Reserves

This page explains what reserving does, how to set it, and why a reserved garrison beats a hoarded pile.

What reserves do

Setting reserves on a cell holds back a percentage of that cell’s troops. The reserved count is pinned in place — it cannot be eaten by decay. An unfed, reserved stack keeps its core alive instead of rotting to nothing.

Everything above the reserve remains available: to flow through pipes, to pay for paratroops and guns, and to fight.

Setting reserves

Select a cell, then either:

• Press a digit key: 0–9 sets reserves from 0% to 90% in 10% steps (7 = 70%), or
• Use the reserves panel: drag the slider or click one of the digit buttons.

Press 0 (or slide to 0%) to clear reserves entirely.

The digit you press maps directly to a percentage: digit × 10 = reserve percentage. There is no 100%: the maximum reserve is 90%. A cell that reserved everything could never feed a pipe, fund a weapon, or fight — the game simply does not offer it.

The console flashes a confirmation like “Reserved 70% at (3, 4)” when the order lands (see Reading the screen).

Why reserves beat hoarding

An open (non-city) cell caps at 30 troops no matter what. A pile of 30 troops in some backwater:

• produces nothing,
• decays unless fed,
• and cannot grow further.

Reserving changes the picture for cells you intend to hold:

• A reserved forward garrison survives supply interruptions that would otherwise decay it to zero — and losing all your troops anywhere brings elimination closer (see Objective).
• A partially-reserved staging cell keeps a defensive core while still letting the surplus stream to the front through pipes.
• Reserves on a city matter less: cities self-feed through production and never decay. Reserve cities only when you want to guarantee troops stay home rather than flow out.

The rule of thumb

Reserve what you cannot afford to lose; leave the rest free to work. Set reserves before you extend a fragile supply line, clear them when you want everything moving again.

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