Crusader Kings 3: How Does The Combat System Work?
Combat is largely out of the player's hands in Crusader Kings 3. When armies clash, the battle is automatically resolved over the course of several days until one side breaks and retreats. Numbers are a major factor, but having the bigger army isn't a guarantee of victory.
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By understanding how the game resolves combat you can field armies that make better use of terrain, counter enemy tactics, and inflict more casualties. Let's look under the hood and see how the game determines a winner for every medieval melee across its enormous map.
Each battle is divided into four Phases: Maneuver, Early Battle, Late Battle, and Retreat. Different troop types will have an advantage in each.
The Maneuver Phase occurs at the beginning of a battle and lasts three days, during which no casualties are inflicted to either side. Each side's Advantage is calculated based on the terrain and the abilities of the respective Commanders. Whichever side has the higher Advantage at a given time deals more damage - the greater the difference, the greater the damage bonus!
The Maneuver Phase also gives nearby reinforcements a chance to arrive before the fighting begins in earnest.
The Early Battle Phase lasts twelve days and is when the first casualties will be incurred. If an army is defeated during the Early Battle Phase, something which usually happens only if they are already weakened from previous engagements, the army will be completely destroyed. There are no functional differences other than this harsh penalty for defeat between the Early and Late Battle Phases.
Most (but not all) casualties in both Battle Phases are considered Routed casualties, and will be returned to the army during the
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