What's your retreating policy?

[naradaman]

After realising that I hardly ever earn 2 bars on any of my infantry, I think I may have a retreating problem.

I suppose I am a little slow to hit the button. I normally only do it if I've been pinned and I don't see a way of helping the situation. Otherwise, I've let squads die many times.

What do you guys do? Are you a very timid player, jumping out when things first start to go badly, or you stick around and fight to the death regardless?

PS, how does the experience system work in relation to squad losses? Will a 2 bar squad that was reduced to a man and reinforced back up retain its 2 bars?

EDIT: Don't you hate it when you fudge the poll. That's 'run immediately if combat goes bad'.

[Agdune]

"omg that looks like alot of gunfire there... OH NOES I'VE TAKEN A CASUALTY, RUN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RUN!"

This is an accurate description of my thought processes while fighting with my awesome little guys.

Course, they tend to get pretty badly mauled when I'm looking elsewhere, like building sandbag walls or moving tanks around, but that's because they don't like crouching when artillery comes a-callin'. I guess it all actually depends whether or not they're pinned, how close the nearest re-enforcment point is, and how urgent the situation is.

[Akranadas]

When I know I can't win, I'll retreat.

I also Build a Tringe Center almost on top of my HQ so Retreated Squads get healed straight away

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Squads always maintain veterancy status regardless of reinforcement.

for allied, I'll pull a squad out if it still has most of its members but its health bar is very low. they can be healed at the triage center (usually the second structure i build) without paying a manpower premium.

I'll pull a squad out if its been reduced to 1 or 2 members

I'll retreat if they are facing armor with insufficient support. Usually the explosions cause so much dive-for-cover behavior and sometimes pinning that its hard to pull troops out without Retreating.

I'll retreat when facing snipers with low squad numbers; the defensive bonus is big enough that snipers can actually miss Retreating squads.

Sometimes I use Retreat to quickly avoid a dangerous grenade.

I use retreat less with Axis, though I do tend to retreat Grenadiers with heavy weapons once they drop to 2 members.

[DoltIncognito]

Allies should *always* retreat their forces before the squad dies. The upgrades allied troops get from veterancy is significant, and it can't be purchased like the axis do. If you don't have veteran troops by the time axis upgrades all their troops, you're going to get your ass kicked.

And yes, if a squad is reduced to one and re-inforced you will retain the rank.

[naradaman]

Sometimes I use Retreat to quickly avoid a dangerous grenade. Ah good idea!
for allied, I'll pull a squad out if it still has most of its members but its health bar is very low. they can be healed at the triage center (usually the second structure i build) without paying a manpower premium. I've been wondering about the health bar, is it just an average measure of everyones health? Or something more specific?

[TheDeadlyShoe]

I'm pretty sure it's the grand health total of the squad; there are, however, critical hits that can kill people instantly. (most noticable in early engineer / pioneer fights)

For example in a recent game an enemy Airborne squad ran over a mine and was reduced to ~45% HP but did not lose any members. They were easily mowed down by a volksgrenadier squad.

[n0z3k1ll3r]

I tend to not use it much. But then again my infantry are usually either Stormtroopers or Airborne, so they tend to be screwed even if they run as I've usually snuck them behind the enemy and hence they have to run through them.


I've been wondering about the health bar, is it just an average measure of everyones health? Or something more specific?I'm sure it's total health, as if you get a full strength riflemen or airborne unit to grab a vacant machine gun then you end up with full bar HMG squad and a half bar rifle/airborne squad.

[shadowcreaper]

I also Build a Tringe Center almost on top of my HQ so Retreated Squads get healed straight away

nice idea thanks. i just have a few quick questions about the "medics"

1: the Tringe Centre: does it just heal units within that area? also how come you cannot build it near frontline?

2: medic stations: do they heal squads like Tringe Centre? also when do medics go out is it when you lose a man and he lying on ground?

3: when the "red bar" slowly fills i know that you get free unit but is this a whole free unit upgraded or not?
Also how many men do your medics have to bring back to fil up red bar and does the type of unit matter ie airbone = 1.4 red bar fill ,MG= so 1/5 ect ect,

thanks for any help on this.

[macktheknifeau]

I think the health bar is representative of the health of each soldier. So if you have a bunch of soldiers all being shot at, the bar goes down even if you have all the members left.

Generally, I retreat if I think they will get owned.

[Akranadas]

1: the Tringe Centre: does it just heal units within that area? also how come you cannot build it near frontline?

2: medic stations: do they heal squads like Tringe Centre? also when do medics go out is it when you lose a man and he lying on ground?

3: when the "red bar" slowly fills i know that you get free unit but is this a whole free unit upgraded or not?
Also how many men do your medics have to bring back to fil up red bar and does the type of unit matter ie airbone = 1.4 red bar fill ,MG= so 1/5 ect ect,

1. It only heals units within the radius, thats why I build it as close to my HQ as I can, so I don't have to tell damaged squads to go heal. It would be and unfair advantage to have it on the front line, plus its a weak structure. Think of its as a Surgical Station.

2. Medic stations don't heal units like the Tringe Center. Medics will run out in the battlefield and grab any wounded soliders. I tend to build two - three close by as 6 medics and get a squad out quicker than one.

3. Once the Red bar is full, you will get a "free" 6 Man Riflemen Squad no matter waht type of guys the medics picked up; Engineers, Riflemen, Airborne ect.

Also, a Tip with Medic Stations, build one at every front line and defense post, as the total retrived squad is shared between all medic stations on the map. SO for example; A medic station as Victory point A can grab wounded men and the Medic Station at Victory point B will benifit from this, and vise versa. This goes the same for German Medical Bunkers.

[OjKa]

If i'm taking losses and i know its gonna get worse, then i'll let off a panzerfaust then run

its all about the fausting

[TNT]

I stopped bothering with allied infantry yesterday, and I havent lost a game. 8)

[Tiresias]

depends but I tend to retreat if they're in danger and I can afford to lose them off the front lines I will do it quick in hope of keepng them alive, but sometimes it's too risky not to slow them down

[Marwynn]

I'm fairly callous towards my Riflemen, if I think they can get away with throwing another Sticky or a 'Nade then they'll die to the last.

Otherwise, run. Hell, I retreat Engineers that I need back at the base to build more buildings.

Airborne or the Rangers are another matter. I've they're at half strength and the fight's still not gonna go well, then they're outta there.

I didn't know that about medic stations, gotta build more of those.

[Apocalypse81]

I have learnt to withdraw from certain situations, better to keep some men alive and reinforce them, keep vet status thaqn loose em and waste resources recruiting a new inexperinced unit.....however sometimes you cant save em.

Oh and i love the way the medics run on and pick up the wounded guys as your men are retreating, with blasts going of all around...very heroic stuff...though it was cool as fcuk when i first saw one doing it :-)

[Woogie]

depends on the situation..

if i come across a flakpanzer ill instantnly hit retreat regardless of what infantry unit i have....

if i come across a superiour force ill pin half then throw nades/drop artillery then reasses the situation and either kill off the enemy while retreating individual squads as they take damage or do a full retreat...

if i come across tanks ill get a round of stickbombs off then retreat..

as long as i do some damage to the enemy first while minimizing my casualities ill be happy...

[medes]

I only retreat Knight's Cross Holders and Storm Troopers. Volks fight to the death

[naradaman]

Now that I know Allied squads don't lose exp for losing members I will definately be retreating them before they die.

In the Axis' case it don't matter as much I suppose.

[shadowcreaper]

i find some people sort of "exploit" the retreat button sinse once click your units cannot be dmged. for example, i played a game and this guy built like 10 units of mortor teams.. yes 10. Now as soon as i sent a jeep to attck them he retreated he kept this up all game hit and running, proper anyong sinse he sets up shoots about 2 loads then runs as soon as i send a unit.

i know this isnt a real cheat but is pretty unsportsman like and can be extreamly effective sinse you cannot kil them quick enough :(

[RaNdOm]

I'll bet. Hehe, piss him off by getting 3 or more snipers in camo around where he usually sets up, that should deter him. :muffy:

[userunknown]

My infantry tend to follow the strategy employed by King Arthur whilst on his search for the grail, ie. ' RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!'

[Woogie]

for example, i played a game and this guy built like 10 units of mortor teams.. yes 10. Now as soon as i sent a jeep to attck them he retreated he kept this up all game hit and running, proper anyong sinse he sets up shoots about 2 loads then runs as soon as i send a unit.

why not use snipers? 3 snipers = 1 squad dead before he even knows whats going on.... more effective than a jeep and cant be spotted when your moving around


i know this isnt a real cheat but is pretty unsportsman like and can be extreamly effective sinse you cannot kil them quick enough :(

lol suprised no one has started bitching at you saying omg your whining because he used tactics.... bla bla bla bla bla


i find some people sort of "exploit" the retreat button sinse once click your units cannot be dmged

lol yes they can... on a regular basis i run down retreating snipers, mg squads and regular infantry to make sure they die..

[shadowcreaper]

piss him off by getting 3 or more snipers in camo around where he usually sets up, that should

nice idea il try that :D

lol suprised no one has started bitching at you saying omg your whining because he used tactics.... bla bla bla bla bla



lol tactics, what spammign mortors then retreating after you fired emm i dont think soo, (ps try running with a mortor and the shels it pretty hard and you wil get wasted within 100mtrs)

i know massive sniper spam lol like x10

[Woogie]

i dont personally think its tactics.... but im suprised no one has moaned and said it is.... they usually do lol

[Akranadas]

Retreating Units get a cover bonus, thats all, they can still be killed

[lordkosc]

I personally fight till the end, but that is playing as the axis, as the allies I retreat whenever out matched.

[BlackLabel]

As for Axis/Allies i retreat all. Sometimes its a benefit for a lonlyMG gunner...if on a higher ground he can stand and fragg way longer...As for Panzer i allways get them back in reverse. At first i allways fall back if there is an Ari barrage on them. But they are half that bad so i go through them. I like to have my squads from the beginning till the end. And it "hurts" if you loose them in whatever cruel way...:blink:

[shadowcreaper]

i found that some infi are EXTREAMLY long lasting when down to one man left in unit, is this a bug?

i was attcking a voltx2 axis unit(the cheap first tech 1 infi unit) with x2 armoured cars with .50cal+ armour upgrades they pretty much wasted them then when each unit was down to last men they seemed to become sort of invincible, and took about 1 min of non-stop shooting from both armoured cars to finialy kil them.

this seems a common problem when infi face tanks/ armour that allways 1/ 2 men left seem to just not die and take well major amount of fire from machine guns+ shels yet dont die as you would in real life if hit by soo many shots in the open.

again is this a bug or not?

[theBlind]

I retreat squad when they fall to around 50% members, as long as I don't desperately need them in the fight.
Example would be a rifle squad that has thrown its stickybomb and taken 3 casualties. They are in a bad position, exposed to enemy fire and suffering losses, so i retreat them to preserve the squad.

Also, if I do a large infantry push and am not yet commited with supporting tanks (meaning I can't withdraw them) and the offmap artillery-smokes fall among my troops, I usually hit retreat on the whole bunch - they get out of there much faster compared to me moving them aroudn manually. Also, even a single squadmember that survives while all other die means that I get the squad back for half the price!

I retreat heavy weapons teams just after the second sniper hit on them. There is usually enough time for them to undeploy their weapon and get out of range, while waiting for the second shot gives my other troops more time to hunt the sniper down.
Normal troops fighting a sniper I retreat when the squad hits 2 members.

[Endomatic]

I run after 2/3 of squad is dead, or if I'm clearly outclassed in an encounter

EDIT: Or Ambushed.