Battle rules
In battle, the key factors are stack size, unit damage, damage type, and defender resistance. These rules explain the result in player-facing terms.
FAQ
The game multiplies the number of units in the stack by one unit's damage. Example: 10 units dealing 8 damage each make 80 damage before reductions. Bonuses can then add more damage, for example a hero artifact damage bonus or Charge, if the unit has the Charge trait and crossed hexes before attacking. A full stack hits harder than a stack that has already lost units.
If the enemy is within melee reach, the unit attacks in melee. A ranged unit shoots only when the target is farther away but still inside shooting range.
Damage is based on the number of living units in the stack. When the stack loses units, fewer units add damage to the next attack.
Attacks can be piercing, slashing, or blunt. Different units resist these types differently, so the best target depends on what kind of damage you deal.
Defense works as a percentage reduction and multiplies damage by what remains after the reduction. Reductions from the unit, Formation, and artifacts add together. Example: 100 damage with 20% unit resistance, 20% from Formation, and 15% from an artifact gives 55% total reduction, so 100 × 0.45 = 45 damage.
The unit must have the Formation trait. The bonus works only when another living stack of the same unit stands next to it. A different unit type next to it does not give the bonus.
The unit must have the Charge trait. Charge strengthens an attack after movement: each crossed hex adds 5% damage, multiplying the hit by a growing bonus.
A ranged unit with Volley needs another living allied stack of the same unit next to it. When it shoots, the main target takes normal damage and unit stacks around that target take half damage. Friendly units in that area can be hit too.
Yes. A hero's artifacts can increase the damage of that hero's units or improve their resistance to damage.
In PvP battles, some bonuses can recruit basic enemy units killed by the winning side. Gordian Knot gives 2%, Alexander the Great gives Greek heroes 10%, and the Greek University technology gives 5%. These bonuses multiply like defense percentages: 2%, 10%, and 5% together become 1 - (0.98 × 0.90 × 0.95) = 16.21%. The result is rounded up, recruited as your faction's a1 unit, and can never reach 100%.
Artifact bonuses help only the units of the hero carrying those artifacts. They do not automatically strengthen every city defender.
After damage is calculated, the game checks the durability of units in the target stack and removes only units that were actually defeated. Damage below the current unit's remaining HP wounds that unit instead of guaranteeing a kill. Losses cannot exceed the stack size.