Why do my defenders always start on the wrong wall?

**waywardryan** · 02-08-2007, 05:48

Just a quick question. Sometimes when I get sieged my entire army will start all the way on the wrong side of the city and by the time I can get them over to defend the city I've already lost. Is there any way to get around this?

**mightilyoats** · 02-08-2007, 05:58

Yes, don't click on Start Battle until you have set up your army.

When the siege starts, the game will be paused with a banner saying "Start Battle". Until you click that banner, you can move your units to any position you want. Also, while doing this you can see the enemy positions.

**waywardryan** · 02-08-2007, 06:09

Isn't that only in skirmish mode?

**mightilyoats** · 02-08-2007, 07:24

Well, I am speaking only from personal experience. When I am beibg besieged and the enemy assaults my settlement, I can always position my units before the battle. (It makes perfect sense in terms of realism.)

What is skirmish mode? I haven't come across that yet.

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 02-08-2007, 08:43

Hi,
Skirmish mode is when missile units are set to keep away from the enemy. They always retreat to a safe distance when the enemy gets too close and then, when they are far enough away, fire their arrow. It can be set in the right hand bottom corner of the screen.

And mightlyoats is right - only in sally battles where you are the defender (outside of the walls) can you not position your solders before clicking the "start battle" button. Good luck!

**mightilyoats** · 02-08-2007, 09:25

Oh! THAT skirmish mode... I thought there was some arcane and mysterious "skirmish mode" something similar to arcade mode (where you have infinite arrows) - please don't read this as a sarcastic post, I am being sincere.

Anyway, that skirmish mode is not really related to this issue.

So, Waywardryan, Omanes and me are in agreement. You should be able to set your formations before the battle if you are defending a settlement assault from INSIDE the settlement. If you are doing the sieging and the enemy decides to run out of their settlement to attack you, then you can't.

**Celt Centurion** · 02-14-2007, 21:45

Originally Posted by Omanes Alexandrapolites the Idiot

And mightlyoats is right - only in sally battles where you are the defender (outside of the walls) can you not position your solders before clicking the "start battle" button. Good luck!

Also, I tried the "Arcade battles" (unlimited ammunition) a couple of years ago. I found that when battles started, they were already in motion as soon as the screen came up, the same as when an enemy was sallying against me. That meant that I had to do a lot of rushing troops to where I wanted them, and unfortunately, archers usually got up on the wall long after the enemy was out of range. The infantry and cavalry were less of a problem in that I only needed to group and send them where I wanted them, and it could be worked from there.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion