Can someone please explain this to me

[ArmChairGeneral]

These are the numbers in the GameLogic file for B/B orders (Defend/Defend-and-retreat), and these look like what you would expect.

// Defensive Posture - Third ROE (Defend & Retreat)

roeRetreatWill6 = 100|100|150|150|150|150
roeRetreatChance6 = 100|100|120|120|120|120
roeCombatCoeffOwn6 = 100|100|100|100|100|100
roeCombatCoeffOpp6 = 100|100|100|100|100|100

It appears based on the GameLogic files (which the engine references directly to get values that are not hard-coded) that the manual is not 100% correct about Defend-at-All-Costs. That being said, it will be rare to intentionally retreat under B/R, the numbers are quite low. Even if you do then each stack has to make another low-percentage roll to actually retreat.

The manual could be simplifying to make things easier to understand, because effectively, retreating under B/R orders will be rare. Unless you are getting down and dirty with the numbers (like we are) it will certainly "feel" like the order doesn't allow intentional retreat.

[Gray Fox]

So not exactly "Aut vincere, aut mori", but more like "mostly" hold at all cost. I suppose that "All out Attack" is also, mostly?

[ArmChairGeneral]

Gray Fox,

// Offensive Posture - First ROE (All-out attack)


roeRetreatWill0 = 000|000|080|090|100|100
roeRetreatChance0 = 000|000|060|065|070|075
roeCombatCoeffOwn0 = 135|135|130|125|120|115
roeCombatCoeffOpp0 = 150|150|150|145|140|135

So it appears that it is also "mostly." It looks like the numbers are a little higher than the defensive version, which makes sense, it will be a little harder to get your men to keep up an all-out attack than to keep up an all-out defense.

Interestingly, note the combat advantage you are ceding to the enemy under these orders!