I have some questions.

1. You deploy unit directly to any planets of your choice on the line?
2. Units deploy ready (not exhausted)?
3. If a unit is exhausted at a planet and combat starts, after all units have exhausted for combat strikes, it ready as the rest of the combatants do.

OK.. so I think that is all right?

Now.. can units retreat if there is no combat occurring on the planet they are on? The rules says: "Retreat refers to the act of withdrawing a unit from combat and returning it to its controller’s HQ." But the combat happens in a way, as you can activate the battle text if the planet is undefended and has no opposing units. The retreat part of the combat round is before the battle text effect is claimed, you must leave at least one unit.

Am I right on all these point?

1) yes

2) yes

3) Yes

If there is no battle then the retreat option will not be available. Battles only occur at first planet and any planet with at least one warlord there.

The option to retreat units is between combat rounds. If there is no opposing units as they have all been killed or whatever and you have a ready unit then the battle will end. If you do not have a ready unit then the combat round ends, units ready, you have option to retreat and then when one of your ready units goes to attack you win the battle.

so if you have no opponent at a planet there is no way to get your units back to HQ?

so if you have no opponents at a planet do you still get the battle effect bonus from the planet?

so if you have no opponent at a planet there is no way to get your units back to HQ?

Well, yes and no. There is no way to get your units back to HQ without a battle at the planet, but you don't actually have to have opponents at a planet in order to have a battle. You do need it to be the First Planet, to have a warlord present, or both, to have a battle, but you don't actually need to have any opponent's units.

As Toq says, the only place in the timing structure where non-warlord units are allowed to retreat is between battle rounds. Warlords can also retreat in place of taking a combat turn/strike. Both assume that a battle is taking place. So there can be no retreat without a battle.

So, if you want to retreat a unit from a particular planet that is not the First Planet, you need to send your warlord there so that there will be a battle at that planet.

A planet's text cannot be activated unless you first win a battle at that planet. That requires the planet to either be the First Planet or to have had a warlord committed to it during the Command Phase. Now, it is technically possible, during a battle, for all players to retreat all of their units at the same time between battle rounds, but if they do that, the "win the battle" condition is never met (because in order to win a battle, a unit has to be ready to strike, but have no enemy to strike against), so there is no winner and the planet text cannot be activated. But that's a fairly unlikely situation, I would think.

so if you have no opponent at a planet there is no way to get your units back to HQ?

so if you have no opponents at a planet do you still get the battle effect bonus from the planet?

1) depends on if you mean there was never any or they are all dead now and if you have a ready unit after killing all of them.

2) yes as long as you win a battle you get the battle action.

right, so a battle occurs with the warlord at planet 2+, so if the warlord is there and there is no opponents, or you kill the opponents. The warlord and the units can retreat?

right... so a battle occurs with the warlord, so if the warlord is there and there is no opponents, or you kill the opponents. The warlord and the units can retreat?

Again it depends on the timing of when this occurs. As soon as a ready unit goes to attack and there is no opposing units remaining the battle immediately ends.

If all of your units are exhausted and are now unopposed the combat round ends, all units ready, you have option to retreat, next combat round starts and a unit starts its combat turn unopposed then now the battle ends.

The basic rules at the end of a battle are this:

1. If the battle was at the first planet, all remaining units return to the HQ.

2. If the battle was at a planet other than the first, warlords must return to the HQ, but all other units remain.

So, if you want to retreat a unit from a planet other than the first planet, here's what you need to do:

1. Send your warlord there to ensure there is a battle.

2. Have enough of a battle so that you finish at least one combat round without anyone winning the battle (which will never happen if there are no opposing units).

3. Between combat rounds, retreat your units to the HQ.

Your other option is to Rout the unit with a card effect. Other than that, once a unit is deployed at a planet, it's going to stay there until:

A) It is killed;

B) The planet is captured; or

C) It survives a combat round that ends without a winner during a battle at the planet.

?????

Ok lets try this way...

Example 1

• I have a warlord and a 2 units at planet 4
• There is no opponent units

Dose the battle text on the planet resolve for me, and can I retreat the warlord and the units?

Example 2

• I have a warlord and a 2 units at planet 4
• There is 1 opponent unit
• I exhaust my unit, the the opponents exhausts his, then I exhaust my warlord and kill the opponents unit.
• Now I have 1 unit exhausted, 1 unit ready and 1 warlord exhausted, and there are no opponent units.

Rhe battle text on the planet dose resolve for me. Can I retreat the warlord and the units.

Exampe one, yes you still win a battle, only the warlord could retreat but warlord goes back to HQ at end of a battle anyway so the point is moot.

Example two, yes you won a battle, warlord will leave when the battle ends anyway, no you cannot retreat your unit. You never reached the end of a combat round.

So, if you want to retreat a unit from a planet other than the first planet, here's what you need to do:

1. Send your warlord there to ensure there is a battle.

2. Have enough of a battle so that you finish at least one combat round without anyone winning the battle (which will never happen if there are no opposing units).

3. Between combat rounds, retreat your units to the HQ.

So the only way to retreat a unit from planet 2+ is to have the warlord there so there is combat, then have 1 full combat round and then retreat, letting the oponant win and gain the planet bonus?

So, if you want to retreat a unit from a planet other than the first planet, here's what you need to do:

1. Send your warlord there to ensure there is a battle.

2. Have enough of a battle so that you finish at least one combat round without anyone winning the battle (which will never happen if there are no opposing units).

3. Between combat rounds, retreat your units to the HQ.

So the only way to retreat a unit from planet 2+ is to have the warlord there so there is combat, then have 1 full combat round and then retreat, letting the oponant win and gain the planet bonus?

You don't have to retreat all units, it is not all or nothing. Leave at least one ready unit unopposed and it wins as soon as it goes to attack in the next combat round.

Overall: Be careful where you deploy your units because, short of card effects, they are probably going to be there until you capture the planet or the unit dies.

I interpreted it differently:

at end of a combat round not on the first planet,

after everyone has exhausted/killed all the enemiy units,

you retreat all but the warlord.

Then the next round starts, only your warlord is present,

and no opposing units, so you win the combat.

Victory conditions are checked at the beginning of a new round.

Troops are in hq.

(It is still not possible to retreat though in case of no enemies present.)

Correct?

Victory condition is checked WHENEVER you take a combat turn with no enemy unit at the planet. You don't have to wait until a new round begins unless the last attack of the round was also the attack that destroyed the last enemy unit.

So the scenario you describe can happen, but only if you do manage to exhaust all units at the same time that you destroy the last remaining enemy.

I really wish that FFG came up with a cheat-sheet that would give more examples (as above) for us to reference during our gaming.

There seems to be some confusion concerning Action Windows and Retreats that have constantly been coming up for the past 2+ months, and I too have the same issues with the OP.

(please note that I still don't own a copy of the rules as my Conquest order has yet to come in)

You don't have to retreat all units, it is not all or nothing. Leave at least one ready unit unopposed and it wins as soon as it goes to attack in the next combat round.

Unless an enemy unit with Ambush (or similar ability or a different card with some sort of Interrupt/Ambush equivalent) gets activated and placed on the planet to wrest control away from you.

Love the tactical and overall strategical play in this game.

So, basically, you can only retreat units when there's actually going to be another round?

I think the key point then is being able to calculate exactly how many units so you will need, and retreat the rest.

By the way, Ambush units can only be deployed at the start of the Combat Phase, so no chance of surprises there. Still you could have an Event that allows you to move a unit from planet to planet.

Back to the original poster, there are factions that allow you to recover units from a battle.

Ambush can be done as an Acton during the combat phase, as per the RR entry for ambush. That means any action window during the combat phase.

You may be thinking of Mobile. That can only be used at the beginning of the Combat Phase.

Yep, sorry =P

(please note that I still don't own a copy of the rules as my Conquest order has yet to come in)

Both rulebooks are online.

(please note that I still don't own a copy of the rules as my Conquest order has yet to come in)

Both rulebooks are online.

Yup. I downloaded those. I still would like to have the hardcopies in my hand, though.