Medieval Lords places the player at the head of a medieval city which he must manage, develop, make prosperous and protect, by taking into account simultaneous external constraints of time, terrain and attacks, as well as internal constraints of the population’s needs and of technological development.
The terrain is both a resource and an obstacle, allowing the town to be better protected if it is wedged between mountains, but that limits its expansion. Rivers are very useful because they generate fertile grounds and are a natural barrier against enemies.
When external attacks occur, the player has very little time to react and set up the last elements of his defence: to destroy bridges and to close the access roads, to empty the most exposed granaries, to position his troops and defence weapons, etc. Will the attack be smashed to pieces against the defences or will half the city be plundered?