You have to make use of the rules to wage war skilfully. Tactics in Terra Bellica is sufficiently complex and varied, and you will need to acquire a vast personal experience of warfare to lead wisely. Leading the encyclopaedia might certainly help.

Equipping and Carrying Units

Pass units into the inventory of a hero to place them under his command. A hero can only command a single unit type, the type he carries in the inventory. He cannot carry units of other types. The maximum amount of soldiers a hero can command is determined by his Leadership.

Heroes with no army can only be given units within one tile of their owner's city. However, if a hero has at least one unit, his army can be replenished anywhere (e.g., from another hero or a machine).

Heroes have to spend AP to pass units. Passing the maximum amount of units a hero can command consumes all of his AP. Fewer AP are required to pass a smaller amount of units. For instance, passing 10% of maximum units will consume 10% of maximum AP.

Any machine can carry units in its inventory. Units in machines cannot fight and are treated as resources. Machines can carry multiple types of units and do not spend AP on passing them. The limit on units of a single type is determined by the Tonnage of the machine, one cohort per point.

Moving, Covering, Blocking

Units cannot move from a cell adjacent to an enemy unit, city or machine to another such cell. This rule allows units to cover other units, effectively resulting in military formations. For instance, strong and well-protected Landsknechts could prevent Swordsmen from engaging the fragile Archers in melee.

Ranged units cannot perform ranged attacks if there is an enemy on an adjacent tile. Ranged units cannot be thus blocked if they are inside a city. However, they can be blocked if they are inside a transport or a tower.

Heroes with no soldiers can move without any limitation, but cannot cover or block anyone. Only a direct attack may damage them. They can even enter enemy cities and spy from within.

The Defence Mode

The majority of units can enter the Defence Mode (DM). While in this mode, the unit will attack any hostile that moves or attacks while within the Attack Range. These automatic attacks do not consume AP. Entering DM halves the maximum amount of AP. Units in DM can defend themselves even when their owner is offline.

• Units that belong to your allies and your clan members will not be attacked.
• You need at least a half of your full AP to activate DM.
• Units in towns or transports cannot enter DM.
• The damage for automatic ranged attacks is halved.
• Units always retaliate if their attacker is in their Attack Range, even if not in DM.
• Heroes with no soldiers are not subject to automatic attacks.

Besieging and Plundering

Sieges pose a serious challenge to any tactician and differ significantly from field combat.

City walls will absorb any damage directed at the tile of the city. Once the wall is torn down, armies and machinery will take the damage. When these are destroyed as well, the attacker will plunder the city for resources. The order is this: 1) Walls 2) Heroes and machines 3) Buildings and inventory

Each attack against an unprotected city will transfer some of the resources from the inventory of the city to the attacker. Additionally, each attack has a 30% chance to demolish a building. Half the cost of the building in resources, including house spirits, will be transferred to the attacker.

Cannons, but not Trebuchets or Ships, can be used to demolish buildings from afar. Every cannon shot at an unprotected city will demolish a building.