@Qwyrdo @Shotagonist @hypolite If they choose encounter battle, it restricts both of their options, but it means the enemy force will start the battle confused. But on the other hand, they're defending a town, which means they probably want to stick to defense options that let them gain the advantage of their massive defense bonus. As such, an encounter battle doesn;t make much sense, as they wouldn't be able to take advantage of the enemies confusion. A such, the resistance opts for a pitched battle.