in strategy games you usually have troops at the frontline whose sole purpose is to die fighting to buy you time to execute your plans or to protect stronger troops. is this something that happens in real life / used to happen before, if so what are the logistics of it, do the troops know that they are most likely goona die, etc..
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During the Battle of Gettysburg, General Hancock sent the 1st Minnesota Infantry into a suicidal run against Confederates threatening to breach his defenses. He needed to buy time for his reinforcements to arrive.
The 1st Minnesota was outnumbered 5-1 but charged in anyway and held out for a surprising amount of time whilst suffering 87% casualties. It bought Hancock enough time for his reinforcements to arrive. His defenses held and the Confederates retreated.
The Battle of Gettysburg might have had a different outcome if the 1st Minnesota hadn’t charged in despite overwhelming odds.
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