You cannot attack or spy on a player whose protection points are less than one tenth of yours. This 10:1 protection covers all their settlements. An action is allowed at an exact 10:1 ratio.
Protection points are the sum of all settlement points plus 2500 points for each settlement after the first. Troops and stored resources are not included.
A weaker player may attack or spy on an opponent who is more than 10 times stronger. However, successfully dispatching troops removes their 10:1 protection against that particular opponent for 7 real days. That opponent may attack and spy on all their settlements. Protection against other players remains.
Each new qualifying dispatch by the weaker player starts a new 7-day period. Retaliatory actions by the stronger player do not extend it. Recalling a dispatched order does not restore protection.
The stronger opponent immediately receives a system notification with the initiating player’s name and the protection loss expiry time. This also applies to stealth espionage: the espionage order itself may remain undetected, but the protection loss notification identifies who initiated a hostile action.
Sending reinforcements does not remove 10:1 protection. This protection does not apply to abandoned settlements without a player owner or mysterious valleys.
Beginner and sleep mode protections apply separately. The right to retaliate does not remove them. Morale works as usual in permitted battles.
The 10:1 ratio and retaliation period are checked when troops are dispatched. Orders already dispatched legally continue even if the ratio changes or the retaliation period expires during travel.