Retreat must not move away from our colony.

[boutss]

Hi;
I feel like retreating doesn’t take into account the need to move closer to one of our colonies, or at least not move further away from one.
Is this a bug?

Thank you

[Lunalol]

This is just a misreading of the rules on your part.
This topic has been discussed many times before, the BGA implementation follows the rules well.

[FroggerWimsey]

Here is another thread discussing retreats:
https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39989

I thought this was a good comment (from the above thread):
"But it doesn't matter, because a good player should know you MUST block your opponent from retreating into surprising places"
I've definitely learned that the hard way

[Deckeon]

Apparently the expansion "close encounters" is going to "fix" this.

[J Napes]

The Master Rulebook now explicitly states that a retreating unit must retreat to a System hex that is CLOSER to one of its own colonies than the hex from which it is retreating.

No more "retreating" in the direction of an opponent's colony or homeworld.

It would be great if this rule clarification was implemented once and for all.

[Lunalol]

And this rule was implemented a long time ago without need of clarification.
BGA implementation follow this rule since the first day.

[J Napes]

I see. Well, several recent games did not implement the clarification.

Re-posted in Bugs forum

[Lunalol]

They do but you are misreading rules.

[J Napes]

Please help me to understand how I am misreading the rule.

Of course I agree that the phrase ‘CLOSER to my nearest colony’ does not appear in the Rulebook.

It is the first part of the sentence in the Rulebook that I highlight:

“It must retreat into a System that is closer to one of its Colonies than the hex that it is retreating from;”

Please explain how I have misinterpreted. The game situation I have described in the Bug report does not seem to align with this rule.

I also understand the second part of the sentence — “this does not need to be the closest colony” — to mean that the hex/System retreated to does not need to be a colony hex.

Am I still misreading it?
I interpret ‘hex’ and ‘System’ as being interchangeable terms. Perhaps that is my mistake?

Please advise when you have a moment.
Thanks

[Jellby]

The Master Rulebook now explicitly states that a retreating unit must retreat to a System hex that is CLOSER to one of its own colonies than the hex from which it is retreating.

Wrong. It says " It must retreat into a System that is equally distant or closer to one of its Colonies than the hex that it is retreating from". At least version 1.3 from https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/1682 ... -rule-book does. There's a difference between CLOSER and EQUALLY DISTANT OR CLOSER. It also says that "this does not need to be the closest Colony. Closeness is determined “as the crow flies,” ignoring intervening terrain and ships".

In no way does it prohibit to retreat in the direction of an opponent colony or home world. If that is equally distant or closer to at least one of your colonies, it's allowed, even if it's farther from all other of your colonies.