When defending a castle, is it not possible to deploy?

**Dunc** · 12-04-2006, 01:54

Whenever I'm defending against an assault in a castle, it always skips the pre-battle deployment, it just gives the option to start battle and then I have to move all my guys to where I want them after the battle's already started, whereas when defending in a town I can choose where I want my men?

Am I doing something wrong or is this the way it is?

**Lord Condormanius** · 12-04-2006, 03:23

I think that when you are defending, you are already in deployment mode because you don't have the option to wait. Try moving your troops around before you start.

**Biz** · 12-04-2006, 04:24

Reasonably certain that you cannot deploy when there was a spy present in your settlement when you assault.

**Biz** · 12-04-2006, 04:31

Sorry, I meant that there was an enemy spy present in your settlement when you were assaulted. I think this is the case even if they didnt manage to open the gates when you were assaulted.

**Sarmatian** · 12-04-2006, 04:35

Originally Posted by Lord Condormanius

I think that when you are defending, you are already in deployment mode because you don't have the option to wait. Try moving your troops around before you start.

You can't wait when you are defending cause the attack decides the time of battle.

It happened to me a few times. I'm not sure whether it is a bug or a feature.

It is ok when you can't deploy when you are besieging some town and the enemy sallies to attack you cause that can happen anytime.
But it is not realistic not to be able to deploy when you are defending against a siege. You can see clearly see when enemy is going to attack you (moving of siege towers, rams, ladders and general mobilization of the enemy army is a bit of a give away). So you should have enough time to prepare and deploy your troops.

If it is a bug than it's another story...

**IRONxMortlock** · 12-04-2006, 05:42

Originally Posted by Lord Condormanius

I think that when you are defending, you are already in deployment mode because you don't have the option to wait. Try moving your troops around before you start.

Yep, I believe this is the case. Remember that you will not be able to move troops outside the walls of the fortification during this phase.

**Werner** · 12-04-2006, 05:46

Nope. The only time you cannot move your troops prior to the battle is if the enemy has a spy who SUCCUESSFULLY opens the gates to them. The only reason you never see the enemy utilize this is due to a bug that CA will most likely (better) fix in the patch.

It has nothing to do with wait time or castle versus city.

**redmark** · 12-04-2006, 05:57

Originally Posted by Werner

Nope. The only time you cannot move your troops prior to the battle is if the enemy has a spy who SUCCUESSFULLY opens the gates to them. The only reason you never see the enemy utilize this is due to a bug that CA will most likely (better) fix in the patch.

It has nothing to do with wait time or castle versus city.

Actually, I've had the enemy use this quite cleverly. I couldn't deploy, so figured there was a spy. However, they had catapults, and knocked a hole in the wall, then took out two of the four towers near the gate. I moved most of my defence to the hole, and they rushed the gate. I just about (i.e. needed to pause and give orders) got a unit of infantry across to block 3 units of cavalry until the rest got there, otherwise they would have been through on my general.

**Werner** · 12-04-2006, 07:53

Right but that was the AI being lucky. Everytime I've had them at my gates with a spy (gates open) they never rush it and 99% of the time will just waste time opening up holes in the walls which just gives me loads of time to organize my troops. What they should be doing is charging the gate before I can get all my troops into position. This is the tactic I normally use when siegeing and its very fail safe, because once you take the walls they can't use their towers to shoot at you and their moral takes a dump.

Can't say I've ever seen the AI use the "gates open, spy" technique with any common sence.