---
title: Shardok Victory Conditions
description: How tactical battles decide winners and losers.
---

<!--
Source map:
- Victory condition enum: src/main/protobuf/net/eagle0/common/victory_condition.proto.
- Shardok victory checks: src/main/cpp/net/eagle0/shardok/library/actions/UpdateGameStatusAction.cpp.
- Eagle assignment of battle victory conditions: src/main/scala/net/eagle0/eagle/library/actions/impl/action/RequestBattlesAction.scala.
-->

Shardok battles end when one of the battle's victory conditions is satisfied. Each player has a set of conditions that apply to them.

In a normal Eagle province assault, attackers usually get **Hold Critical Tiles**, **Last Player Standing**, and **Last Alliance Standing**. The defender usually gets **Last Player Standing** and **Win After Max Rounds**.

## When conditions are checked

A **turn** is one player's opportunity to act. A **round** includes the required turns before end-of-round processing. This distinction determines whether the opposing side gets a response.

| Condition | Typical holder | Check timing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Last Player Standing | Attacker and defender | As soon as only one eligible player survives |
| Last Alliance Standing | Allied attackers | As soon as the only eligible survivors are mutually allied holders |
| Hold Critical Tiles | Attackers | End of the tactical round |
| Win After Max Rounds | Defender | End-of-round clock check |
| Most Troops Standing | Special battle types | At its configured ending check |

The battle display's assigned conditions and maximum-round value are authoritative for that battle; the normal-assault assignments above are defaults, not promises for every scenario.

### Critical-tile response example

An attacker occupies the final critical tile during their turn. The battle does not end at that movement step. The defender receives the remaining opportunity provided by the tactical round and can retake or contest an objective. If eligible allied attackers still occupy every critical tile when the round closes, Hold Critical Tiles succeeds.

### Defender-clock example

The defender does not need to eliminate every attacker when Win After Max Rounds is assigned. The attacker must satisfy an attacking victory condition before the displayed round limit expires. Surviving without taking the objectives can therefore be a loss for the attacker.

## Last Player Standing

A player wins if they are the only surviving player and they have this victory condition.

A player counts as surviving when they still have a visible normal unit with troops, or a visible normal unit with a living hero. Hidden units do not keep a player alive for this check, though some hidden losing units may be able to flee when the battle ends.

## Last Alliance Standing

Multiple players can win together if all surviving players are mutually allied and all have this victory condition.

This is the tactical version of "the only forces left on the field are allies."

## Win After Max Rounds

A player wins if the battle lasts past the maximum number of Shardok rounds and they have this victory condition.

In normal province assaults, this is usually the defender's clock. The attacker has to force a result before time runs out.

## Hold Critical Tiles

A player wins by controlling every critical tile on the map. Critical tiles are usually castles or other objective tiles.

To count, each critical tile must be occupied by a unit belonging to the winning player, and the occupying unit must have an attached hero.

Allied attackers can also win this way together if allied players collectively occupy all critical tiles, all occupying players have the condition, and the occupants are mutually allied.

This condition is checked at the end of a tactical round, not immediately after every move, so the defender has a chance to retake objectives before the round closes.

## Most Troops Standing

This condition exists in the battle model, but normal Eagle province assaults do not currently assign it to attackers or defenders.

If a battle type uses it, the winner is the player with the most troops standing when the battle reaches the relevant ending check.

## What Happens After Victory

Shardok reports each player as victorious or defeated, including which condition ended the battle. Eagle then turns that tactical result into strategic consequences:

- A defending winner holds the province.
- A single attacking winner conquers the province.
- Multiple allied attacking winners may need to decide who keeps the province.
- Captured heroes, destroyed battalions, fled units, outlaws, and secured prisoners are applied to the Eagle game state.
