How stop endless retreating attackers?

[MikeC]

Quick question for those that play the single player campaigns. Is a way to stop enemy units from blocking your unit's movement on the campaign map when the attacking unit has no CV is forced to retreat without fighting? I'm trying to get decisive victories in campaigns, but I'm losing day after day to headless recon units blocking my armored division's advances.

[antimike1976]

There are quite a few times during the campaigns where the AI will hop around or engage you on the strategic map with battlegroups with no command units.

The way to deal with these BGs is to cut off their lines of retreat on the strategic map then launch a battle against them. In most cases, your BGs will not incur any Initiative cost and the rogue AI BG will be destroyed without a fight. I still can't figure out why sometimes fighting an enemy BG without a command unit costs Initiative. I sure as hell know that I wouldn't even be able to start a skirmish against the AI without a CV -- I would just have to Surrender or Avoid battle. Maybe it's a bug when the AI is able to hold you up (that is, cost you Initiative points).

In your case, try using helicopter BGs that can enter adjacent zones to the rogue AI BG you want to destroy (your BG doesn't have to have a CV since just putting the zone into contention means that the AI won't be able to retreat or avoid battle into it).

I remember that the Soviets have an annoying helicopter BG in Bear vs. Dragon (Campaign 2?) that will jump around all over your rear area if you don't contain it.

Surround the enemy battlegroup and engage it. If there's no CV, it'll be destroyed without a fight (most of the time without costing Initiative).

I hope that helps.

Good hunting, MikeC!

[MikeC]

Normally that would work, but in the cases I am having troubles with, the AI keeps retreating into areas that are outside the engagement zone, and then striking from there. The Busan corridor campaign is full of them.

[Shad]

If you want a fully decisive victory, you have to ensure the enemy does not retreat. i.e. you need to destroy all enemy command units on the map before the battle is over. It's difficult, but that way, noone retreats

[antimike1976]

You can get a decisive victory in turn 3 in Busan Pocket even when not destroying all CVs. Capture Seoul and the middle zone in Turn 2 then you'll fight in the middle zone during the computer's Turn 3, then after a total victory you'll be able to go into the right zone and complete the campaign when you secure the last zone.

[antimike1976]

I'm not sure how to deal with the retreating AIs that go back into Sanctuaries. In Busan Pocket, at least in the top zones, you just have to mess with what BGs you move when and where. Don't send everything you have all at the same time. Making the AI attack you and kicking it out during its part of a turn still gives you time to move during your part of the turn (it doesn't sap your Initiative when the AI attacks you and starts combat).

[MikeC]

Can't do either, I have a recon unit that keeps attacking the middle sector despite having no CV. I killed its only CV in the initial encounter, but it keeps re-engaging and immediately retreating, however when it does so it blocks my troops from moving.

[antimike1976]

what turn did you attack that second zone next to Seoul (in the middle in the north)?

[MikeC]

Originally posted by antimike1976:

I'm not sure how to deal with the retreating AIs that go back into Sanctuaries. In Busan Pocket, at least in the top zones, you just have to mess with what BGs you move when and where. Don't send everything you have all at the same time. Making the AI attack you and kicking it out during its part of a turn still gives you time to move during your part of the turn (it doesn't sap your Initiative when the AI attacks you and start combat).

No can do, the AI is forcing the combat. Despite having no CV, that unit still has enough initiative to force the engagement on its turn.

[antimike1976]

Yeah, I've experienced AI BGs sapping Initiative when they shouldn't be able to. I think it's a bug.

I know it defeats the purpose of trying to get a Decisive Victory, but have you tried to wait to attack that AI recon BG during the AI's turn? That should give you the chance to get it out of the zone and you'll be able to move after it's cleared.

[antimike1976]

wow, that sounds like a major pain the ass. Have you experienced this more than once in Busan Pocket? I've played it many times and haven't been totally stonewalled by the AI -- though, I may have reloaded to an earlier point if something like this happened (sorry, I can't remember).

[MikeC]

I've had the AI play that game in the pocket itself, but never in the north until my last couple playthroughs. Destroying the formation works, but the AI is very reluctant to flood the battlefield with recon units, it typically just deploys it CV and then units from other formations.