Is it possible to retreat from battle without conceding?

[hamysho]

Is it possible to retreat from battle without conceding defeat or waiting for the timelimit to end? There are times when I want to do a hit and run attack on the enemy. For example, an ambush with Cav, run in take out their ranged and withdraw towards the castle. Or a foray from a castle to attack siege equipment and retreat. Or a castle hit and run with archers.

[HopAlongBunny]

I don't think so.

Victory in past TW games always goes to whoever holds the field or achieves their goals at the end of the battle. Doubt this one is any different.

[Ishmael]

I've been a bit annoyed by this too, trying to attack a city whilst besieging it (to whittle down their troops using my archer superiority) only to have to break the siege after. I seem to recall that in Rome, the battle was simply considered a draw if neither side was wiped out/took the city centre, and the siege was unbroken? What was it like in the later games (I haven't played them all)?

[HopAlongBunny]

What was it like in the later games (I haven't played them all)?

I actually generalize from a point of ignorance myself :) I haven't played any TW since M2TW; having to withdraw/lose skirmish battles against a superior foe always led to nasty V&V's for using a perfectly sound tactic.

[Gregoshi]

Why not just use general-less armies for these types of attacks? The impact from the "defeat" doesn't hurt the real generals in your clan. This obviously won't work if you are defending a castle, but otherwise...

[therother]

In real life, sometimes you would want to use hit and run skirmishes, say using just a horse archer/light calvary force, to slow down/inflict casualties on an invader. Would be useful to have "tactical withdrawal" button that leads your armies to execute a tactical withdrawal in good order (assuming none of your troops are engaged, routing or intercepted prior to leaving the battlefield) that allows you to use your remaining movement points in that turn, from the position of the battle.

Think I might add it to the suggestions list.

[Dead Guy]

There is still a button for ordering troops to withdraw though, right? In the bottom left? Sure, you'll still lose the battle, but I'm guessing you won't take the horrendous casualties you would if you pressed Esc and conceded defeat.

Still having movement on the campaign map would be sweet though. As it is they'd probably just be attacked during the end turn and forced to fight until routed, and destroyed.

[Monk]

There is still a button for ordering troops to withdraw though, right? In the bottom left? Sure, you'll still lose the battle, but I'm guessing you won't take the horrendous casualties you would if you pressed Esc and conceded defeat.

Still having movement on the campaign map would be sweet though. As it is they'd probably just be attacked during the end turn and forced to fight until routed, and destroyed.

Yes there's a withdrawal button, I've used it on occasion to save my general and a few elite troops when the battle started to go south.