[tinkthank]

This may be old news to veterans, but to fellow newbies such as myself, maybe they would be interested in this little tip/trick I just found out by mistake yesterday:

If you ever need to have a lot of your troops stay put a turn while expanding (either waiting for reinforcements, recruiting, patrolling against unrest, forging, building, searching, whatever), you can send your stealthy mage into the next province you plan on conquering. Then, in that next turn, have that stealthy mage *search* while those troops who finished doing what they needed to do move in to the province in which your stealthy mage is searching. *Everyone* will take part in the battle (including the searcher, so his resources are not wasted); so when you win, you got the province already searched! That way, if you dont have to wait again for more troops or building or patrolling or whatever, all your forces can continue along without leaving the searchers behind (or have them twiddle their thumbs in provs without labs). I found I saved a couple of idle turns with my mages this way. Well, it's just something
small, but I think it is neat.