Why does my fight end in a stalemate in Game of Thrones: Dragonfire?

A stalemate happens when, after the 10 rounds, both armies still have troops. The fight stops with no winner and you get no loot. It's frustrating because you "survived", but you gained nothing.

The typical cause: attacking a full defender with one army. The in-game numbers show it — a single army melts a full defender by about 1,000–2,000 troops per round, which leaves it around 2,500–3,300 troops after 10 rounds, not at zero. Result: stalemate.

The fixes:

1. Send several waves (the defender doesn't heal between them, so the wear stacks).
2. Strengthen your armies: better aura at the Center, troop-type research, Initiative, stat debuffs.
3. Attack an already-softened target (2,000 troops or below), which you'll finish in 1 or 2 rounds.

In short: a stalemate means not enough power to finish the job in one pass.