Getting out of combat

[Spiky]

Is there a way to pull out your troop that are in combat without retreating cause it slightly infuriating when several units are tied up fighting one unit while being shot at by archers and not being able to do anything about it

[PeteSkTemplar]

First retreat is not that bad, if unit is not damaged much they will not run far, it would be just no tactics avaliable if there was no problem to disengage.

[VEF215]

Can you imagine the cluster f uck of micro it would be if units could move freely in and out of melee? Units would be walking through each other / sliding off each other / moving around each other like jelly. At first I didn't like it either, but now I realize they made a really great system.

Keep units in reserve, don't commit everything at once. Blobbing can be punished really easily, like in your case, your opponent flanked archers around and punished you pretty hard for blobbing. It's used to "catch" units and lock them down from moving. If you had a unit in reserve, you could have charged the archers and stopped them from firing.

An example is 3 enemy melee units attacking 1 of your melee units that is beside a tower. If all 3 enemy units get stuck in melee with your 1 unit, your 1 unit can hold them off while the tower kills them. You would win.

If 1 enemy units engages yours, 2 move around the sides, burn down the tower, then flank charge your unit, you are dead.

See how it changes the game and tactics, not being able to move whenever you want? Not blobbing? Everything is pros and cons. Blobbing can work sometimes, because of charge bonuses if they are not in defensive formation, and the outnumbered morale debuff, but it's risky.

Retreating also has pros and cons, you gain melee invulnerability for a couple seconds to disengage, you live to fight another day and can regroup, get a speed buff, but after you retreat you have no control over them for a while, they can be shot, cut down by melee cavalry, cut down by melee infantry. Each decision has weight to it.

[ramblin_gambler]

I totally see the reason why if a unit is engaged in combat they couldn't just easily maneuver around an enemies flank. It makes total sense. But i think the area of engagement is a little too broad.

As an example I had a couple of side by side units that got flanked in a village, so there were some tight corridors. There was a way I could have moved one of the units around a building and flanked the attacker. When I selected the furthest unit that seemingly got flanked and zoomed in I realized that not one of the units figures was actually engaged in any fighting, instead they seemed to be cheering on the other squad who was. Since the corridor was so narrow only one squad was at the frontline actually doing combat. Despite this I STILL couldn't maneuver that farthest unit that wasn't engaged, I think thats a little harsh.

I think if none of the figures in a unit are actually engaged in combat and swinging, or being swung at, at by an enemy they should be free to maneuver.

[metalcallous]

The higher the morale of the unit, the shorter the retreat distance. So while still fresh don't be afraid to hit the retreat button once if you made a mistake.

Spears are intended to punish blobs.

Also, akin to real life, the most important part of an engagement is prior to the melee forces connecting with each other: positioning, formations, and keeping of reserves is the only things a commander could do. Once the sides connect they lose control of his men, you won't be able to transmit complex orders like "go through that gap!" when the shouting and noise of combat begins. Hand to hand combat leads to tunnel vision most of the time.

[VEF215]

Originally posted by metalcallous:

The higher the morale of the unit, the shorter the retreat distance. So while still fresh don't be afraid to hit the retreat button once if you made a mistake.

Really? Didn't notice this, that's good to know