While the palisade and wall stand, the citadel does not heal. Once they have fallen, the citadel slowly heals (0.05% of max per second) until 14:00. From 15:00 the front line of each side loses 5% durability every 10 seconds (not below 12%) and line shots fade out within a minute. From 20:00 decay can destroy a line again: a safeguard against an endless battle.
Timeline
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| From the start | lines shoot at enemies, militia arrive when a line falls |
| When the palisade and wall have fallen | the citadel slowly heals: 0.05% of max per second |
| 14:00 | citadel healing turns off |
| 15:00 | decay begins: the front line loses 5% durability every 10 seconds |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | line shots fade to zero |
| Decay | does not push a line below 12%: the army must finish it |
| 20:00 | decay can destroy a line again |
Citadel healing
When the palisade and wall are destroyed the citadel gets a chance to hold: it restores 0.05% of its durability per second. Over a 30-second wave that is about 1.5% (for a citadel with 1560 durability that is roughly 23 points). For the attacker this means you must hit the citadel continuously: short pushes simply heal away.
Decay
From minute 15 the front living line of each side loses 5% of its base durability every 10 seconds, but not below 12% of its maximum. At the same time line shots fade to zero within a minute: towers stop killing attackers. Because of this, by minute 16 even a small army can finish weakened lines.
How to play at different stages
Before 14:00
- Attack the citadel with a continuous stream, not in bursts: it heals between waves.
- Watch the spell: it is good to cast it on the defense as it approaches the citadel.
From 14:00 to 15:00
- There is no healing: any damage stays.
- Save gold for a “last push”: a wave placed at 14:50 arrives at the line when decay begins.
After 15:00
- Siege (catapult, golem, coffin cart) breaks weakened lines fastest.
- The defender needs a living army: while it is intact it is hard to finish the citadel. Once the towers fall silent your army is no longer thinned by their shots.
- Pack and Dust are strongest in long battles: the Wilds need a series of kills, the Pale Court accumulated fallen.
After 20:00
Now decay can destroy a line. If you are losing you must attack decisively: time is not on your side.
How not to drag the match out
- Get siege by castle level 4: the castle.
- Do not put everything into a single workshop: economy.
- Use counters to win the fight for the field instead of just trading losses.
FAQ
Why can a match not go on forever?
Decay reduces the durability of each side’s front line, the towers fall silent, so an army can finish the job. From minute 20 decay can destroy a line itself.