Banish vs defeat

[Suriname]

What are the conditions for an AI to miss the banishment and go directly to defeat?

(I know they're here somewhere but with these long threads, the search has become useless)


On a related note: should an AI with only outposts left not become defeated?

[injonil]

Not enough mana to cast the spell of return is one condition I think. Or maybe this condition is not valid any longer with CoM?

[Nelphine]

I believe it's low population AND low mana. I don't remember the definition of low but it's pretty intuitive.

Problem is an ai with a node and an archangel on high difficulty still has a significant mana income so its very hard to get it below the mana threshold.

[teelaurila]

I've just had an AI return with only an outpost. But he had more when banished (not much). Taking the last city always seems to do it.

[Suriname]

I don't think it's low population, I've asked the question because I was surprised at seeing an AI with still many cities defeated after a draining war. It was low on mana but it'd have returned in 2-3 turns given the cities.

[Seravy]

They return if they have 1200 or more mana crystals, OR 50 or greater total population in their cities. (but they won't if their casting skill is below, I think, 25 - that can't realistically happen except in the very early turns.)

[teelaurila]

Do their remaining cities vanish or turn neutral?

[Seravy]

Turn neutral.

[Suriname]

Why isn't the check simply based on their power income, given that that's the basis for being able to cast spell of return?

[Seravy]

Because back when it was done, banished wizards were not receiving a power income at all. That is a fairly new feature.