You cannot tell the enemy you're going to leave and expect the enemy to not - and expect to succeed. I mean, that's just a fundamental of warfare.
[The] aim is not so much to seek battle as to seek a strategic situation so advantageous that if it does not of itself produce the decision, its continuation by a battle is sure to achieve this. In other words, dislocation is the aim of strategy.
General Pickett, finding the battle broken while the enemy was still reinforcing, called the troops off.
There's, like, a little move back in the 'Halo' days, whenever you were getting chased, if you went around a corner and the guy followed you, and you jumped over his head and, like, backsmacked him. It was called like 'the ninja.'
I had my own battle tactics.
Here I am flying high over enemy lines in my Sopwith Camel searching for the Red Baron. Who's that behind me? It's the Red Baron! He has me in his sights! Give my regards to Broadway.
As full lines of battle could not be handled through the thick wood, I ordered the advance of the six brigades by heavy skirmish lines, to be followed by stronger supporting lines.
