Decisive battle?
In Lords and Realms:
I had my own faction and defeated all factions but the Rhodocks. Therefore ALL the lords were in the Rhodocks faction.
So when King Graveth decided to declare war on me he had a hell of an army. About 8,000 men with 40 lords or more with him. He started raiding and sieging around Ibdeles and Yalen.
I was able to hunt down and cage some of the stray lords but the main force remained united around Graveth.
On my side I had about 1,500 men. Top tier units. Divided them on 4 patrols 300 each (great feature of L & R). Was able to lure some more lords out and beat them but then they were sieging Ibdeles which i didn't want to lose.
So went headfirst into battle. 1,500 of us against 6,500 stinking enemies.
I never made it.

With a battlesize around 240 I would kill about 200 enemies or less for each battle. About 15 minutes for battle.
It was clear I would need at least 33

battles to defeat them (IF i could defeat them). Which meant 495 minutes = 8h15' of gameplay.

Being an average man with a life outside computer games I ALT+F4ed out.
Bottom line: developers should allow the player to save the game whenever it is possible. I realize in mid battle it would need to store too many information, but
at least between one battle and the other one SHOULD be allowed to save.
I kept savegame before the battle but don't think i'll ever try to play that.
Maybe when i'll have a more powerful computer I'll crank up battlesize to 800 and will try again. King Graveth must die!