[Saxon]

True enough, often I prefer killing them all off, particularly strong spell casting commanders. At this stage in my current game, I am dealing only with independents and militias, so I am very happy to run them off. However, I now need to start worrying about Mitlan and Pyrithum.

Caelum is particularly good at killing off everyone. When they fly in front of the retreating units, the fleeing troops have to run around or fight. Either way, they get hammered. Cavalry are also good at running the enemy down after a rout.

Still, the scattering of the enemy after a rout tends to disperse their forces well. You can then do a piecemeal clean up. Late game, some seeking arrows to hit the scattered commanders can really disrupt their reorganization. While it does take a couple of turns, cleaning up the broken pieces can turn the won battle into a won war. After a close battle where my troops have been badly reduced, I want to be sure I capitalize on the victory.

Needless to say, a rout when the enemy can not retreat and is eliminated is even more satisfying!