Why isn't there a walk backwards/fall back command?

[Riekopo]

I've always wondered why there isn't a walk backwards/fall back command in Total War games. During the battle of Cannae a command like this would have been perfect. Intentionally allowing your units to give ground would add tactical depth to the battles.

[RGA]

Because the mechanics of Total war battles dictates that once two units are fighting each other, there would be no lull in between. Soldiers could not simply walk back when they were busy fighting. All falling back occurred during pause in battles, where two lines were just dozens of meters apart throwing insults or perhaps something more solid at each other.

[Earende]

Because it's totally historically inaccurate. Walking backwards was discovered in the modern era after tons of research into the human anatomy. It have no place in the timelines of any Total War games.

[prithupaul]

Because it's totally historically inaccurate. Walking backwards was discovered in the modern era after tons of research into the human anatomy. It have no place in the timelines of any Total War games.

I distinctly remember reading about Hannibal using this sort of tactical withdrawal at the Battle of Cannae at the center of his line.

Regardless of that, there should at least be a "push" option for the unit that is winning in a melee. Before anyone starts talking about physics, let me clarify. Physics or unit mass does not necessarily need to play a role here. "Push" here basically means, after a killing off an enemy soldier in the first line, the winner will advance one step forward to meet the second line instead of waiting for the enemy to fill the gap.

CA needs to rethink the "unit" not as an Age of Empire like single entity (like it currently does) but as a collection / formation of men. Since warscape apparently simulates individual combat, CA can take advantage of that.

[Riekopo]

Regardless of that, there should at least be a "push" option for the unit that is winning in a melee.

This mod claims to have a pushing mechanic. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=360180271

[Humble Warrior]

To be fair, ETW, Nap, STW2\FOTS has a walk backwards command. I know since i`ve used it a fair few times for Line Infantry fighting. Or did you mean a different thing?

[Earende]

I distinctly remember reading about Hannibal using this sort of tactical withdrawal at the Battle of Cannae at the center of his line...

I hope that you didn't seriously think that I said it took thousands of years before humans figured out that they can walk backwards.

[Elianus]

Because CA is too busy improving the A.I. (LMFAO) and making fantasy units to bother with insignificant things like improving gameplay or making the game feel more realistic.

[Aenar]

Yeah, but that command, although appreciable and useful, does not allow you to give ground during combat. Making setting up traps pretty difficult, for instance. That's the way I understood the question ; good point, btw.

[DeliCiousTZM]

A retreat fucntion like CoH2? Could be a feature for medieval 3 with cake forts. To call your soldiers back to the 2nd layer.

[Aenima]

Got to admit I'm kinda surprised that nothing like this has been included so far, especially with infantry heavy armies in which you may want to pull a badly battered unit off the line and send in a reserve. There's pretty much no alternative but to make your men turn their backs to the enemy and pull out of dodge, losing you a ton of men in the process. Holding down some kind of hotkey and ordering infantry to march somewhere would be brilliant if it allowed them to back off, whilst you could send a new unit through their ranks to take their place.

[Garensterz]

Rome Total War made this perfectly.

[prithupaul]

I hope that you didn't seriously think that I said it took thousands of years before humans figured out that they can walk backwards.

Sorry I can sometimes be sarcasm impaired, haha.