Retreats

All retreats must conform to the following restrictions:

1. The first retreat hex should be directly opposite and away from an enemy unit’s hex.  If there is more than one enemy hex, the owning player may choose the retreat hex as long as it is opposite one of the enemy hexes.
2. A unit may never retreat into a hex in a ZOC if another retreat option is available, even if that contradicts a. above.
3. If a unit must retreat into a ZOC, it must end its retreat at that hex and can retreat no further.  It gets a D marker regardless of whether the retreat was voluntary or involuntary.
4. A unit that occupies defensive terrain such as woods, sunken road, breastworks, as noted NR on the TEC, is not required to retreat as a combat result, but may retreat at the owning player’s discretion, unless it was charged by cavalry in which case it must retreat.
5. A unit may retreat off the map.  If it does, it may return to the map on the next turn as reinforcement at a hex within five hexes of the exit hex, and not in a ZOC.  Their return to the map is delayed by one turn for every five hexes distance from the exit hex.
6. Units which retreat onto friendly units may ignore stacking restrictions.  If the stack is attacked in the next round of combat, any strength above 8 is not counted in the defense, but they are subject to the combat result with the other units in the hex.  The owning player must make the stack conform to stacking restrictions in his next movement phase or eliminate units in excess of the stacking limits.
7. Shattered units forced to retreat into a town or woods hex are eliminated.
8. The second retreat hex, if taken, must attempt to move the unit closer to its brigade commander or adjacent to a friendly unit of the same brigade. 
9. Artillery forced to retreat automatically limbers first.