hit and run tactics: legit or cheese?

[goobacks]

so I've been playing this game for about a week now, on vet/vet difficulty for my first run. Not ironman though so I save scum like a SOB. At day 100, I get a contract which pitted my 12 bros (roughly lvl5-7) against a team of 21 undead, which included a necromancer and 4 ghosts and maybe 5 fallen heroes. I could deal with the zombies but the ghosts.... man. They hide behind the zombies and a round of wailing from them sends half my team running (and killed).

So I load my game and the next fight I run to the edge of the map. The zombies strugged to catch up through the swamp, but the ghosts quickly caught up but they didn't have any backup from the zombies. I'd kill 1 or 2 before the zombies caught up, then retreated. Rinse and repeat a couple of times and the 4 ghosts were dead. Then I retreated and the next fight I stood my ground and the zombies were easily dealt with without those pesky ghosts.

Is this a legit tactic that vets of this game do? Or would you consider this cheesing the game mechanics?

[cyclops]

Its fine, skirmishing is a standard military tactic. Arminius finished off three legions with javelin strikes followed by rapid retreats in a wooded swamp until Quintilius Varus rage quit.

[Kill'em ALL]

You shouldn't concern yourself with what others consider "proper" way to play, it's an exclusively single player game so just do whatever you consider fun. It's especially true for BB since when it comes to somewhat niche games the (always present in gaming anyway) elitist tendencies tend to get exaggerated and you're bound to encounter people trying to force their "proper" way of playing on others. Disregard them and just do what you like.

That being said, retreating from battle IS a legit game mechanic. You get the mood penalty and lose any loot you'd get otherwise when you retreat, so it's not like it's a win-win.

[Kejiruze]

Hit and run is completely legit.

As are whips, get a couple of whips and slap those ghosts in the face.

[3tamatulg]

Makes me want to try a hit and run company - get everyone throwing weapons and perks like pathfinder for retreating. I guess it won't be viable since once you're in throwing range you'll get closed into melee on the next turn.

[Mac Tonight]

It's legit. This game forces you to maximise every potential opportunity to deal max damage while taking little to none yourself. Take it, and don't feel bad. The game will not feel that way when it decides to stick it in.

[nightworg]

Always have a couple of whips on your first line brothers with the highest Matt. It will make it much easier to deal with Geist.

[feeWAIVER]

It's legit, but it sounds like a lot of work.
Better to invest in resolve and a bannerman/sgt.. A whips are also helpful against ghosts. Cleavers are great against undead.

[bison]

Some people play this game with some form of "honour" and wish to press their ideals on others who are playing a single player game. Going to echo that you should play how you want. If you feel its cheesing it, don't use it.

There are a few things people think are exploity, such as dragging in third parties or using the mechanics the game provides which have remained unchanged for years. If the devs thought it was actually an exploit it would have been changed.

Lastly the game isn't going to hold your hand and it will crush your dreams, so don't feel bad about outsmarting it. That said you are losing renown and happiness for every retreat so your solution comes with some problems.