The important section of Vegetius closes with the tactics to be used in the face of withdrawal from the enemy. This highly difficult task requires immense skill and judgement. Both your own men and those of the enemy need to be deceived. He suggests that the troops be informed that their retirement is to draw the enemy into a trap and the movement can be screened from the enemy with the use of cavalry across the front. Then the units are drawn off in a normal manner, but this can only happen if the troops have not yet been engaged. During a retreat, some units are detached and left behind to ambush the enemy if there is a hasty advance, and this way the tables can be turned.
"Roman Army Tactics." The Roman Empire. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.
http://www.roman-empire.net/army/tactics.html.
Roman Army in Nashville. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 16 Apr. 2010.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Roman_army_in_nashville.jpg.
