Hi, this came up in my game today:

I played a mobilise order card where I placed an activation token in an area with neutral units in it. When I moved my figures in I attempted diplomacy and the result was that I had to retreat. I moved back to my original area. My question is what happens to the activation marker? If it is discarded can I play supremacy bonus on mobilise order card and attempt to move into the area again?

Activation tokens remain in the area until the next Spring, or unless a card specifically says to remove one (like the Favor of the Warriors Guild card). So in this case, the activation token remains, and you'd have to wait until next year to try again.

Also note that retreating units are routed, so even if you could get the activation token out of there, you'd have to move in different units to try again this year.

I'm pretty sure (though not 100%) that moving into an area containing neutral units counts as your "one battle" even if the result is retreat or alliance. Only one POTENTIAL battle between both moves that Mobility gives you.

Steve-O said:

This is incorrect. It only counts as your one battle if you either don't use diplomacy at all, or you end up with a "red" result and opt to battle. If you usea "gold" or "grey" result, it does NOT count as a battle, nor does it count as a battle if you use a "red" result and choose to exercise the retreat option.

So you could use your first move to attack an enemy, and then a second move to attempt diplomacy against neutrals. Note, however, if you do that, and your diplomacy result is "red", you MUST retreat, since you would not be allowed to start a second battle.

You could also do diplomacy first, and as long as the result of that diplomacy action didn't result in a battle, you could use your second move to make an actual attack.

If you move into an area containing neutral units and attemp diplomacy but draw a card that causes you to retreat are your units routed? I thought units can only become routed through battle.

monk said:

Yes, they become routed. Battle is the usual way that units would be forced to retreat (and thus be routed), but any retreat, even those not involving battle, causes units (and heroes) to rout. The only exception is with the Tactical Retreat card, which specifically does NOT rout the units.