Attack Ratio: Send Enough, Keep Enough

Quick answer

Use the lowest ratio that still advances the chosen front. Raise it when a short, favorable capture will improve the position; lower it when the border stalls, the route widens, or a second opponent can counterattack.

What the current game establishes

• Attack ratio determines how much of the available army is committed when an attack begins.
• Default ratio controls are T to decrease and Y to increase.
• Terrain and troop density both affect attack losses in the current combat implementation.

Decision steps

1. Choose the objective before changing the ratio.
2. Press T to lower or Y to raise the default attack ratio.
3. Begin through a short border and watch both border movement and troop loss.
4. If progress stalls, diagnose terrain, density and reinforcement instead of automatically sending more.
5. After taking the objective, lower the ratio and let the reserve rebuild.

How to read the position

Attack ratio determines how much of the available army is committed when an attack begins. Default ratio controls are T to decrease and Y to increase. Terrain and troop density both affect attack losses in the current combat implementation. The ratio is therefore a commitment control, not a damage upgrade. A high setting can accelerate a favorable capture but also makes every misread expensive. Plains have a lower current base attack cost than highlands or mountains, so the same visible border can require a different commitment. Border width also matters because a wide front consumes conquest capacity across more tiles.

The next action should improve at least one of three things: your reserve, the shape of the border, or the route to connected land. If it improves none of them, wait, reposition, or choose another front. If it improves one while making the other two dangerously worse, make the action smaller and reassess.

Common failure modes

• Increasing the ratio when the real problem is unfavorable terrain.
• Starting a wide attack that opens several counterattack lanes.
• Leaving the ratio high after a capture.
• Reading the percentage alone without checking how many troops remain at home.

Sources

• github.com
• github.com

Related guides

• Troop growth
• How to win
• Controls

In-match check

Test commitment with the smallest useful action. If the line moves and the home reserve remains stable, the setting is doing its job. If losses accelerate on difficult terrain or a wide edge, stop and change the route before raising the ratio. More commitment cannot repair a poor objective.

Before the next action, compare three signals: reserve direction, border shape and route value. Continue when the action improves at least one without making the other two dangerous. Pause when the line stalls, a second threat appears or the new territory cannot be held. This short check prevents a temporary advantage from turning into an exposed core.

Questions players ask

What if the situation changes mid-action?

Stop the current commitment, lower the ratio if necessary, and read the map again. Real-time decisions are strongest when they include an exit condition.

Which signal matters most?

Immediate survival comes first. After the core is safe, prefer the action that creates connected land or removes a dangerous route.