Defensive Tips

If an attack is coming, assess the situation and think about the following points:

1. Are you outnumbered or can you beat off the attack? If you will lose anyway, move your troops out to another XIP town on the island by "Deploy Troops". You can also move them to another town of your own. If you suspect the attacker's whole army is coming and they are on the same island as you, try clicking on pillaging his town. If you think you can win stay and fight.

2. Are your resources safe and below the "safe level" for your warehouse. If not, can you build something to use up resources or ship them out? Shipping can only take place if the port is free. Can you donate excess resources to the mills or to the islands miracle? In a town with excess sulphur, build some troops or warships to use it up.

3. Walls need to be broken first, then 1 spearman will mean a second round and a slinger as well can lead to a third round. This gives you time to ship out resources or spend the resources.

4. If you think you can win the battle but may need some help, send a circular message asking for help. Give the co-ordinates of the town being attacked, the town and co-ordinates of the attacker, the amount of troops or warships attacking and how strong your walls and army are. The assistance may be that somebody else attacks your attackers town which makes the withdraw.

5. If the attack is coming over the sea, build a warship if the port is not blocked. One warship will turn away any invasion fleet. An attack over land does not need ships to attack but ships are needed to take the loot. In this case, ships can get past the warships.

Francie

Thank you!

What about the amount of troops stationed for a decent defense? E.g. does a half full/quarter full garrison of archers/marksmen good enough?

It all depends, you should have about 2% generals but it can vary on your play style (I had 10% for a while ) You always want your troops together or else you'll risk being spread thin. Try and have most of them in a town that produces a lot or one you're upgrading a GR or TH in.

Just make about ten at a time and see if it changes.

There is a breakdown of units here:

http://ikariam.wikia.com/wiki/Battle

For a simple defense you need long range troops and infantry. For lower level players that means archers, hoplites, and swordsmen. For higher level players that means archers/carabineers, hoplites/steam giants, and swordsmen. Also, make sure you don't neglect your gyrocopters. I would recommend not building gyrocopters until the need arises; in other words, don't build them until you get attacked by balloons once. Unless of course you're going to use gyrocopters in your raids.

I would say a minimum of 10-20 gyros would do. Just in case you need them and can't wait.