Suggestions on how to commit Feigned Retreats

[Loose Cannon]

Feigned retreats: this is one of the most difficult maneuvers to conduct amidst the field of battle... any suggestions???

Im going to compile, with The Org's permission, a grand tactical manual to be posted for all its members...

[Snowhobbit]

Use withdraw from battle, its easier to get control of the units that way...
Im not an expert on this strategy...

[Brutal DLX]

I doubt this maneuver's usefulness in this game. In MP it is pretty pointless, as the maps being played on are rather small, and in SP the AI is already stupid enough http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif and they will simply follow you as I think they can see your general always.
If, however, you absolutely have to do it, then split your forces during setup, hide infantry and slow moving units in woods, or behind hills, move cav and fast moving units/missile troops up front and skirmish with the enemy, then let maybe one or two units attack and withdraw the rest once those two units have been defeated. Retreat back to your hidden units, but at angle, then hit the enemy in the flank with your rested units, while also charging again with retreating units.
Needless to say, this only works on some maps.
Occasionally, you might be able to lure enemies on bridges on rivermaps when they are defending.

[King John II]

I imagine that a mounted unit would suffer fewer casualties while disengaging.

And I wonder whether the tactic would work a little better against opposing troops prone to make undisciplined charges?

It is said that in the battle of Hastings William the bastard induced the saxon house carls to break their shield wall and charge down off a hilltop by feigning retreat. When the normans had lured the saxons down off the hill their armoured knights turned and began a slaughter which ended the battle.

I have always thought those saxons must have been doughty fighters. During that year they made a 200 mile forced march from London to York where they fought - and won - a pitched battle against an army of vikings then immediately made a 200 mile forced march back from York to face the Normans.

Hard to pick two tougher opponents. And they came close to beating William.

[Russ Mitchell]

They were indeed doughty fighters. Later, when many of them had gone over to service in the Varangian Guard, they still showed their basic ability to shut cavalry down cold... I forget the name of one of those battles, but they stopped Guiscard's Normans butt-cold prior to getting flanked because one of the other units of the foot had drifted out of position, leaving them exposed at the front.

[Kilgore]

i don't recall the name of that battle either, but it was one of the few recorded occasion when infantry were doing the charging and cavalry were doing the dying in a pitched battle. the disinherited of 1066 revenging themselves upon their old foe: pretty easy to romantize that encounter http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

as far a feigned withdrawals go i've had good (maybe too good) results against the AI with a bit of micromanaging. not strictly a feigned witdrawal, more like a provocation to break ranks: i can generaly induce a few units to come down from hills/out of forest/away from missle support and chase my harrassing horse archers/light cav. two or three units of fast light cavalry (archers, alans, hobilars, some muslim units, etc.) make a nasty kill team operating on the flanks of the enemy: the archers either provoke the enemy into exposing his flank or going into loose formation where the light cavalry can manuever for simultaneous charges on opposite flanks/to the rear. very nasty, only breaks down against massed missle support or corresponding units of enemy cavalry.

[katar]

Quote[/b] ] not strictly a feigned witdrawal, more like a provocation to break ranks: i can generaly induce a few units to come down from hills/out of forest/away from missle support and chase my harrassing horse archers/light cav.

i do the same, but just use the ordinary archer (not cav archers) you have to keep a good eye on them and watch out for enemy horse, but they make tempting bait for the enemy. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gregoshi]

Loose Cannon, before you go too far into your tactical manual, check out frogbeastegg's epic A Beginner's Guide... (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=9203) topic. Perhaps you can come up with something that compliments the information already there.