A French infantry division on Attack orders. Its objective is an Austrian Division. It contacts the bad guys and causes them to Retreat or be Broken.
Next turn, assuming no new orders were activated and no leader came over to Take Command and issue new orders - what happens with this French Division?
Are they required to keep chasing down the defeated Austrians (as they are on Attack orders and the target formation is still on the board), likely getting themselves dangerously out of position?
Or are they said to have met their requirement to enter Close Combat against the target formation, and having fulfilled their order they now revert to Defend?
-Yahoo Group, 7/26/17
Are they required to keep chasing down the defeated Austrians (as they are on Attack orders and the target formation is still on the board), likely getting themselves dangerously out of position?
Yes.
This is why supporting [S] Formations are important. Make sure the attacking [A] Formation always has friends coming along to back them up so that they “have a wingman” should they breakthrough.
This also goes to the importance of considering Force objective diligently rather than just always picking the enemy directly ahead of you. Maybe that village just behind the enemy’s center is a good stopping point eh?
-David