Attacking

You launch attacks under Military → Attack. Enter the number of units for each troop type and the target coordinates – or pick one of your own castles or a favourite. The map is even quicker: click a target and it offers you the attack directly. Before you finally send, the confirmation page shows the travel time, arrival time and sending costs.

Possible targets

• Other players' castles: the classic attack. If you win, your troops carry off loot. Battering rams and Catapults damage the wall and buildings (Siege: rams and catapults), and Senators can take the castle over (Conquest).
• Abandoned castles: castles without an owner, marked “Abandoned” in the game (Inactivity & grey castles). Nobody defends them actively any more – you can loot them and take them over with senators. Scout them anyway, because a wall may still be standing.
• Bandit camps, wild animals and dragons: opponents with no player behind them. Bandits bring loot (Bandit camps), only certain units may fight wild animals (Wild animals), and you attack dragons through your alliance's dragon raid (Alliance dragon raids). Senators stay at home for these targets, and you can only have one attack running against the same camp, pack or dragon at a time.

Loot

If you win an attack on a castle, your surviving troops carry home as much loot as they can haul. Each unit shows its carrying capacity – Cavalry and Paladin carry a lot. The loot is spread across Stone, Wood and Ore; whatever is stored in the Hiding place is out of an attacker's reach. The Athanor skill Raiding Party increases carrying capacity (Quintessence). Your battle report shows what you took.

Sending costs, speed and recall

Every march costs resources, depending on the type and number of troops. On the confirmation page you can lower the Speed: your troops march more slowly and the sending costs drop accordingly. If you do not have enough resources, the attack button stays locked.

Made a mistake? You can recall an attack in the Troop overview while it is still on its way. The way back takes as long as the troops have already marched. The world data in the help section shows how long after sending a cancellation is intended – so recall right away.

When an attack will not go out

• Protection and range: new players are under beginner protection – they cannot be attacked and cannot attack castles themselves (Beginner & attack protection). You may also only attack players whose military strength is not too far from yours. Exceptions apply to the top of the rankings and to castles that recently changed owner. A coloured marker in the rankings and on the map shows you who you can attack.
• Special cases: players in capitulation cannot be attacked (Capitulation), and neither can settlements (Settlements). You cannot attack players from an amber castle (Special castles). On the Bloodlust world, both your castle and your opponent's castle need a Throne (Worlds).
• Typical messages: Military training grounds too small or too many troops already out; Senators sent without an escort; an attack ban announced by the team; an apocalypse on the continent that forbids Catapults (Dragon might: spells with scales); or a castle you have only just moved, which cannot attack other castles for one day.