Beseiged armies holding out forever...

[GhavGrim]

I can't work out what effects the length of time a castle holds out. I've had the Byzantines hiding in Constantinople, but the stronghold would not fall.

Yet when i had assaulted the thing (breaking through god knows how many gatehouses to get to something like twenty peasants) and taken it, the information screen said my huge army would only be likely to hold out for one year.

Why are some strongholds well supplied and others poorly supplied? Is it just the amount of troops inside? Is more or less better? Is it different when the beseiged is royalty?

A little help, please sir...

[ichi]

Welcome to the Org GhavGrim

The length of time a garrison can hold out is a function of the size of the castle and the size of the garrison. A few troops in a large castle can hold out forever, while a large force in the same castle might only last a couple of years.

My guess has always been that it has to do with the amount of provisions stored inside; fewer mouths to feed means a longer siege.

ichi

[Knight Templar]

These are options when you're besieging a castle. As ichi said, the time you need castle wait to fall depends on strength of the castle and size of garrison.

@{"It is about to fall. "}
@{"It is likely to hold out for two years. "}
@{"Its supplies will probably only last for 3 years. "}
@{"It is likely to hold out for around 4 years. "}
@{"It is well supplied and likely to hold out for 5 years or more. "}
@{"It has large food reserves and could last out 6 years. "}
@{"It is well supplied and likely to hold out for more than 6 years. "}
@{"Its supplies are likely to last well into an eighth year. "}
@{"It is very well provisioned and will not fall in less than 8 years. "}
@{"It is under siege, but its huge stockpiles will probably last more than 8 years. "}
@{"It is currently under siege but its vast reserves will last for more than 10 years. "}
@{"Its vast stockpiles and modest garrison mean years of waiting. "}
@{"Although besieged, the garrison is not likely to become concerned for years. "}
@{"Although besieged, it will take many years before this small garrison starves. "}
@{"Although under siege, there is no prospect of this castle falling without an assault. "}
@{"There is no prospect of this castle falling without an assault. "}
@{"This castle will not fall without a direct assault. "}

[Joshwa]

The little add ons you can get your castle help significantly as well, stuff like barbicans on citadels etc.

[AggonyDuck]

Well no castle will really hold out forever, even those that say that they will not fall without an assault. But the time that it takes to starve the buggers when there is no prospect of the castle falling without an assault is obscene. (15+ years)

[antisocialmunky]

It's not really unrealistic if you look at history..

For example, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon spent 13 years besieging Tyre. He won only because Tyre surrendered.

[Budwise]

Well no castle will really hold out forever, even those that say that they will not fall without an assault. But the time that it takes to starve the buggers when there is no prospect of the castle falling without an assault is obscene. (15+ years)

Well, think about it, 20 guys in a castle for 20 years. They can garden for food and save rainwater. It would be hard but it could work. And if they have a catapult, they can fling their poop at the enemy.

Thats how the Beseigers die each turn, flying shit bombs.