Squad 1 defends + attacks
Choose three heroes and a troop setup for Squad 1. Those exact heroes and that squad are used for both jobs.
← Winter Siege overview1Build both squads 2Set each squad intentionally 3Garrison both squads 4Balance Strongholds & Wardens 5Final check before Day 5
Winter Siege Expansion · Preparation
Days 3 and 4 are where you build the battle you will have on Day 6.
Preparation is not registration paperwork. This is when every Chief builds two event squads, puts them into friendly Strongholds, and gives leadership time to turn a pile of individual marches into an actual defense. Once the window closes, the important choices lock.
Wait — how do my two squads actually work?
You do NOT build separate attack and defense squads.
You build two Winter Siege combat squads. Both are placed into your alliance's defense during Preparation, and those same two squads are what you use to attack on Day 6. There is no fresh attack march waiting for you later.
Important: you cannot reuse heroes between the two squads.
Each squad needs its own three heroes, so you need six different heroes total. If Hector is in Squad 1, Hector cannot also be in Squad 2.
Squad 2 defends + attacks
Choose three different heroes for Squad 2. Build around those heroes and their own strengths instead of trying to duplicate Squad 1.
I opened Preparation. What am I doing?
Five jobs. Do all five before Day 5.
Each Chief prepares two combat squads using six different heroes total. A hero assigned to Squad 1 cannot also be used in Squad 2. These same two squads defend during the event and attack on Battle Day.
Choose the three unique heroes and troop mix that make sense for that specific squad. Squad 2 must use different heroes from Squad 1, so build around what those heroes actually bring.
Send them to friendly Strongholds. Both squads may be placed in the same Stronghold if that fits the alliance plan.
A Stronghold can retain 30 garrison squads. Leadership should rebalance placement and appoint one eligible Warden in each Stronghold.
Once Preparation ends, squad details, Stronghold placement, and Warden choices are locked for Scouting and Battle. Treat the end of Day 4 as a real deadline.
Your two squads
Six heroes. Two useful squads.
Your two squads cannot share heroes. Squad 1 uses three heroes and Squad 2 uses three different heroes. They also do not need to use the same troop ratio or perform equally. Most accounts have uneven investment: one hero set may have better gear, stronger widgets, better hero development, or simply a different mix of combat strengths. Build each squad around what that squad actually has.
Both can go together
Your two squads can be assigned to the same Stronghold. That does not mean they always should be; placement becomes an alliance-level decision once everyone registers.
Leadership can reorganize
R4/R5 can adjust squad placement during Preparation. Your initial choice gets you registered; leadership can rebalance Strongholds before the Day 4 lock. Once Scouting begins on Day 5, that placement cannot be changed.
About troop ratios
There is no magic Winter Siege ratio we are going to hand everybody.
A ratio that performs well for your main squad may perform very differently on your second squad. Heroes, Hero Gear, troop stats, and the rest of your account investment change the matchup. Even repeated battles with the exact same setup can produce some variation.
The useful method is to start with a reasonable baseline, test the same squad against the same target, repeat promising setups, and change one part of the ratio at a time. Save the ratio that consistently works for that squad instead of copying somebody else's numbers.
Your best ratio may be squad-specific, not just account-specific.
The 30-squad problem
Everybody piling into the same Stronghold does not work.
Each Stronghold can retain 30 garrison squads. If more than 30 are assigned there, the Warden and the strongest squads are kept while lower-power squads can be rejected from that Stronghold's defense.
Rejected from the garrison ≠ rejected from Winter Siege.
A rejected squad can still attack on Battle Day and keeps its attack attempts. So a player who misses the defensive cut still has a job—especially once we get into Morale breaking.
Stronghold placement
There are four places to defend, and one matters more.
Your side has three Primitive Strongholds in front and an Empowered Stronghold behind them. Star values differ by Stronghold, so placement is not just about making four equal piles. The Empowered Stronghold multiplies the Star value of squads placed there, which makes strong defenders valuable there—but also makes losing those defenders more expensive.
Primitive Strongholds
These form the front routes. Leaving one dramatically under-defended can give the enemy an easier path deeper into your side.
Empowered Stronghold
This is the high-value Stronghold. A normal squad contributes 3 Stars here instead of 1; a Warden contributes 6 instead of 2. Protecting those Stars matters.
Those values are the currently documented rules. Always check the Stronghold Info panel in-game in case Century Games changes event tuning.
Wardens
One upgraded defender per Stronghold.
R4/R5 appoint one Warden in each Stronghold during Preparation. The candidate must be one of that Stronghold's top five squads by power. The appointment can be changed while Preparation is open.
Extra Heart
Current rules give a Warden 5 Hearts instead of the normal 4, so eliminating it takes another successful defensive loss.
Extra Stars
Warden status increases the Stars that squad contributes. The exact Star value depends on the Stronghold and its Warden mark.
Do not forget them
Leadership should explicitly check all four Strongholds before Prep closes instead of assuming the game will make the choice you wanted.
R4 / R5 prep room
Your job is not “put the whales in #1 and call it a day.”
First get participation: two squads from as many eligible members as possible. Then look at the actual garrison list. Keep Strongholds from overflowing unnecessarily, make sure the front is not giving away a free route, protect the higher-value Stars, and choose all four Wardens from the strongest eligible candidates.
We are intentionally stopping short of prescribing the perfect distribution.
Winter Siege is new, and we do not want to pretend there is one magic defensive setup before we understand the route and battle mechanics properly. Your defensive placement must be finalized during Preparation. Day 5 Scouting happens after that lock: it helps you plan who and where to attack on Day 6, but it does not let you rearrange your own Strongholds.
Before Prep ends
The “oh shit, did we forget anything?” check.
✓ Eligible members built both combat squads
✓ Six different heroes used — no hero appears in both squads
✓ Each squad's heroes and troop setup are intentional
✓ Both squads are assigned to Strongholds
✓ No accidental 30+ squad traffic jam
✓ No front Stronghold left stupidly thin
✓ All four Wardens reviewed and appointed
✓ Everyone knows these same squads attack on Day 6
Leaving the alliance during Preparation removes the squads you prepared. If you return before Prep ends, you need to register again. Do not alliance-hop and assume your setup survived.
Next expansion
Day 5: stop guessing and read the enemy.
Next we'll break down Scouting, what the enemy garrison tells you, how routes unlock, and how to choose the Stronghold your alliance should actually hit first. Your defense is already locked; Day 5 is about building the attack plan.