Withdraw or move?

[Forgot_to_duck]

This probably sounds silly for most of you but I am going to ask anyway. If you have a squad/s in a sticky situation do you use Withdraw or Move to pull them back?

Using withdraw sounds like the troops may panic and run and that don't sound good. So what decides if they will panic and head for the hills?

Thanks

Forgot_to_duck

[Kingfish]

Don't use either, use advance instead. It is a bit slower than run, but you get an added cover bonus. A unit using the advance command will alternate short sprints and dropping to cover (although the graphic only shows them running).

[Brent Pollock]

Withdraw can work quite well with Vets or better.

In a recent match, I had a HQ and some heavy weapons/FO in a patch of woods. On turn X, a 105 spotting round crumped down near them. I gave them all a "W" order and they just made it out of there in time on turn X+1. No muss, no fuss...no one wet themselves...real professionals.

With Greens & Conscripts, it does tend to devolve into pandemonium, "sarge says run for your lives - we're all gonna die, man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Gad - I love this game.

[junk2drive]

I think the advantage of withdraw is the troops run right away. With move etc, they will continue shooting at the enemy before they move. If that is what you want them to get away from (the enemy), they will die before they get away.

Make sure your plot line is long enough for them to get to a resting place. They take a long time to recover and will have the "rattled" tag after.

Mortar and HMG troops will fall down tired before they reach that resting place so plan for that too.

It is a desperation order, if it doesn't work, you were doomed anyway.

[Forgot_to_duck]

Hey thanks for the input all. I wish I could remember the scenario name but it escapes me atm.

My two lead squads are taking pretty heavy fire and running low on ammo, I think I left them in the shaken mode? I thought about pulling them back to better cover and letting some of the other squads dish out the heat for a while.

I got to tell you I am probably the worst general around but I love to play the game.

Forgot_to_duck

[DEY]

One problem with the withdraw order is that anything below regular will panic when given that order, regular is affected somewhat but is helped if within command, but I think they are rattled for the rest of the battle though.

But sometimes you can save low experience units this way, though it's unlikely they will fight again in the battle.

[Paul AU]

I used "withdraw" just yesterday, to get a regular squad out of tank-fire, and it worked. Yes, they paniced, but they got out before the (bloody-great 122mm) tank got off another shot.

Yes, they then took a while to rally. But I knew they would, and they had the place to do it safely in. The same squad went on to do well, and ended the game snuggling a VP flag.

I reckon the "withdraw" saved them from permanent damage.

In other words, what junk2drive, said.

[junk2drive]

If you have CMAK and want a lesson in fighting withdrawl, get the operation

HSG-B-The Forest Battle by Warmonger

Even if you only play part of it you will learn something. You win by preventing the Germans from reaching the end of the map.