When should I retreat a unit in CoH?

Question

It is possible to have units retreat to your base at any time. Retreating will cancel all negative effects as well as increase defense values and movement speed. However, the unit cannot be controlled until it reached the base via a more or less random path.

Failing to retreat a unit, especially when pinned down, often results in the loss of the whole group. Retreating too early loses offensive strength in battle. How do I recognize the best time to issue the command?

Answer 1

Normally I would retreat a unit just before it is about to die, or when it encounters an enemy which it cannot counter and cannot reasonably evade.

Times when I might not retreat as above might be:

Keeping the unit in place to take enemy fire

• allows another unit to flank.
• stops an enemy from helping another battle elsewhere.
• keeps an enemy still while artillery is about to obliterate it
• keeps an enemy tank in range while AT is brought into range
• waiting for a unit to get an upgrade (SMG, shrek/recoilless rifle upgrade)

Apart from special situations like those above, and all other factors being equal I would normally retreat a unit so it just makes it back to base with minimal health. This is usually with one or two men left of a squad.

Be careful about being too quick to retreat, if possible just walk away/around if you run into a unit in a building or long range unit in cover.