Strategus is primarily a browser based version of the single player game. You can recruit an army, equip them, own fiefs/castles/towns and battle other players. When you battle someone else it designates a time for the battle (on NA or EU servers) at which time the Strategus server starts the battle. The troops you recruited through the browser based portion act as respawn tickets, and the equipment you purchased is available to you and whoever you hired onto your team (until you run out or win/lose).