This page goes deeper than combat resolution. It explains the turn-by-turn mechanics, slot targeting, formation overrides, the custom strategy DSL, and how battles persist across real time.
A battle proceeds in ticks (sub-second to per-second resolution depending on server speed). Each tick:
Battles end on rout, destruction, withdrawal, or external interrupt.
| Attacker slot | Default target slot | Override conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Front-line melee | Enemy front-line | Override: flanking ability targets second-line. |
| Ranged | Enemy second-line | Override: low Int may waste shots on front. |
| Cavalry | Enemy flank | Override: anti-cavalry pikes intercept. |
| Anti-cavalry pike | Enemy cavalry (pre-emptive) | — |
| Hero | Enemy hero | Override: hero-only abilities can target leader slots. |
| Reserve | Held off-line | Cycle into front as casualties open slots. |
| Siege | Wall / building | Engages only in siege battles. |
Slot pairing is adjusted by formation overrides — a wedge formation aims slot 1 at enemy slot 2.
Default formation is "Line." Strategy scripts can override:
| Formation | Bonus | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Line | Balanced. | Neutral. |
| Wedge | +Atk on charge, breaks line. | Vulnerable to flank in forest / hill terrain. |
| Shieldwall | +Armor M, +morale hold. | -Spd, no charge. |
| Loose | +Atk against ranged spam, +Spd. | Vulnerable to cavalry charge. |
| Column | +march speed entering battle. | -BP for first 2 ticks of battle. |
Cultural identity hints at formation affinity — Jade Lotus excels at Shieldwall (Hu of Quiet Bamboo); Fjordborn at Wedge (Tyrn Wolf-Lord); Cairnveil at Loose (Mist-shrouded ambush).
The strategy editor accepts a small DSL with:
<event> — triggers (enemy_engaged, hero_wounded, morale_drop, weather_change, allied_intervention).<condition> — boolean checks (enemy.has_cavalry, my.morale < 50, terrain.is_forest).<action> — orders (formation, target, retreat, charge, focus_fire, hold).Example:
ON enemy.cavalry.engaged_with_my_archers:
REPOSITION my.pikes TO front
ORDER my.archers TO loose_volley
END
ON my.morale < 30 AND hero.alive:
CALL Rallying_Cry
END
Phase 1 ships a curated preset library. Phase 2 unlocks the full editor.
A unit slot's Int stat gates strategy-script complexity:
A high-Int unit catches a feint that a low-Int unit walks into. This is why Cairnveil druids and Jade Lotus officers attached to armies dramatically improve battle outcomes.
Friendly armies on adjacent hexes can intervene if their script permits:
This is a key strategic lever — small lure armies can hold the line while a hidden flanker arrives.
Battles take real time. Major battles can stretch over hours of in-game time. They persist:
After the battle:
Sources: combat_system.md (79K, deep), military_war_system.md §8,§10,§11, metrics.md §12I (combat runtime).