The well-provisioned Lamanites begin launching sorties to harass the Nephites. The Nephites can defend themselves but cannot attack. Meanwhile, they are not being reprovisioned—a sort of siege in reverse. The fall of Cumeni disclosed that little or no food was being locally produced, a factor important in the Nephites’ ability to retake it. (See commentary accompanying Alma 57:7–8, 12.) Now the Nephite army is facing the same problem.