Night of the warbands: keep your capital safe from raids

Halloween is the night when the monsters come out, and in Ironbarrow the monsters wear helmets. Barbarian warbands march on your city from time to time, and a capital that is ready for them barely notices. Here is how to make sure yours is the one that holds.

What a raid is

Barbarian camps near your city send warbands against your capital now and then. You are told how long you have before they arrive, so you can look at the numbers and decide whether you are ready. Raids only ever target the capital, never your colonies, and new cities are protected for a while at the start.

The rule that matters most: keep soldiers at home

Troops that are out on a march cannot defend your city. If you send your whole army to clear camps, a raid can arrive to an empty keep. Before you march, check the incoming raid timer and keep enough soldiers at home to hold.

Walls make every defender count

Upgrade your Walls. They make each defender worth more, which is the cheapest way to raise your defence. The Military page shows your defence total, and the raid banner compares it with the strength of the warband, for example "your defence is 49.2K, so you should hold".

Ask your friends

Alliance members can station troops in each other's cities, so one strong friend can protect a weaker neighbour. If you are new, joining an alliance is the easiest defence of all. Your hero also helps defend the city while at home, which is covered in the hero guide.

Clear the camp that sends them

Clearing a barbarian camp delays its next raid. Scout it first, so you know how strong it is, then send more than the estimate. The full routine is in our guide to barbarian camps and raids.

Before you log off: a 30-second checklist

1. Look at the raid timer on the Overview page.
2. Check your defence against the warband's strength.
3. Keep your army home when a raid is close.
4. Queue a Walls upgrade if you have a free builder.
5. Feed your army. If food runs out, soldiers desert, so check your farms. More on that in how Ironbarrow works while you are away.

Your city keeps working all night, so a ready defence is the best treat you can leave behind. Play free and see if your walls hold.

#halloween #defense #raids