Retire vs. Retreat vs. Rout: Tentative Definitions and Further Explanation. . .

Ol' Frederick II leading his troops forward at Zorndorf, on foot no less, with renewed vigor.

Well, after information flooded in from various wargaming friends and acquaintances during the last 36 hour or so (Thank you, everyone!), I seem to have a better handle on the differences between these three terms.  I've cobbled together the working definitions and explanations below based on the responses to my question posed yesterday.  

Please feel free to leave any additional relevant comments as they occur to you, which might enable me to clarify things further.  New observations are welcome since many are well read and, no doubt, have a much better grasp of the subject than me.  

Remember, though, this is a work in progress by a dabbler and hobbyist (yours truly), so no one need tip over a figurative table full of figures and scenery in anger or annoyance like once happened long ago during the early days of the hobby as related by the late Donald Featherstone in a book or article(s) whose title(s) escapes me at the moment.  Read away and see what you think.

-- Stokes

Retire, Retreat, and Rout Defined -- All three are moving AWAY from the enemy: 

1) Retire 

*An orderly withdrawal.   

*When a commander chooses to disengage or shift his troops rearward although unit(s) may not even have made contact with enemy.   

*A deliberate decision to avoid a worse fate.   

*Officers and NCOs still in control and unit cohesion remains intact.  

*Units finish their move facing the enemy. 

*Example: “Unit moves back X number of inches with no further effect.” 


2) Retreat 

*Somewhat more urgent, but still within control of officers and NCOs and related cohesion maintained.   

*Temporarily disordered and wavering.   

*Less from choice than from necessity, for instance line infantry or jaegers in the open avoiding an approaching infantry charge.  

* Usually, follows contact with the enemy, though possibly only the threat of eventual contact, to avoid losing advantage and considerable damage/defeat.  

* Larger formations (brigades, divisions, etc.) usually covered by a rearguard.   

*For average units that have already taken a beating, or poor quality troops, however, a retreat might easily turn into a rout if enemy pressure/contact maintained.   

*Units finish their move with backs to the enemy but can reenter the fray without too much difficulty once the immediate threat has passed if rallied successfully.   

*Example: “Unit moves back X number of inches and requires rallying before it can return to the front line.” 


3) Rout 

*Wild panic has set in.   

*An uncontrolled, involuntary, and disorderly departure from battle.   

*Unit cohesion and discipline lost.   

*Unit(s) not under the control of officers, NCOs, or commanding general (i.e. The Player).  

*Usually the result of a melee or post-melee morale check although heavy casualties from enemy fire might lead to a rout for average to poor quality troops especially if they have taken a beating already.  

*Often requires a rally check (difficult) or some kind of command intervention (difficult) to recover, with possible removal from the table in the following if attempts fail to halt rout and rally troops in question.   

*Enemy units in close pursuit inflict double number of losses shown by D6 rolls to reflect that most casualties happen during a rout if attackers maintain pressure through pursuit. 

*Example: The classic, "Unit moves back a full charge move distance, facing away from enemy, suffers X number of hits/losses, and/or marked by with some form of long-term or permanent disorder or degradation.