Special Operations

[Gray Fox]

This is an application of exfiltration or an operation to break contact with the enemy. I sent an infantry Division to take Manassas which was only held by a brigade. Unfortunately, a 2000 power stack showed up to defend Manassas. My Division called off the attack, but was now trapped by a much stronger enemy force and locked in a region with 100% enemy control. The next turn, the 39th would be flipped to offensive mode and smash itself to bits. To prevent this, I broke the Division down so that it was a stack with all of the elements that were part of the Division. I then created several small four element groups with a high evasion score and directed them to leave the region switched to Passive mode/Retreat if Engaged or simply Green icon/Green icon (G/G) setting. The next turn, all of the groups had escaped the region and certain death.

This is an application of infiltration, where you need to sneak into a defended position. The enemy has a series of strongpoints along a river line. The player will suffer a considerable disadvantage to move a large army across the river and attack. So take one Division with a 2-star Corps commander and brake the unit down as above. Then move the small groups of brigades in G/G across the river without the need to switch to Offensive posture. The Cavalry Screen RGD will add to their Hide number. Finally, reconstitute the Division the next turn and further make it a Corps under the 2-star. If the enemy doesn't have 100% MC in the region, then this Corps can dig in and get reinforced with each new turn until you have a complete advantage. If the MC is 100% for the enemy, then the Division is set to Offensive mode and may be reinforced by the rest of the army who March to the Sound of the Guns and thus get no penalty to cross the river.

Special operations aren't a sure thing, but these may be a useful addition to your tactical toolbox.

[Smitzer52]

Thank you, was experimenting with a similar thing with cavalry and always found a distinct advantage in this tactics. March seperately, fight together pays off. Good to know it works on corps level too.

[DrPostman]

I've done this several times before, even breaking down 3 divisions of a corps. Most of it
survived the withdrawal. The only time that doesn't work is when they are more than 1
turn away from freedom, and even then at least a few get through.

[minipol]

I have also don this in the past to retreat. However applying the same concept with a corps to sneak into a defended position is new. Nice !