After a long break, welcome back! 👋
Today we’re diving into one of the most critical mechanics of any online strategy game: warfare.
In most online strategy games — such as Calradia Online — battles begin the moment an army reaches its target, and the result is calculated instantly.
So how does it work in Lords&Empires?
Breaking the Predictable Outcome Cycle
As we mentioned in our very first developer diary, we wanted to break away from instantly predictable battle results. That’s why we redesigned our combat system in a radical way.
In Lords&Empires, when two armies meet, the outcome does not immediately take shape — especially if the defending army is well-prepared.
Turn-Based Combat System
Battles operate on a turn-based system:
- Each turn lasts 10 minutes.
- As the battle continues, you can send reinforcements to the battlefield.
- Combat evolves dynamically rather than being decided in a single calculation.
Sieges and Walls
If the location you are attacking has walls:
- Your army must first attempt to destroy them.
- Walls can only be destroyed by siege weapons (catapults and trebuchets).
- Attacking a fortified location without siege equipment can be extremely risky.
Once the walls fall, the field battle begins.
Victory Conditions
There are two ways to win a battle:
- Completely eliminate the enemy army
- Reduce the enemy’s morale to zero
How do you break enemy morale?
- If the enemy suffers more casualties than you
- If their center or flanks collapse
Each turn, these factors reduce enemy morale. When morale reaches zero, the army disperses and you claim victory.
Battlefield Lines & Target Priorities
The battlefield consists of four main lines:
- Center
- Flanks
- Ranged
- Siege Line
Each line has target priorities:
| Attacking Line | Normal Target | If Enemy Line Collapses |
|---|---|---|
| Flanks | Enemy flanks | Ranged → Siege → Center |
| Center | Enemy center | Flanks → Ranged → Siege |
| Ranged | Enemy center | Flanks → Ranged → Siege |
| Siege | Walls (if present) | Ranged |
(If you're wondering which units are positioned in which line, check our previous developer diary.)
Unit Attributes & Damage Calculation
Each unit has five core combat attributes:
- Attack
- Defense
- Power
- Armor
- Health
Depending on whether your unit is attacking or defending, its Power is calculated accordingly. However, whether you deal full damage depends on the following formula:
Damage Dealt = Enemy Armor – Your Power
- If the result is 0 or below, you deal full (pure) damage.
- If the result is 1, your damage is reduced by 10%.
- Higher results further reduce the damage dealt.
The final damage is distributed among enemy units based on their health, resulting in casualties.
While the system may look simple at first glance, it involves detailed calculations behind the scenes. Fully understanding it can take time.
Will There Be a Battle Simulator?
One of the questions we received on Instagram was:
“Will there be a battle simulator?”
The answer is: Yes.
You will be able to use the battle simulator to better understand the system and analyze potential outcomes before engaging in real combat.
If you have any questions about the combat system, feel free to leave them in the comments.
Next week, we’ll talk about the various changes we’ve made to the game based on your feedback.
Until then, take care — see you on the battlefield! ⚔️