Stealth Retreating

[Edi]

Yes, they die. You must have a friendly province to retreat to. Fleeing deaths are also recorded.

[lch]

I think they're maybe not necessarily in the battle report, but you'll get a message that "blabla tried to flee, but got nowhere to retreat to and died" message for your commanders.

[Edi]

There is that. I was thinking about enemy fleeing deaths, but your own line troops also get recorded that way, you just get a message for the commanders.