Do researchers/summoners join battle outside castle?

[alarikf]

I have tried to find the answer to this question elsewhere but failed. My apologies if it has been answered previously.

Here it is: I have a castle with defenders and an incoming enemy army that I want to avoid fighting for now. I want to just sit in the castle next turn. I know the defend command will do that. What about mages? If I have researching or summoning mages will they join the battle or stay in the castle like a defend order?

I could swear I’ve seen both things happen and it’s a key battle so would like a better understanding.

Thanks!

[Quillithe]

They stay in the castle like a defend order. I kinda wish there were a "cast and patrol" option like move and patrol, but maybe that's too much, since you'd need a bunch.

[Mormacil]

Only mages set to patrol fight outside their walls. Anyone defending, researching or forging will remain inside.

[freek_o_nature]

Or Waiting! There's an important command that's little-known, and it's W for Wait, which allows your unit to do nothing for the round (like Defend), but it keeps them from coming up on a J/N "cycle" (when you're cycling through available commanders) or preventing the end-turn unused orders warning (the confirmation that you want to end your turn when you still have Commanders on Defend); this can be important in Forts, because Patrol positions them outside the fort, in case of invasion, but Wait positions them inside just like Defend, Research, Preach, etc.! (Though if you get Stormed, it's every soul for itself. :| )

[alarikf]

Thank you everyone this has been very helpful. And Illuminating. I had no idea about the Wait command.

[Smiling Spectre]

I was slightly disappointed in Wait command in D4, because instead "Remove unit from cycle for one turn" it worked as "remove unit indefinitely", that is rather harmful than useful. So I never used it later. Is it one turn now?

[Rovsea]

No, it's permanent. Mostly, it's used to keep scouts in place these days.