What Is the Defender’s Main Goal in a Castle Siege?
In general, the defending team’s main goal is to survive until time runs out. Unlike attackers, defenders do not need to fully defeat the enemy force. They just need to delay progress and prevent attackers from completing their objectives.
Most defenders spend a lot of time reacting rather than pushing. That said, defenders are not locked into a passive role. In many sieges, defenders who only stay inside the castle eventually get overwhelmed. This is why experienced groups often combine defensive holds with short, aggressive pushes.
Should Defenders Stay Inside the Castle or Push Out?
Most players assume defenders should stay behind walls at all times, but in practice this is not always the best option.
Defenders can rush out to the field and attack the enemy encampment or headquarters. The goal is not to wipe the attackers completely, but to damage their ability to keep pressure on the castle.
In general, defenders push out when:
The attackers are regrouping
Enemy siege weapons are exposed
The defending side has enough players alive to form a strong push
These pushes are usually short and focused. Staying outside too long often leads to heavy losses, so most teams retreat once their objective is done.
Why Are Attacker Siege Weapons a Priority?
One of the most important jobs for defenders is dealing with attacker siege weapons.
Most players on defense focus on:
Locating enemy siege weapons early
Sending small groups to destroy or disable them
Preventing attackers from safely rebuilding
Siege weapons allow attackers to pressure walls and choke points from a distance. If these are left alone, defenders usually lose control of key areas much faster.
Even a partial success, like destroying one or two weapons, can slow the attackers enough to change the flow of the siege.
What Are Attacker Control Points and Why Do They Matter?
Control points are often misunderstood by newer players, but they are extremely important for defenders.
When defenders capture an attacker’s control point:
The total match time is reduced
Attacker respawn time increases
Defenders receive a temporary morale buff
Defenders can teleport to captured control points
In practice, this means attackers lose momentum. Longer respawn timers make it harder for them to keep pressure on walls and objectives.
Most organized defender groups try to capture control points whenever attackers overextend or leave them lightly guarded.
How Does Teleporting to Control Points Change Defense?
Once defenders capture control points, they gain the ability to teleport to them. This is a major advantage that many players underestimate.
Teleporting allows defenders to:
Respond quickly to breaches
Reinforce weak areas
Launch surprise counterattacks
In general, defenders who actively use teleportation can recover from mistakes much faster than those who rely on running across the map.
This mechanic rewards teams that communicate and keep track of which control points are safe.
What Siege Weapons Do Defenders Have?
Defenders do not have access to the same siege tools as attackers, but they still have effective options.
The main siege tools for defenders are:
Ballistas
Traps
These tools are designed to slow attackers, apply pressure, and punish poor positioning rather than destroy walls.
How Are Ballistas Usually Used by Defenders?
Ballistas are fixed in position, usually mounted on castle towers. Defenders cannot move them, so placement is predictable.
Most players use ballistas to:
Target clustered attackers
Pressure enemy siege crews
Control narrow approaches
Ballistas are most effective when defenders coordinate shots instead of firing randomly. In practice, uncoordinated ballista fire often does very little, while focused fire can force attackers to reposition.
How Do Defender Traps Work in Real Fights?
Traps are placeable items that deal damage or apply crowd control. They are one of the few tools defenders have that directly disrupt attacker movement.
Most defenders place traps:
Near choke points
At breach locations
Around objectives attackers must stand on
Traps are destructible, so they are usually treated as temporary tools rather than permanent defenses. Smart attackers will try to clear traps before pushing, which still slows them down and buys defenders time.
How Does Respawning Work for Defenders?
In castle siege mode, players have infinite lives. Death is expected, and most players die many times during a siege.
When a defender dies:
They enter a respawn queue
The queue is shared with teammates
In practice, this means dying at the wrong time can be costly, even though lives are infinite. If too many defenders die at once, the queue can delay reinforcements and allow attackers to break through.
Most experienced players try to stagger deaths and avoid unnecessary risks when respawn queues are already long.
How Do Morale Buffs Affect Defender Play?
When defenders capture attacker control points, they receive a temporary morale buff.
While the exact numbers may change over time, in general morale buffs:
Improve combat effectiveness
Encourage aggressive counterplays
Reward coordinated pushes
Most teams treat morale buffs as a window of opportunity. This is often when defenders push out, destroy siege weapons, or retake lost ground.
Common Defender Mistakes in Castle Sieges
Based on how most players behave, a few mistakes show up again and again:
Staying passive for the entire siege
Ignoring attacker siege weapons
Failing to protect captured control points
Overcommitting to long pushes outside the castle
Dying in large groups and clogging respawn queues
Avoiding these mistakes usually matters more than individual combat skill.
How Preparation Outside the Siege Affects Defense
Although this guide focuses on in-siege mechanics, preparation still matters. Most organized groups enter sieges with clear roles and expectations.
Some players handle siege weapons, others focus on control points, and some rotate between defense and counterattacks. Resource management also matters, and discussions around gear or currency often happen outside the siege context. You may see players talk about things like buy Ashes of Creation gold cheap, but inside the siege, execution and teamwork usually matter far more than raw resources.
Final Thoughts on Defending in Ashes of Creation Sieges
Defending in Ashes of Creation is not about standing still and hoping attackers fail. In general, the strongest defenders actively manage time, space, and pressure.
Most successful defensive teams:
Target attacker siege weapons early
Capture control points when possible
Use teleportation to stay flexible
Treat death as a resource, not a failure
Combine defense with short, planned counterattacks
If defenders understand these systems and react based on what attackers are doing, they usually last much longer and often win by simply running out the clock.
