Shatter or Retreat?

[Gizuria]

One of the features of this game I'd forgotten about and have rediscovered is that the CRT sometimes presents the attacker with the option to shatter the defending units, removing from the board for the remainder of that turn, or to leave them on the board but retreat them a couple of hexes. I've been shattering them for the most part in my current Barbarossa game and have nearly eliminated the entire Russian OB in my first turn. But I know they will return in turn 2 which means I'll have to get smarter at destroying units as I play.

Do you guys shatter or retreat?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Depends. How easily can I advance through the hole I make if I shatter, and how easily can I kill the units left on the map if I retreat.


Although, all other things being equal, if it's the first turn of Barbarossa, I want a high body count; you still have J/A for lots of rapid advance, and if you wipe out the army, he won't be able to stop you with his reserves and his mil.

[brian brian]

It is difficult to remember the option to retreat the defender, for me. Probably on the computer where the attacker has to choose on-screen each time that would be less of a problem. Don't forget when making the choice that the attacker selects where the defender retreats. Selecting retreat can frequently give the attacker a chance to eliminate the defending units in a second attack, sending them to the force pool rather than just re-appearing the next turn. Each combat is a choice to make in this regard.

[paulderynck]

Given the retreat priorities in the rules, it is quite seldom that a player can really capitalize.

[Dabrion]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Given the retreat priorities in the rules, it is quite seldom that a player can really capitalize.

True, this happens seldomly. Its more likely for fully stacked hex, and for these you need more hex to attack in the first place. No you either have straight front, in that case exploiting gap and force advantage of the shatter usually meets your tactical objective better. Or you have the hex encircled, so that retreats are not feasible.

I can see two good cases:
1) retreat units out of a city/def-terrain into a clear hex, where they cannot get away immediately
2) retreat adjacent to a land attack that follows in the same phase can lead to a breakthrough result and will allow you to overrun the retreated stack.

Both are highly situational and/or need a considerable amount of planning/assets.

[chuxdecator]

What if there is no allowable place for the defeated unit to retreat into? Wouldn't you want to choose retreat instead of shatter and this would destroy the unit(s) not shatter them.

[comsolut]

Worked that way for me in Barbarossa, so selected retreat to destroy the unit when isolated.

[Centuur]

A shattered unit is destroyed if it couldn't retreat... From RAW:

If the result includes an ‘S’ (shatter) or a ‘B’ (breakthrough), put each
surviving defending land unit on the production circle if it could have
retreated. These units will arrive as reinforcements next turn. Destroy
any units that could not have retreated.

So you don't have to change a shattered result into a retreat to destroy units that can't retreat...

[hazmaxed]

As a general practice, I think it's better to shatter units if it is during the early impulses of a turn. That way the shattered units don't interfere with your advance on later impulses of the same turn.

If it is a late impulse and the turn is likely to end, I think it is better to retreat the units. That way your opponent cannot place the unit on some other area of the map, possibly to his advantage, as he could if it were a returning shattered unit.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: hazmaxed

As a general practice, I think it's better to shatter units if it is during the early impulses of a turn. That way the shattered units don't interfere with your advance on later impulses of the same turn.

If it is a late impulse and the turn is likely to end, I think it is better to retreat the units. That way your opponent cannot place the unit on some other area of the map, possibly to his advantage, as he could if it were a returning shattered unit.

Very nice! I'll use this for the AI Opponent.[&o]