Retreat?...No, just redeploying in a tactical way!

[Pyros]

Hi,

One of the first steps to become a master (Pbem) with this kind of games is to actually know when it is the right moment to "retreat".
The "art of retreat" in the hands of a skilful tactician, is nothing less than a tactical redeployment for a specific reason:

1. Redrawing or adjusting the defensive perimeter
2. Redeployment due to overwhelming odds (breaking/gravity point of assault)
3. Redeployment in order to launch a counter-attack.

Basically the last point is the ultimate scope of every retreat... "Retreat in order to prepare a counter-strike" .

Thoughts, anyone?

cheers,
Pyros

[narwan]

I use retreats a lot for another purpose, to misdirect the enemy artillery. As a fencer, I know the value of feints and misdirections in a confrontation!

By making your opponent think you have troops at a certain location or have a certain vector of advance you can entice him to plot his artillery there. By clearing the area and redeploying at exactly the right moment you can not only avoid his actual arty strike, but also prevent that artillery being used elsewhere.
If you attack in force at another point right after his artillery strikes the opponent might get confused as to whether this attack is the feint (to draw away the arty from it's current target) or whether the original advance was the feint... always keep them guessing!

Narwan

[reconraider]

Also you can use it to make the enemy commander overconfident and to draw the enemy into an ambush. Channel, contain and eliminate. Some famous Marine at Bella Woods said Retreat Hell We're just changing directions! or something like that.

[yyjames]

"Retreat Hell! We're just attacking in another direction." (Attributed to Major General Oliver P. Smith, USMC, Korea, December 1950.)

or

"Retreat, Hell! We just got here!"
(Attributed to Captain Lloyd Williams, USMC, France, July 1918.)

[Marek_Tucan]

I find it hard to retreat and redeploy in a game against AI, esp. with slower vehicles, as the AI often pushes forward at full throttle regardless of casaulties.
Against human player it is, in this aspect, easier.

[Wdll]

I don't use this tactic at all, unless it is for a unit or two that are in danger of being overrrun or something.

I prefer to use waves of units and push forward whenever I either want or need to.

[BadCompany]

I never retreat, I just keep reserve units behind the main line.

[hoplitis]

Originally Posted by BadCompany

I never retreat, I just keep reserve units behind the main line.

Your line or the enemy's?