This is a quick example that Stephen “Stew” Stewart posted on Facebook asking players what the best option would be for routing the broken unit shown in the image below (hex H7). I thought it was a great example to show that the Rout Phase is more than having your broken units run away and hide in cover. Sometimes you can use them to your tactical advantage!
A broken German unit near the bridge (H7) must rout because it’s ADJACENT to and within Normal Range (A10.532) of a Known Enemy Unit in hex I8 (A10.5), and it must rout toward the nearest woods/building in MF, not just wherever feels safe. Most players would forgo approaching the concealed Russian in F5 and rout directly to I5, stop in cover and hope to rally later. But this half-squad is basically doomed. There’s a better way to send it out in a blaze of glory.
The smart play is to use rout with purpose: rout into a nearby concealed enemy hex to trigger Detection, stripping the enemy of Concealment. The broken unit will die due to Failure to Rout, but because it’s the German turn, the Germans can then Advance and fight a now-unconcealed defender with much better ambush/CC odds. If the Germans ambush (before or after CC, assuming they survive), they can then withdraw into G6 and be that much closer to the bridge victory hex.
Check out the video above for all the details.
Academy Out!
GET TO THE CHOPPA…!!! 
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