function wml_actions.deactivate_and_serialize_sides(cfg)
	local variable = cfg.variable or "sides"
	local array_index = 0

	wesnoth.set_variable(variable, {})

	for t, side_number in helper.get_sides(cfg) do
		-- wesnoth.message("WML", string.format("store side %u", side_number))
		local side_store = string.format("%s[%u]", variable, array_index)

		wesnoth.set_variable(side_store, {})

		wesnoth.wml_actions.store_side {
			variable = side_store, side = side_number
		}
		wesnoth.wml_actions.store_unit {
			kill = true,
			variable = side_store .. ".units", { "filter", { side = side_number } }
		}
		wesnoth.wml_actions.modify_side {
			controller = "null", income = -2, gold = 0, village_gold = 0,
			hidden = true, side = side_number
		}

		array_index = array_index + 1
	end
end