What do you do???

[Dutchhoplite]

The situation: I´m besieged, outnumbered, have no chance to win and no help from the outside is expected.

Usually i tear down every building, in that way ruin the city and die fighting in the burning rubble...

What do you do??

[woad&fangs]

If you think you can recapture the city in the next 5 years then I'd kill as many enemy as possible and then let them take the settlement.

If I'm not planning on recapturing the settlement any time soon I usually destroy everything like you do.

[Hooahguy]

pretty much the same that you do. but if there is time, i bring in reinforcements, and i can usually defeat them in battle.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Well that's with me always like:
Oh crap, I didn't see that coming -- where was the army?
But... that besieged garison is the army; and way too weak. Oh well, now where's the other reinforcements I sent to that border lately? Cool! That general should make it just in time.

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To realise myself later: oh, no: that General is wearied has been doing some forced marching and is getting seriously depressed...

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Ah well, should've torn down everything. Next time...

Of course, next time goes the same as that time, but ah well: next time...

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However most of the time I tend to have a spy around my 'unprotected' borders which gives me usually enough time to respond. Then again, I don't play on VH campaign difficulty; I prefer the somewhat more sensible AI at Medium.

[Socy]

Pretty much what the others have said. Tear everything down, and prepare to die with glory! Take as many of the invaders as possible with you to Hades!

But! Keep the siege "locked" as long as possible. Dont sally, wait for the enemy to come. If you have larger walls the towers will probably cause some casualties aswell (The more enemies dead, the better). And, by keeping the enemy army locked in the siege, armies that are in the near vicinity (Of your own faction) can reach the settlement and re-conquer it pretty soon after the enemy have taken it. If you have huge squalor problems in the town, take this as an opportunity to... Decrease that squalor a little aswell *Hint* *Hint* (=Enslave/Exterminate). The dilemma is wether to tear down all the buildings or not. If you have an army nearby and you're confident that you will reclaim the settlement in a couple of turn, dont destroy anything. If its more of an isolated pocket (Can happen in Alexandreia-Eschate in an early Seleucid campaign, for example (Not 100% sure about the name, the one to the right of Marakanda, above Baktra)) then tear everything down . Except for "wonders".

Ofcourse, all this might be tweaked more with roleplaying and what not, wich can certainly make certain situations interesting .

[Apgad]

When the final assault comes, don't let your missile troops waste their ammo shooting at the enemy from the front. Keep them on the walls to the side, and after the enemy have taken the gate and strolled in, run around behind them and shoot them in the ass from above!

[/Bean\]

and keep all ur infantry in the main square so they dont turn and run. if ur fighting an enemy of the same civilisation make sure u definately tear down the barracks complexes so they cant replenish their weary forces after you have done all you can, and if you look like your are going to lose the settlement, tear down all happiness buildings, so that the settlement may revolt in a few turns anyway.

Sometimes, things do go horribly wrong, and you can lose important settlements. But those few defenders have to look at the bigger picture. The more you take with you, the easier time your comrades outside will have defeating them. Another good suicide mission for the greater good is making all your surviving units head straight for the enemy general, especially is he is an FM. This has a lot of effect on later turns...and also, you can turn a completely lost battle into a victory, just by the timely death of a general...