Retreat!

[=7CAV=SPC.Henson.K]

When you know you're losing, why can't I retreat my forces? Do they have to remain in battle until destroyed?

[VDmitry]

Is this for scouts?

[Jamus]

Yes - the combat system does not allow you to retreat units.

[Amadeus]

I agree, that is a major issue of the negative things in Ara

[jayblue]

My work around at the moment is to send the scout out in a stack with reinforcements. That way you can still collect bonus resources safely.

[VDmitry]

Originally posted by Jamus:

Yes - the combat system does not allow you to retreat units.

Sorry, we now can't tereat even with regular units?

[GeeVee]

https://forums.civfanatics.com/resources/all-units-retreat.31568/

[Jamus]

Originally posted by VDmitry:

Originally posted by Jamus:

Yes - the combat system does not allow you to retreat units.

Sorry, we now can't tereat even with regular units?

I don't understand your question. You could never retreat with regular units.

As for scouts, previously:

1. scouts could disengage from combat at any time (provided they survived the initial round); and
2. scouts would not automatically engage in combat even if they were in the same region as an enemy unit (unless they were fortified) (so called 'slippery scouts')

People complained about item 2 so the devs changed item 2 and, in doing so, also changed item 1.

It seems to me that the feedback now is that people would like to re-instate the ability of scouts to disengage -which makes sense to me.

As for regular units disengaging, this a quite a large change to the current combat system. If we ignore what happens in the "real world" (noting that the point of any computer game mechanic is not to slavishly follow one person's interpretation of "reality". Instead, the point is to offer fun and satisfying decisions that enhance overall engagement and gameplay) - it is hard to say if this would be game breaking within the parameters of the overall game design.

[Ara: History Untold]

Originally posted by SSG Henson USA ret.:

When you know you're losing, why can't I retreat my forces? Do they have to remain in battle until destroyed?

Originally posted by Jamus:

Originally posted by VDmitry:

Sorry, we now can't tereat even with regular units?

I don't understand your question. You could never retreat with regular units.

As for scouts, previously:

1. scouts could disengage from combat at any time (provided they survived the initial round); and
2. scouts would not automatically engage in combat even if they were in the same region as an enemy unit (unless they were fortified) (so called 'slippery scouts')

People complained about item 2 so the devs changed item 2 and, in doing so, also changed item 1.

It seems to me that the feedback now is that people would like to re-instate the ability of scouts to disengage -which makes sense to me.

As for regular units disengaging, this a quite a large change to the current combat system. If we ignore what happens in the "real world" (noting that the point of any computer game mechanic is not to slavishly follow one person's interpretation of "reality". Instead, the point is to offer fun and satisfying decisions that enhance overall engagement and gameplay) - it is hard to say if this would be game breaking within the parameters of the overall game design.

All great feedback. We'll discuss this with the team. Thanks for posting!

[yeknod]

Historically I would say in Ancient up to Medieval times it was very hard to retreat once a battle commenced. Forces just weren't mobile. A disorganised losing army could not get its act together to conduct a retreat. Too many warriors were demoralised or fled the battle field. Starting with Napoleon forces were more disciplined, organised and mobile. Retreats could be pulled off, with losses of course. Once warfare evolved to a front line system with forces in conflict along a wide frontier, versus the old pitched battles in tight locations, and communication was instantaneous with radio it became even more feasible to flex the troops backwards or forwards as tactical situations dictated. The only troops that could not retreat were troops that were surrounded and cut off from a route of retreat and supplies.

With ARA covering the entire span of military history, one solution regarding a retreat policy might not fit all. In Ancient up to Medieval times battles mainly resulted in mass casualties. From Modern times forward battles mainly resulted in loss or gain of territory.

Having no retreats makes sense in the Ancient to Medieval times.

Having no retreats makes no sense in Modern times.

Good luck with finding a solution to that.

[diegoyya7]

We need retreat for an HP penalty. BUT we cannot have endless wars that we just keep adding meat fodders.

[VDmitry]

while organised retreat was not possible once battle is started, we also know that losses were normally low, what means the loosing side always retreated but disorganised

there is actually a way to implement this in Ara because we already have 2 types of combats: close and at distance, and we also expect supply lines somewhere soon

[=7CAV=SPC.Henson.K]

Breaking contact is an ongoing battle drill used by most ground forces.

[Tandis]

A lot of the challenge on retreating is that it can lend itself to griefing due to the nature of simultaneous turns. Hence, retreating has, temporarily been disabled while we implement a better solution:

What we have in our pipeline is actual battle tactics which, running away (retreating) would be an obvious one (along with things like charging, hold fast, etc. based on the composition of units).

The key thing is that the effect wouldn't be activated until the following turn so you could, for instance, retreat, but not before the enemy at least gets to take a shot at you.

[Filo90]

Originally posted by Tandis:

A lot of the challenge on retreating is that it can lend itself to griefing due to the nature of simultaneous turns. Hence, retreating has, temporarily been disabled while we implement a better solution:

What we have in our pipeline is actual battle tactics which, running away (retreating) would be an obvious one (along with things like charging, hold fast, etc. based on the composition of units).

The key thing is that the effect wouldn't be activated until the following turn so you could, for instance, retreat, but not before the enemy at least gets to take a shot at you.

that's great to hear 👍🏻

[VDmitry]

interesting

don't you have plans for counting river crossing, even if for one turn of combat?