Defending your Castle

What more sacred, what more strongly guarded by every holy feeling, than a man's own home?

—Cicero

So you're playing Stormfall and you're starting to feel vulnerable. Maybe you've been attacked for the first time, maybe someone is trying to farm you or maybe you're just trying to be prepared for when it does happen, and it will happen.

Make no mistakes about this, Rise of Balur is a PvP game, if this is a problem for you then I highly recommend quitting the game, but please don't quit right away, get your castle up to about level 35-40 and leave your armies out for us to destroy, we'd really appreciate it.

For the rest of you I'd like to suggest a few principles and some strategies that will reduce the number of times your castle is set ablaze.

Principle 1: Don't be an idiot.

   Other players are generally bad farming targets, they will usually have enough defence to make any losses you accrue outweigh the possible resources you will raid.

   Know who you are attacking. If you're in a smaller league and you start attacking a league in the top 100 expect to get your arse handed to you when multiple wallet warriors attack you over several days to teach you a lesson, or even to drive you out of the game.

    Attack when it is advantageous to you, such as during PvP Tournaments. Then you are getting something in exchange for attacking regardless of whether you win or lose.

   If you attack anyone and everyone regardless of their level and league, don't expect your own league to bail you out of your idiocy. If you are being attacked in retribution for your attacks your team mates will tire of losing their hard work or money on your behalf.

Principle 2: Don't be a dick.

    If you start hitting the same target multiple times a day, or every day for a week expect their league to start attacking you collectively.

    Breaking Non Aggression Pacts (NAPs) and attacking allies is not cool. Expect to find yourself booted from the league and subsequent leagues you join to be told of your actions. RoB is a tough place to live when you aren't in a league.

    No tears. If you attack another player don't cry foul when they attack you back. This game is based on Player vs. Player combat. Losing rss or units is not the end of the game, you can and often will have to rebuild.

Principle 3: Don't be a target.

    Think about ways that you can make yourself look less inviting as a target. Being a higher level than most of those around discourages attackers, having a castle skin gives the appearance of being a wallet warrior, having a strong defence means players won't want to attack you more than once because it gets too expensive for them, making sure you have lots of Silent Ones protecting you from espionage means players will be hesitant to attack as they can't see what they're attacking.

Strategies:

There are a few things that can be gleaned from the Principles for preventing frequent attacks but what about if you are being attacked?

    Don't panic. PvP is a primary component of the game. Attacks happen, and there are always idiots out there.

    Decide on whether you are going to defend or if you are going to hide. 

-If you are going to hide put all your units in the catacombs, spend or give away any resources above your catacomb limit.

-If you are going to defend ask your league for assistance with reinforcements, make sure you have crystals activated that make the biggest contribution to your defence (no point using a level 4 occult bonus if you have twice as much power in cavalry and a level 3 crystal) and consider activating paragon status.

    If you are being attacked often send a message to that player, don't be shy. They may decide that they don't want to break Principle 2 and who knows, they might even want to join your league.

    If sending a message hasn't worked ask your ambassadors to contact that league. Arrangements may be made so non-beacon conflict doesn't escalate and diminish a leagues ability to attack and defend beacons. NAPs and Alliances often form from these contacts.

   Finally if that hasn't worked liaise with your Marshal and other leaders to prosecute a league wide bombardment and harassment of your attacker.