Retreat rules clarification

[Tigre]

Something happend that I didn't expect,
campaing game, turn 10 first impulse in turn, german attak in Kozlovo a soviet armor and make him retreat in Klin ... should'nt retreat in Istra instead, where there is better defence !? maybe woods doesn't count as defence ?

thx
tigregarou

[s_nkarp]

First priority is closer to supply - in this case Kalyazin.

[Tigre]

Apology's, it was well writen in rules !! didn't see sorry ...
thx

[Tigre]

hmm, now the axis inf attaks in yelnya, russian retreat in spas-demensk ! it should be dorogobuzh, closer to supply stepino, no ?
thx

[s_nkarp]

I believe the retreat priority depends on the closest supply source, taking into account enemy units. So Stepino might not be "closest" if occupied or if Axis units are in between.

[Tigre]

I believe the retreat priority depends on the closest supply source, taking into account enemy units. So Stepino might not be "closest" if occupied or if Axis units are in between.

Intresting, it makes sense ! axis units where indeed inbetween ... could we have a clear rulling on this !? main rules don't talk much about this ...
thx and happy new year

[daviddunham]

The code uses the length of the supply trace, not the best-case distance. The space with the darkest supply tint, in other words. You retreat towards supply.

[Lostmydice]

Hmm, I have seen a few times that my troops or enemy troops got retreated into a cut off zone (deffo out of supply) with access to less hostile patches still being available. I never found a formula how retreat works in DOM or BOTB. I reckon it is sheer random which is ok keeping in mind that units are running from defeat in disarray.

[daviddunham]

If you see something that looks broken, please use the Feedback button in the menu to save us a game. It’s always possible there’s a special case that is not handled right.

A space that is out of supply might be closer to the nearest supply source. Which I guess in some cases may contradict what I wrote earlier? Hard to explain. I think the code correctly expresses the rules though.

[Lostmydice]

Is it possible that beaten troops retreat towards the biggest friendly unit in reach?
Playing Soviets I desperately tried to re-open a pocket with 2 trapped stacks of inf with my 4 pip tank but was forced to retreat after Halder's counter attack.
Instead of retreating back towards Moscow where I came from I was thrown into the pocket with the 2 stacks inf. There was no supply to expect ever but it was a bigger unit compared to the one on the friendly side...

[daviddunham]

A space is only eligible as a retreat destination if it is friendly-controlled, uncontested, and adjacent to the combat. The defender may not retreat off the map or into the space from which the attacker entered the combat space. Units may retreat over rivers, but may not retreat over lakes except during frost/snow turns.

If there is a choice of more than one eligible space, the destination is selected as follows:
• Retreat toward the closest friendly supply source.
• If there is still a choice, retreat to the space offering the best defensive terrain (regardless of unit strength).
• If there is still a choice, the retreat destination is chosen at random.
• All units retreat into the same space, if possible. If retreat would violate stacking limits, then the excess retreats into another eligible space instead.
• Retreat order is determined by hit order: the last unit to take a hit retreats first, then the next to last, etc.
If some, but not all, defending units can retreat when called upon to do so: those than can, retreat; the rest remain in place and are expended; hits taken by the defender are not reduced.

Nothing mentions what the friendly units are. I would have to see the exact situation, but closer to a supply source is the primary rule.