To attack or not attack?

[PoorOldSpike]

This dilemma crops up regularly, how do other players handle it?-
My infantry unit is sorely tempted to attack that encircled AI BT-7 in the mountains down the white arrow at an excellent projected result of 0-4.
However, the BT-7 might not be killed, but might retreat down one of the red arrows, either into the city on the left where he'll automatically capture it, or down the arrow to the right where he'll have a supply route to a map edge.
So should I attack or not?

[armedevil]

The tank will retreat to the river hex, where it is extra vulnerable. Or maybe the forest hex.

If you want to kill it, you could attack with your tank, and then (if necessary) pursue the unit with your infantry to finish the job (if the tank is too strong defensively, that may not work). If you want to capture it, you need more units (or be able to split your units. But the river hex to the west is a problem, it makes surrounding difficult (and risky).

One technique, if you have a strategic bomber handy, is to take away a movement point from the target (stratbombers take some supply and movement away). Then that river hex is no longer accessible for the tank (as entering a river hex requires 100% of movement points).

[DefiantXYX]

Like armedevil said, easiest way is to attack with your tank first and kill it with your infantry. But I guess you overlooked, that the tank can still attack, so it should not be part of the puzzle?
If so, I need more information.

Have many turn do you have left? Do you have to hurry, or can you spend another turn oder two on this situation?
Are you short on prestige and you might need to capture it?
Does the AI still have prestige to repair? If not you could just attack and the AI might suicide the tank attacking one of your units.

If the tank it out of the game I would say just attack, you will in a better situation in the next turn no matter what happens.

[PoorOldSpike]

Sorry i should have made my question clearer, namely is it sometimes better NOT to attack?
Here's another example- That AI 8-wheeler car is encircled by my Americans and has been beat up pretty bad, but one of my tanks hasn't yet fired.
Suppose I fire but the car isn't destroyed and retreats down one of the red arrows out of the encirclement putting himself back in supply.
Next turn the AI will pump replacements into him and he'll be fresh as a daisy and i'll have to go to the time and trouble of trying to encircle him all over again, see my point?
So would it have been best for me not to have fired?

[armedevil]

Sometimes it is better not to attack because of the target retreating to a safer location.

But here the enemy reconnaissance vehicle can do that anyway, moving and then repairing the same turn. Even if you don't attack. It seems likely that you can kill it outright anyway.

But it could be that your unit has a more useful alternative action.

[DefiantXYX]

Sorry i should have made my question clearer, namely is it sometimes better NOT to attack?

Definitely yes, but not in your example.

Next turn the AI will pump replacements into him and he'll be fresh as a daisy and i'll have to go to the time and trouble of trying to encircle him all over again, see my point?

It has only 3 HP, even if its supplied and repaired next turn its strongly suppressed. Plus its tanks vs recon, so np. You can just kill it, no need for strategic maneuvers.

Once again, we need more information for this situation.
Do you want to farm prestige? Are you short on turns? Is the AI short on prestige?

You can let it live, so AI moves, repairs and wastes prestige. Or just try to kill it, even if it survives, it doesnt matter. Like armedevil said, recons can move and repair.

A far better example would be this situation with an encircled Tiger II.
If you attack and cant kill it, it might be harder to kill next turn, if it can repair itself.
But, if you have some turns left...move away with your tank and let it repair.
It will repair from 3 to 8 (depending on if there is overstrength involved). Now you can encircle it again.
8 HP - 5 (already suppressed by repair) - 2 (suppression each turn) and have a very valuable unit encircled that is helpless.
You can easily aquire some nice parts and prestige in the next turn.

[PoorOldSpike]

Thanks guys, but in the example below, is there any way of knowing if the enemy 8-wheeler will be able to move 1 hex next turn into one of the red-arrowed hexes to get out of the encirclement?

[DefiantXYX]

You can check the fuel. Not sure what terrain that is, but I think one fuel should be enough to do that. Never saw a recon running out of fuel tbh

[PoorOldSpike]

You can check the fuel. Not sure what terrain that is, but I think one fuel should be enough to do that. Never saw a recon running out of fuel tbh

Thanks i'll check the fuel thing..