Defending basics 1/4: setting up

Anvil - gathering of defensive troops ment to kill the hammers
I have seen defense gathering called in many ways, but I will use 'anvil'.


Seting up good anvil and holding it is one of the key things in travian. Now to expand the knowledge, here is things I took in to account when setting up, hosting & dismissing anvils.

Lets start with setting up.
First you evaluate the attack. Evaluation of incoming attacks is science per se and worth a separate post. Someday I might get to writing that too. But here let me tell you few things about setting up an anvil.
(read more after jump)
Please remember that I am not claiming to have final truth, best way or anything like that here. I am sure there is more ways to do stuff, but to know more hurts no one ;)

So... seting up an anvil

Anvils usualy are set up either by


*just send* 
when city needing defense is under small scale attacks where single arriving reins can stop attacker alone.

Usualy what is asked is "Reinforcements to HERE"

This way is bad for cases where attacker is stronger, because then reins arriving one by one are easy targets to become hero food. Generaly bad way of setting an anvil - a sign of lack of competence and due diligence from defense coordinators (I can immagine few cases where it would work tho and be most efficient way)


*send before* 
this usualy are used when attack landing time is known and the call is for any reins that can make it on time.

Usually what is asked is "Reinforcements to HERE to land BEFORE XX:XX"

technically in this case, if you can make it in time, send. And send as close to attack landing time as possible to ease the crop burden.. This is defense call when potential hammer is identified and now alliance needs to gather maximum defense to properly kill the attacker.


*Anvil forming at* 
In this case target usualy are under constant attacks. When calling this anvil, calculate most likely attack landing time (example - attack is landing in 4 h, travel time of attacker is 5 h - means he can come for second go in 14h (4h till lands, 5 h travel back home, 5h travel back to you) - call an anvil to land 10 to 13h from now)

Usually what is asked is "Reinforcements to HERE to land AFTER XX:XX and BEFORE YY:YY"

In this case I send even if due to RL or travel times I am a bit before or after. Imho 1 h +/- is ok, but in this case be ready that your reins if sent to arive before anvil setting time can be killed alone.


*Sniping* or *splitting the waves* 
Sniping or splitting the waves is *poor peoples anvil* ;) j/k. its when the reinforcements are called to split the waves.
When it is done? When
(a) attacker has left at least second between waves (more is better)
(b) the prognosis says that alliance cannot form anvil to kill the cleaner.

Usualy when calling for sniping, the rallypoint c&p are given so people know where to slip their reinforcements in.

Remember that first waves could be fakes so dont focus on sniping in first biggest gap. if you do sniping from multiple villages, aim that each village snipes in different window.
Also sniping can be good additional tehnique to any of above. Call for anvil and same time close people or active people or simply the ones who are online at time when reins need to be sent, does sniping, so in case if the anvil is killed, the cata/senators are killed anyways ;)

In defense 2/3 and 3/3 part - about feeding an anvil and dismissing an anvil