Retreating in Battle

[Rogue NineCH]

While I'm no RTS expert, I have played my share of RTS games and one thing that has always bugged me. When the battle isn't going well and you decide it's best to retreat and regroup, your men always stop firing and turn their backs on the enemy to run. It would be great if a "Strategic Retreat" button was added so that when a retreat was called, your army or at least a portion of it would simply "Walk backwards" while still exchanging fire with the enemy. To me this is more realistic and would enhance the depth of the game. Now I am not sure how this would work in space, but since most vessels can fire in all directions, this wouldn't apply so much as to ground forces.

 

What do you guys think?

[Teradyn_pff]

Most RTS don't have persistency like this one does, so if they dont have something similar to this in already, they will probably have to add it in soon. During the E3 show, I think one of the demonstrators mentioned something about a retreat. I can't find that video right now, but if anyone knows what part I am talking about, did they show the retreat and what did it look like?

[Darkmark]

The retreats show units in the classic style of moving forward, not backward as they retreat. By this I mean they rotate 180 degrees and run for it. The video is the long 47 minute one, and they show several retreats during the course of it.

 

I would like to see fire during backwards movement in game, because I feel it worked very well in 'Dawn of War' and would like to see it again but done even better. However I'm no fool to suggest this late in development they will add that in. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it really does look unlikely. Also, it doesn't make sense for certain units (An AT-AT for example) to move backwards while firing forwards. So for ground portions it's not a big issue, in my opinion.

 

As for space fire, I've seen nothing to suggest they stop firing when things aren't in range. This is probably true of while they retreat (Although we have no idea how quickly a hyperspace jump retreat can be pulled off after it is ordered. If it is fast then it doesn't really matter whether they fire or not in the split second before the jump.)

 

A link to the 47 min vid can be found here: http://swempireatwar.10.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=93&start=0

[Cobra848]

Well don't retreat all your men, you know you woun't able to save them all, so leave some behind so the enemy can shoot at them. Also if the enemy has no rader or has not explored the map, your retreat will be concealed from your enemy.

 

 

Also plan your moves, try and be five or more steps in front of your enemy. Just try and know what you have do for what can happen. Got to be ready for anything, and knowing what to do. This all helps in retreating because all your troops won't be trapped or taken out.

 

I don't need it and not having it also forces people to have more stratgies. Also I don't see it being used that often. But then again it gives me a few ideas, but I can do them with out the backwards attack.

 

Of course no one knows how it will be in EaW. But the capital ships take their time in turning. And tie fighters don't have hyperdrives.

[Vader89]

In space they should return fire even while etreating, it happened like that in rebellion, as you were preparing to jump into hyperspace if anything was in range the ship would fire, the point is anything that can be fired upon and ins in range should be fired on, the weapons programming should have a mind of its own which focuses on shooting whatever possible,, whenever possible.

[Overkill]

I think when your hit the retreat button unit run to a point while a time limit starts ticking when it reaches 0 you are in space I think there might be some resistance there. There was resistance in the video so it depends if it was for demo purposes.

[Admiral Nova]

I think when your hit the retreat button unit run to a point while a time limit starts ticking when it reaches 0 you are in space I think there might be some resistance there. There was resistance in the video so it depends if it was for demo purposes.

 

I don't know how likely this idea is, but it would add an element of survival and attachement to your troops.

[Cobra848]

I think when your hit the retreat button unit run to a point while a time limit starts ticking when it reaches 0 you are in space I think there might be some resistance there. There was resistance in the video so it depends if it was for demo purposes.

 

I don't know how likely this idea is, but it would add an element of survival and attachement to your troops.

 

 

That is how they did it in Emperor: Battle for Dune.

[Admiral Nova]

I think when your hit the retreat button unit run to a point while a time limit starts ticking when it reaches 0 you are in space I think there might be some resistance there. There was resistance in the video so it depends if it was for demo purposes.

 

I don't know how likely this idea is, but it would add an element of survival and attachement to your troops.

 

 

That is how they did it in Emperor: Battle for Dune.

 

Did it work? Was it effective?

[Cobra848]

Well when I was playing that game, I played it on easy, and I always tryed to win my battles.

 

For retreat, you press the button on the side bar, then a timer started. What ever forces you got to extract at edge of map, got to be retreated. Those forces turn into a reinforcement icon over the territory I retreated them to.

 

I never got to use them because I battle somewhere else, and I forget the rest.

[Rogue NineCH]

Well don't retreat all your men, you know you woun't able to save them all, so leave some behind so the enemy can shoot at them. Also if the enemy has no rader or has not explored the map, your retreat will be concealed from your enemy.

 

 

Also plan your moves, try and be five or more steps in front of your enemy. Just try and know what you have do for what can happen. Got to be ready for anything, and knowing what to do. This all helps in retreating because all your troops won't be trapped or taken out.

 

I don't need it and not having it also forces people to have more stratgies. Also I don't see it being used that often. But then again it gives me a few ideas, but I can do them with out the backwards attack.

 

Of course no one knows how it will be in EaW. But the capital ships take their time in turning. And tie fighters don't have hyperdrives.

 

That's what I do when I retreat, but it's still would be a useful feature. Hit the retreat button and your army executes a fighting withdrawal. Granted I am no RTS wizard, but planning ahead comes natural to me, but every once in a while, my opponent throws me a curve ball.