Chapter 3, is it possible to avoid battles?

[Cat]

So start of this chapter you are being told to stall until a certain time, but given the context of the enemies coming after you, is it possible to avoid killing them at all? If the game is not gonna allow it then I'd like to know now, the last chapter forced my hand, but I feel like I'm being given an opportunity to avoid it here, but am I just wasting my time trying to achieve this? Will the game even care if I do?

[Studio Daimon]

You can avoid most battles in Ch.3, especially if you slow down the infantry by destroying the bridge. You won't be able to avoid *all* battles though, that's intended. Have fun with the game!
- Alfred

[BloodyPork]

If you want to avoid killing Hoikade's troops in the game you really can't. Later on you will be basically fighting a bunch of those and you're not meant to "avoid killing ur countrymen."

There are games where you "spare" or avoid certain enemy units so you can recruit them later because if you defeat them you end up killing them, but this game is not one of those. In fact you are supposed to defeat them in battle and then they will join you after you defeat them.

[Cat]

Thanks, I was tearing my hair out trying to avoid fighting but always came up short of being forced to fight at least one group of them, though now I see it's just in my head, gonna fight more for the exp and loot then.