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On the other side she requested the retreat and it was approved by fleet command. Normaly you would also not waste elite forces for getting a tatical victory if there are alternatives.Something else that occurred to me as I was reading this is that Tanya is absolutely right to be terrified that she's gotten in major trouble over her conduct during the hunt for the Scandinavian fleet. The higher-ups let her off the hook and blame the navy because she's the protagonist, but it really is her fault. She had eyes on the enemy fleet, and should've known that the High Seas Fleet might not be able to find them on their own in a raging gale. She should've followed the enemy fleet, giving the High Seas Fleet constant updates on their position, and maintained contact until the naval battle began. It's understandable that she wanted to leave; she's cold, sopping wet, tired, and she's got wounded. But her job is to guide the fleet onto its target and she indisputably fucked that up.