Completed:

• Battle Hardened 4
  
• Silence the Wolves 3
  
• A Blessing 3
  
• Redeemer 1
  
• Healing the Sick 5
  
• Feasting 4

https://youtu.be/PZZ4pdaOixI
Current Rank: Earl 1st Rank

Research Completed:

• Sally Forth 5 (level 10)
  
• Mathematics 2 (level 10)
  
• Catapult 7 (level 10)

Quests Completed:

• Rat Hunt 2

https://youtu.be/IhXIRlJ6FJo
Current Rank: Marquis 9th Rank

Research Completed:

• Armory capacity 3 (level 4)
  
• Stockpile capacity 3 (level 4)
  
• Leadership 1 (level 6)
  
• Animal Husbandry 1 (level 1)
  
• Hunting 1 (level 1)
  
• Carpentry 1 (level 1)

Quests Completed:

• Law and Order 5
  
• Fabulous Host 7
  
• Construction Crazy 7
  
• Flourishing Trade 5

https://youtu.be/ssTigl_jhIA
Current Rank: Marquis 6th Rank

Research Completed:

• Animal Husbandry 1 (level 2)
  
• Pig Breeding 8 (level 8)

Quests Completed:

• Team Player 4

https://youtu.be/-A4iu0tp8bM
Current Rank: Marquis 3rd Rank

Research:

• Animal Husbandry 6 (level 8)
  
• Confession 2 (level 4)
  
• Housing capacity 1 (level 1)
  
• Confirmation 1 (level 1)

Quests Completed:

• Villain 2
  
• A Blessing 4
  
• Peacemaker 2
  
• Striking Fear 1
  
• Striking Fear 2
  
• Striking Fear 3
  
• Ride Like the Wind 4

https://youtu.be/IRHMR4K6UpI
Current Rank: Duke 14th rank

Research:

• Leadership 1 (level 7)
  
• Confession 4 (level 8)
  
• Housing capacity 5 (level 6)
  
• Butchery 1 (level 1)

Quests Completed:

• Battle Hardened 5
  
• Roast Pork 1
  
• Spread the Word 8
  
• Gathering Materials 4
  
• Living Off the Land 4
  
• Gold Horde 6
  
• Fabulous Host 8
  
• Justice 2
  
• Redeemer 2
  
• Flourishing Trade 6
  
• A Blessing 5
  
• Redeemer 3
  
• Striking Fear 4
  
• Robber Baron 2
  
• Vandal 2
  
• Supreme General 1
  
• Battle Hardened 6

https://youtu.be/8GNPGauQGY8
Current Rank: Duke 9th rank

Research:

• Extreme Unction 2 (level 3)
  
• Housing capacity 2 (level 8)
  
• Buchery 7 (level 8)

Quests Completed:

• Vipers Nest 2
  
• Team Player 5
  
• Daring Raid 3
  
• Rat Hunt 3
  
• Flourishing Trade 7

https://youtu.be/GkVNwlauqWA
Current Rank: Duke 5th rank

Research:

• Extreme Unction 5 (level 8)
  
• Siege Mechanics 5 (level 6)

Quests Completed:

• Daring Raid 2
  
• Gold Horde 7
  
• Persecutor 1
  
• Persecutor 2

https://youtu.be/wSkCdQENUXE
Current Rank: Duke 1st rank

Research:

• Siege Mechanics 2 (level 8)
  
• Ordination 6 (level 8)
  
• Eucharist 1 (level 3)

Quests Completed:

• Rat Hunt 4
  
• A Blessing 6

https://youtu.be/AGzEypFszlY
Stronghold Kingdoms how to play without cards in a new world, playing on USA 3 server: The Finale.

I've completed the work I set out to accomplish and this series is complete. I hope the 150 days worth of insight into a no cards build will allow you to grow fast enough in the game, even without any cards, so that the game is still interesting and you won't feel too far behind everyone else.

Many thanks to all the players in USA3 and on the Stronghold Kingdoms Forums who watched and gave me feedback on my strategy. Overall the response has been overwhelmingly positive and all your encouragement has made the time I invested in creating this series well worth it.

I hope to create another series soon focusing on a banqueting build.

My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJ8YAptBw5TkBqZY7E11gA

I'll see you ingame,
DavidSpy (aka RazingHell, aka Dekay)