Frequently, I come across MP2s that do not have any defending armies. Instead of making us go through choose which ritual to use, and then set the bar to find out we can't attack them, why not make it so you can't click the attack button period if you don't have any defending armies?

Because some people use that as an offensive tactic.. Think about what happens when you click to attack someone..

Last, if someone doesnt have defening forces, they also dont have any offensive forces

the system only recognises if the player has no defending forces when your character tries to interact with theirs, if you removed the attack button for those with no forces then your information would have to go back and forth from the server a hell of a lot more, causing server strain and such, slowing down the system...

in short Fenrir, wont happen

plus: you can still use those to set up rits, which comes in kinda handy when you lose some in a killing spree... then you can use the time in between for setting new rits, and come back without wasting extra time for setting things up ^^