Part 7

Attacking Settlements: Use cannons to create holes in enemy walls. Focus higher-level cannons (Basilisks, Culverins, "Cannons", Monster Bombard) on wall sections with troops. When a wall collapses (Basilisks and Monster Bombards can do this in one or two barrages), units on that section and nearby die instantly.

Defending Settlements: If the opponent lacks siege weapons (catapults) or siege tools (ladders), send units to disable their wall-breaching capabilities. If walls are unbreached and the enemy has no entry, move all units back within the settlement to win. Note: Before v1.2, the AI was poor at attacking settlements; keep your game patched.

Winning Battles: You win when all enemy groups are dead or routing. Once you receive a message asking if you want to hunt routing enemies, you have won. Enemies will not stop running until they escape.

Capturing Prisoners: Hunt down routing enemies to take them as prisoners of war. You will not kill anyone at this stage. Enemies generally rout when odds seem insurmountable; unit courage varies (e.g., general's bodyguards are very brave, peasants rout easily).

Post-Battle Prisoner Management: You have three options for prisoners:

• Ransom: The game sets a price based on prisoner numbers and recruitment cost. The other faction decides whether to pay. If they pay, units return to them; if not, they die. Factions cannot pay more money than they possess. Ransoming is a practical decision.

Release: The enemy gets prisoners back for free. This is supposed to increase a general's chivalry, but it makes your job harder.

Execute: Butcher enemies, increasing a general's dread. This is useful if you can't afford to risk enemies returning via ransom. Constant execution may hurt your faction's reputation.

Attack: Click on a target to attack. Double-click to charge.

Alternate Weapons: Alt + Right-click to use a unit's other weapon (e.g., Sword/Lance, Melee/Missile).

Selection: Left-click a unit member, flag, or unit card. Ctrl + Left-click to add/remove from selection. Shift + Left-click to select all units from the current selection up to the clicked unit (unit cards only).

Speed Controls and Ratio Bar: The ratio bar estimates battle progress (hover for soldier death percentages). The timer shows remaining battle time (if not set to unlimited). +/- buttons control battle speed (0 is slowest/paused, 1 is standard, then double and sextuple speed). Moving camera at x2 or x6 speed reverts to x1 until movement stops. Pause/play button or 'p' key pauses/unpauses the game.

Unit Cards: Select units by clicking these.

1 o'clock: Flee - Orders unit to leave the battlefield; can be rescinded.

3 o'clock: Formation - Sets unit formation (e.g., Tight for melee).