5.8  DEFEND   The DEFEND action changes the defence mode in a land area to DEFEND, to cancel previous AMBUSH or RETREAT orders. There is no cost in BPs.
Format [ "DEFEND" ] [ FROM WHERE ] [ NOT USED ] [ NOT USED ]

5.9  AREA CAPTURES  When an area is captured by an attacker of a different nationality to the defender then the defender loses one victory point and the population, fortification and trade levels of the area are reduced by one. Note that population and forts are not destroyed in a battle, even though they contribute to the strength of the defender, but are reduced after the battle if the area is captured.

5.10  RAIDS  A RAID action is similar to a move action, except that in a raid the attacker always gives up the attack, whatever the result of the battle. Raids are not allowed against cities. The cost is 1 BP. If the defence mode is RETREAT then the defending armies may retreat before battle (in the usual way: see 3.11).
The attacker loses an army if the defence level is greater than zero (after retreats, if any). The defender loses an army unless there is a successful ambush or the area is mountains, wetlands or forest. If the defender has no surviving armies in the area, and the attacker is not wiped out, then the area is pillaged (see paragraph 9.3) even though the area is not captured.
Format [ "RAID" ] [ WHERE FROM ] [ WHERE TO ] [ NUMBER OF ARMIES ]
Note: Raiding has no effect on armies standing in difficult terrain (like Sherwood Forest, for instance).

5.11  VIKING RAIDS & CONQUESTS  Each time a Viking kingdom makes a successful attack (on land or at sea, or a raid) against another kingdom (including other Vikings) by making a successful attack or raid, then it gains extra victory points, additional ships (added to the fleet reserve) and plunder (added to the treasury). The bonus is one for winning a battle, one extra if population was captured or eliminated, and another if a trade level was captured or eliminated.

5.12  PASSAGE  The PASSAGE action may be used to allow an army belonging to another kingdom to pass through an area that you own. The ownership of the area does change when the army moves in, but is restored at the end of the turn (after all actions have been processed, but before income is calculated) IF the kingdom which was allowed passage is still the owner of the area AND the area contains no armies. If you have any armies in the area when another kingdom attempts to move into that area then a battle will occur, even if passage has been allowed. If no battle occurs when the area changes hands, then the fortifications and population of the area are not reduced.
Note: If you let someone else's army into your territory there is no guarantee that they will leave again. Sometimes people use PASSAGE actions to transfer areas from one kingdom to another without conflict.
Format [ "PASSAGE" ] [ WHICH AREA ] [ WHICH KINGDOM ] [ NOT USED ]

5.13  SIEGE  The purpose of a siege is to wear down the defences of a city so that it may be captured by a normal move or assault. SIEGE actions are allowed only against cities, and may only be made from the area surrounding that city. You may not make a siege action in an area where you do not have any armies. Each siege action costs one BP. The defender loses an army if he has any armies in the city, or a fortification if he has fortifications and no armies, or one population otherwise. If the defender loses an army then the attacker loses one army also. Sieges make an area sticky, but stuck armies may conduct sieges (so multiple siege actions are permitted in the same turn).
Format [ "SIEGE" ] [ WHERE FROM ] [ WHERE TO ] [ NOT USED ]