The appointment is not free storage
Specialist Senate guides report that a candidate must be an eligible Epic Historic general for the seat’s troop type and have at least 5 gold stars. Each red ascension star then unlocks another listed position effect. The current appointment screen is the final eligibility check because Evony does not publish a complete current candidate list.
The same guides report that an appointed general cannot be used for marches, city defence, gathering, relics or other work while seated. Treat that as a real opportunity cost. Remove the candidate from every preset and job, confirm a replacement exists, then appoint. A buff gained by losing the march that needed it is impressively circular.
| Candidate | Senate decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Active march, wall, duty or gathering general | Keep working | The reported appointment lock costs an existing job. |
| Retired 5-gold-star general of the correct troop type | Fill an empty seat | It can activate the base position without consuming more fragments. |
| Retired ascended general | Compare the visible red-star effects | Its red stars can unlock more position buffs; the best seat depends on their exact conditions. |
| New general with no replacement and no red stars | Wait | A chair is not a reason to build a second unfinished general. |
Read the seat, not the portrait
The official December 15, 2023 Senate update says twelve positions were added and higher position levels provide larger attributes. It also ties the newer title unlocks to Council of State level and specified SvS, Battle of Gaugamela or Battle of Constantinople results. In an official reply on that page, the Ground Honorary Senator requirement was Council of State level 8 plus one BOC win with 4,000 personal points. That example is not a universal requirement for every seat.
Open the exact position and record every effect shown at 0 through 5 red stars. Label each condition as attacking, defending, in-city or general troop type. Recent player discussion agrees that the seat’s displayed effects and red-star thresholds drive the choice, but players disagree about several condition interactions. Treat those comments as leads, not rules. If the wording does not clearly serve the account’s actual role, do not spend fragments to make the star turn red.
Player reports also say a general’s ordinary attributes do not set the Senate benefit. Official pages reviewed here do not confirm that claim. Do not add gear, refines, Skill Books or Specialties solely for a Senate seat unless the current interface shows that investment changing a relevant value.
A fragment and a Historic Medal are competing uses
The official Position Promotion notice says the Research Factory can convert only listed Historic General Tokens or Fragments into Historic Medals. Those medals and Blood of Ares promote Senate positions; Radiant Medals are required after a stage cap. This is a separate decision from appointing a general.
The Theria Research Factory guide, confirmed there on January 16, 2026, reports a very wide exchange range: an old general fragment may produce 1 Historic Medal, a relatively newer fragment 200, and a Premium or Glory fragment 240. On those specialist figures, 30 fragments could show 30, 6,000 or 7,200 Medals. The last result is 240 times the first. The portrait is not the exchange rate.
| Thirty fragments in the specialist table | Reported Medals | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Old general at 1 each | 30 | Do not convert merely to clear inventory. |
| Relatively newer general at 200 each | 6,000 | Check whether the general or its ascension still has a job. |
| Premium or Glory fragment at 240 each | 7,200 | Compare the Senate gain with losing a scarce premium copy. |
These are specialist-reported categories, not a current official price table. Open Craft Medal, inspect Materials List and record the offered output for the exact token or fragment. If it belongs to an active general, an intended assistant, a required Covenant or another confirmed plan, keep it. Evony is entirely capable of selling the same fragment back later with improved lighting.
Use the cancellation window before speedups
Official version 4.85.0 added cancellation for Historic Medal crafts started after that update. Cancelling returns the materials, but not any speedups used. That makes the safest order simple: select the material, verify the output and opportunity cost, start only the intended craft, then recheck before adding speedups.
After crafting finishes, the fragments have already become the other resource. The cancellation rule is not an undo button for a completed exchange. If the screen is unfamiliar, one small verified craft is more informative than a large confident mistake.
Upgrade the bottleneck, not the room
Senate growth has several separate lanes. Position levels use Merit Jade and reach additional effect milestones. Title grades use Glory Golden Twigs and position requirements. Position Promotion uses Historic Medals, Blood of Ares and later Radiant Medals. Official version 5.03.0 also lowered several Council of State building prerequisites, including the Pasture and Victory Column conditions for early positions.
Before spending in any lane, identify the next exact effect that improves the account’s chosen attack, defence or reinforcement role. If the next gain needs a different position level, another title grade or an unavailable Radiant Medal, upgrading the wrong lane will not negotiate with it. The Senate has departments. Naturally, they use different stationery.
The five-minute Senate audit
- List every open seat and its required troop type.
- Mark all candidates currently used in a march, on the wall, on duty, gathering or in relics.
- Among the remaining candidates, record gold and red stars and the visible seat effects they unlock.
- Appoint the lowest-opportunity-cost general that serves a useful condition now.
- For promotion, check the exact Materials List yield and protect every fragment with a confirmed active use.
- Record the before and after buff screen. Stop if the expected effect does not appear.
The best Senate general is often not the strongest portrait. It is the strongest retired asset that can occupy the correct seat without creating a hole somewhere more important.
Sources: Official Senate title update and Ground Honorary Senator reply; Official Position Promotion rules; Official crafting cancellation rule; Official version 5.03.0 Senate unlock changes; Specialist Council of State guide; Specialist Research Factory conversion guide; Player Senate placement discussion.
Evidence reviewed 2026-10-16. Official rules, specialist mechanics, player observations and editorial arithmetic are separated. Current in-game eligibility, seat text and Materials List yields take priority. No purchase or independent combat test is claimed.
— 
Kat