Amalickiah is playing a very dangerous game. He has aspirations to rule over all of the Lamanites, and intentionally gives up control over an army of the over-king to become second leader over an army led by Lehonti. Above and beyond the devious intrigue of Amalickiah’s mind are the social structures that allowed this stratagem to succeed. The first important aspect of this stratagem was that the people of Lehonti must have had a claim to kingship that was recognizable, even if not in place in the city of Nephi. Only with a legitimate claim to kingship would an army be willing to make the switch in allegiance. This further suggests that the people of Lehonti were a lineage with rights of rule prior to the arrival of the new king in Nephi. The army that was sent comes from Nephi, and therefore would know the people of Lehonti and respect the possibility of kingship from this lineage. All of these subtle social interactions lie behind the events, but allow them to proceed as we are to see them unfold.
The second thing that we must understand is the reason for the easy capitulation of the Lamanite army. Mesoamerican armies were closely tied to the fate of the commander, who was either the king or a direct representative of the king. The fall of such a figure could signal the end of the war, regardless of the military situation. It is quite probable that while the people of Lehonti held a defensible position, they were less numerous than the army arrayed against them. When they come off of the mountain, they will still have a tactical advantage in the location, but their numerical superiority would still make it difficult to carry the day by force of arms. As it will turn out, that will not be necessary. What allows the larger Lamanite army to lay down their arms? It is the defection of their commander. With the promise of defection, the battle is essentially over, and the only thing that remains will be the formality of surrender.
The last issue is why it would be possible for Lehonti to accept Amalickiah as a second in command. While this might seem to be a political exigency, there was likely more to the acceptance than simple convenience. Amalickiah was king material in his own right, having some lineage backing that allowed him to be a king-aspirant in the land of Zarahemla. His elite position placed him in the position to be able to lead an army of the king and to be a representative of the king, and that same position as a member of the elite class allowed him to enter Lehonti’s command with an important position.