I posted this over at the BBG forums but got no answers:

Hi,

yesterday we ran into the following situation:

Planet with two areas only, both occupied by a Wraith (of different factions). Player A issued a mobilize order and attacked Player B's area with (only) his single Wraith (thus "emptying" the other area). Both Players played a Wraith Card PLUS Cloaking as support. Neither player had "Detector", so BOTH players had to withdraw. Here it got tricky: There was an empty area on the planet (where the attacking Wraith had come from), but obviously only ONE Wraith could withdraw to there.

The question (to which we found no answer in the rules) is WHOSE Wraith gets to withdraw and what happens to the other Wraith? The rules do not state who has to withdraw first!

You will note that this applies to any two cloaked units that can attack each other.

Hope someone here can shed some light on it.

Regards,

Anwar

Since you are not allowed to withdraw in the area the attack started from, only the attacker can withdraw, since the other one lacks a legal area to go. Elsewhile, I would have a look in the rules who withdraws first and solve it after that.

Stefan said:

I'm not sure I understand you. In Starcraft there is no single area that an attack "starts from", only an area where the battle takes place. And, in fact, you MAY withdraw to an empty area that previously contained attacking units (because that area is empty now). Finally, as I have already written, THERE IS NO ORDER OF WITHDRAWING IN THE RULES. That's the sole reason this question popped up in the first place!

The attacker deals its damage first, so the defender would withdraw first. I would definately ask FFG this one is not clear from the book/faq

OK, my bad. I'm sorry.

Here's the official answer from Corey Konieczka:

"The defender would withdraw first, then the attacker (much like the
retreating rules in the FAQ). If this leaves the attacker with no
where to withdraw to, he is destroyed.

I hope this answers your question!"

Thanks.

And this question is just as pertinent if you defeat a cloaked unit and you used additional units beyond the unit limit of the area. Your extra units would need to retreat to a friendly or empty area, as would the cloaked unit.

Let's paint the scenario even further: Let's say that in this setup, you are attacking an area with a base and an Air Support Module. You used an Offensive Module to attack the area from an adjacent planet, so your transport has been destroyed. The defender retreats to the only empty area on the planet. Now, your additional units beyond the unit limit of the area must be destroyed because they have nowhere to go. Ouch! Watch out for that one.

...of course, you could always use a unit or tech that gives you the Detector capability and then you wouldn't have to worry it.