Attacking a city in Rise of Kingdoms is usually safest through an alliance rally after scouting the target. Before committing troops, check the garrison, troop count, troop tiers, Watchtower, available resources, nearby reinforcements, and your own hospital capacity.
City attacks can become extremely expensive when players swarm blindly or continue after the trade becomes inefficient. Therefore, this guide focuses on target selection, scouting, rally preparation, looting, Wall durability, and clear stop conditions.
Confirm that the target is approved, scout it, select a qualified rally captain, and send only the requested troop type. Meanwhile, field players should remove enemy support marches and protect the rally. Stop attacking when hospital capacity, troop losses, or resource costs become worse than the target’s strategic or loot value.
How to Attack a City in Rise of Kingdoms
A successful city attack begins before the rally launches. First, confirm that alliance or kingdom leadership has approved the target. Random attacks can trigger retaliation, diplomatic conflict, or penalties under local kingdom rules.
Next, follow this basic process:
- Confirm that the target is approved.
- Scout the city and review the report.
- Check nearby enemy cities and alliances.
- Select a qualified rally captain.
- Choose commanders suited to the target.
- Send only the requested troop type.
- Clear hostile field marches near the rally.
- Monitor battle reports and hospital capacity.
- Stop if the trade becomes inefficient.
Although account power matters, coordination usually determines whether a rally succeeds efficiently. A strong commander pair cannot compensate for incorrect troops, late reinforcements, or unsupported field positioning.
When Should You Attack a City?
Not every visible city is worth attacking. Instead, compare the strategic value of the target with the expected troop and resource cost.
Good Reasons to Attack
- The city is an approved war target.
- It controls an important frontline position.
- The target is being used as a reinforcement point.
- Scouting reveals enough lootable resources to justify the risk.
- The attack supports an alliance or kingdom objective.
- The target is isolated from effective support.
- The defender has remained offline during an active conflict.
Reasons to Avoid the Attack
- The city has not been approved as a target.
- No recent scout report is available.
- Several strong enemy cities are nearby.
- Your alliance cannot support the rally.
- The rally leader lacks suitable commanders or equipment.
- Your hospital is close to its safe limit.
- The expected loot is lower than the healing cost.
- The attack provides no strategic value.
In addition, avoid attacking because of a personal disagreement unless leadership approves it. One unnecessary city rally can create a much larger alliance conflict.
How to Read a City Scout Report
A scout report can reveal resources, troops, commanders, and garrison information. However, the amount of detail depends on scouting development and any active information-blocking effects.
| Scout Detail | Why It Matters | Warning Sign |
| Garrison commanders | Shows likely defensive skills, troop preference, and anti-rally strengths | A developed pair that directly counters the proposed rally |
| Troop count | Indicates how long the city may sustain an attack | More defenders than the alliance expected |
| Troop tiers | Helps estimate defender quality and likely healing cost | Large numbers of high-tier troops |
| Watchtower and Wall | Indicates defensive pressure and city durability | Healthy, developed defenses combined with a strong garrison |
| Raw resources | Helps estimate possible loot value | Insufficient resources to offset the expected attack cost |
| Alliance and location | Shows reinforcement and counterattack risk | Target positioned inside a dense enemy cluster |
| Scout completeness | Determines how much confidence to place in the report | Hidden or suspiciously incomplete information |
One report should not be treated as permanent information. For example, the defender can change garrison commanders, receive reinforcements, spend resources, or return online before the rally arrives.
Solo Attack, Swarm or Rally?
Rise of Kingdoms provides several ways to pressure a city. Nevertheless, each method creates a different risk profile.
| Attack Method | Best Use | Main Risk |
| Solo attack | Extremely weak, abandoned, or nearly empty targets | High personal losses and poor combat efficiency |
| Swarming | Supporting an organized rally or finishing a weakened target | Area damage, counterattack damage, and scattered losses |
| Alliance rally | Strong, reinforced, or strategically important cities | Requires suitable leadership, troops, and coordination |
| Open-field clearing | Removing support marches around the target | Players may become distracted from the main rally |
For strong cities, a rally is generally the more controlled option. By contrast, random swarming exposes multiple marches to the garrison’s skill damage and counterattacks.
How to Prepare a City Rally
The rally captain determines the commander pairing, troop type, equipment, formation, and displayed troop capacity. Consequently, the strongest available and properly prepared player should usually lead.
Rally Captain Checklist
- Review the latest scout report.
- Select a pair that matches the target.
- Check commander skills and levels.
- Equip the correct combat set.
- Confirm formation and armaments.
- Set the requested troop type.
- Check the displayed rally capacity.
- Confirm the launch timer.
- Establish a retreat condition.
Rally Filler Checklist
- Send only the requested troop type.
- Use the requested troop tier.
- Avoid inserting Siege unless leadership asks for it.
- Join before the timer expires.
- Keep another march available for field support.
- Replace troops only when the captain requests it.
Siege units should not be treated as the universal best troop for city attacks. They may have niche value for low-risk looting or disposable utility marches. However, a specialized rally needs the troop type supported by its commanders, technology, equipment, and formation.
Field Support Roles
While the rally attacks, other players should:
- Remove enemy reinforcing marches.
- Protect the rally captain’s city.
- Control nearby teleport spaces.
- Intercept counter-rallies.
- Watch for enemy reinforcements.
- Report garrison or troop changes.
- Prepare to reinforce the rally when requested.
Is the City Worth Attacking?
Before launching, compare expected value with expected cost.
| Expected Value | Expected Cost |
| Lootable raw resources | Healing resources |
| Strategic frontline position | Healing Speedups |
| Removal of an enemy support point | Severely wounded or dead troops |
| War or event objective | Rally and field-combat time |
| Pressure on an enemy alliance | Counterattack and retaliation risk |
| Diplomatic or territorial advantage | Possible kingdom or alliance consequences |
Resources stored as inventory items cannot be plundered. Therefore, only the target’s exposed raw resources should be considered when estimating loot.
Stop the Attack When
- The target receives overwhelming reinforcements.
- The defender changes to a stronger counter-garrison.
- The rally begins taking poor trades.
- Hospitals approach an unsafe level.
- The expected loot has already been removed.
- The target shields or relocates.
- Alliance leadership cancels the objective.
- A counter-rally threatens the rally captain.
Continuing because the first rally already caused losses is a common mistake. Instead, judge each additional attack by its remaining value.
What Happens When a City Burns?
A successful attack can reduce Wall durability and cause the city to burn. While the fire continues, durability decreases over time.
The defender can respond by:
- Repairing the Wall
- Extinguishing or limiting the fire through available city controls
- Changing the garrison plan
- Receiving reinforcements
- Using a Peace Shield when permitted
- Teleporting away when permitted
If Wall durability reaches zero because of the fire, the city is randomly relocated according to the applicable map rules. However, home-kingdom, Lost Kingdom, event, or special-scenario behavior should always be confirmed in the current interface.
Watchtower and Wall Damage
The Watchtower attacks city attackers and absorbs part of the pressure placed on the garrison. As its health decreases, those defensive effects become weaker.
Even so, do not continue an inefficient attack merely because the Watchtower has taken damage. Commander matchups, troop reserves, field support, and hospital capacity remain more important.
Troop Losses and Hospital Planning
Hospitals treat severely wounded troops, while slightly wounded units normally recover after returning to the city. Nevertheless, casualty outcomes can differ according to battle type, role, map, and current scenario rules.
Before launching a rally:
- Check current hospital capacity.
- Reserve resources for healing.
- Keep Healing Speedups available.
- Review recent reports from similar targets.
- Monitor troop losses after every rally.
- Stop before capacity becomes unsafe.
A full or nearly full hospital increases the risk of permanent losses in applicable battles. As a result, hospital management should be treated as a stop condition rather than an afterthought.
Review Every Battle Report
Do not judge a rally only by whether the city burned. Instead, compare:
- Attacker losses
- Defender losses
- Healing cost
- Remaining rally strength
- Wall and Watchtower damage
- Resources gained
- Changes to the garrison
- Enemy reinforcement activity
If the next attack is unlikely to improve the trade, cancel it and regroup.
City Attacks vs Alliance Structure Attacks
Player cities and alliance structures use different strategic systems. A city attack focuses on garrison strength, Wall durability, Watchtower pressure, resources, hospitals, and possible relocation.
Alliance Flags and Fortresses involve territory connections, structure durability, repair permissions, officer decisions, and alliance expansion. In addition, an alliance generally needs connected territory before it can attack another alliance’s Flag or Fortress.
| Target | Main Objective | Dedicated Guide |
| Player city | Rally, loot, burn, pressure, or remove a strategic position | This city-attack guide |
| Alliance Flag or Fortress | Break territory, remove structures, and change map control | Rise of Kingdoms Alliance Territory Guide |
Use the Alliance Territory Guide for complete Flag, Fortress, connection, repair, and structure-defense mechanics.
Common City-Attack Mistakes
- Attacking without approval: The result may create unnecessary diplomatic conflict.
- Trusting an old scout report: Garrison commanders and reinforcements can change.
- Swarming an area-damage garrison: Multiple marches may take avoidable damage.
- Sending the wrong troop type: Incorrect reinforcements weaken a specialized rally.
- Using Siege automatically: Follow the rally captain’s requested troop type.
- Starting a weak rally: Ask a qualified player to lead instead.
- Ignoring nearby cities: Reinforcements and counter-rallies may arrive quickly.
- Forgetting hospital capacity: Continued fighting can create permanent losses.
- Chasing low-value loot: Healing costs may exceed the resources gained.
- Leaving the rally unsupported: Enemy field marches can isolate or reinforce the target.
- Using one fixed casualty rule: Outcomes can differ by battle and scenario.
- Calling Arabia universally best: Civilization value depends on the rally role and account.
- Using a fixed maximum rally capacity: Check the leader’s displayed capacity.
- Continuing after the objective is lost: Retreat and preserve troops.
FAQ
How do you attack a city in Rise of Kingdoms?
Confirm the target, scout it, select a qualified rally captain, send the requested troop type, protect the rally, and monitor hospital capacity and reports.
Is it better to rally or solo attack a city?
A rally is usually more controlled against strong cities. Solo attacks are better reserved for extremely weak, abandoned, or nearly empty targets.
What should I check before attacking?
Review the garrison commanders, troops, troop tiers, Wall, Watchtower, resources, nearby enemy cities, available reinforcements, and your hospital capacity.
Can you loot resources from another city?
Successful attacks may loot exposed raw resources. However, resources stored as inventory items cannot be plundered.
What happens when city Wall durability reaches zero?
The city is randomly relocated according to the applicable map rules. Check the current scenario because special maps may behave differently.
Do troops die when attacking cities?
City attacks can produce wounded and permanently lost troops. The outcome depends on the battle type, hospital capacity, rally role, and current scenario.
Should beginners attack other cities?
Usually not without alliance support. Beginners should first develop troops, commanders, hospitals, technology, and resource reserves.
What is the difference between attacking a city and an Alliance Flag?
City attacks involve Wall durability, Watchtower pressure, resources, hospitals, and possible relocation. Alliance structures use separate territory, connection, burning, repair, and durability systems.
Comparing established rally accounts? City rallies depend on commanders, troop technology, equipment, formations, hospital capacity, resources, and alliance coordination. Players comparing available ROK accounts should also review rally pairs, equipment sets, troop reserves, speedups, VIP level, migration eligibility, and current kingdom status.
Conclusion
Effective city attacks begin with approval, scouting, and realistic target selection. Strong rallies also require the correct troop type, reliable field support, hospital space, and a clear retreat condition.
Before each new attack, compare the remaining strategic value with the expected losses. If reinforcements arrive, the garrison changes, or the healing cost becomes too high, stop and regroup.
Finally, keep city and alliance-structure strategy separate. Use this page for city rallies, burning, looting, and casualty planning, while the Alliance Territory Guide covers Flags, Fortresses, territory connections, and repairs.
Explore more commander, event, alliance, and combat resources in the Rise of Kingdoms guide collection.
