Here's the situation: a fleet of yours enter an unconnected system that is defended by a more powerful enemy fleet.


Maybe this took you by surprise because you didn't have vision on the system before you ordered your fleet to move. Or maybe you had vision on the system but now a powerful enemy fleet entered and began gaurding it while your fleet was transiting interstellar space to the system and it's no longer possible to redirect its movement. Or maybe your fleet is an exploration fleet. Whatever the case, you don't want to fight.


There's an unavoidable problem waiting for you :(


For whatever reason, you don't want to fight it out in this system. So you click retreat on the combat window. Your fleet is insta-killed because there is no "Starlane" or other such connection to the system (because it is an unconnected system, remember?) If you had a hero leading the fleet, he is now gone for 20 turns or something. This was a disaster.


Why?


Because your ships are destroyed while retreating from battle in unconnected systems.


My suggested fix is simple, and I'm open to alternatives if my readers have better ideas: Allow retreats from unconnected systems, suffering the usual 60% HP penalty that you are hit with in normal retreats.


Bottom line: You researched the technology that allows you to travel to unconnected systems, you should be allowed to travel away from them too... even if you're retreating from battle you pathetic pacifist ;p