Battles, upkeep and desertion
Hostile armies that meet fight it out. Armies cost gold and food every hour, and unsupplied men desert.
- Hostile armies within 60 m of each other fight. A battle is fought in rounds until one side breaks; one that drags on for 30 minutes ends in a draw.
- When players are near, the battle is fought by real soldiers in front of them, and every soldier who falls counts.
- Upkeep: every army costs gold and food each hour. Unpaid upkeep lowers morale.
- Supply: on your nation's homeland, or within reach of your nation's stocked siege camp or supply cart, an army is supplied; on the homeland it also eats less. Elsewhere its supply drains, and without supply men desert (about 5% an hour). See Homeland and supply.
- If your city falls, its garrison is destroyed and its field armies are left homeless. A homeless army disbands after 48 hours unless you give it a new home.