Why does a zero center extend the game in fall?

[OldBaldGuy]

Currently playing game 144779. This is a protected game. It is Fall, and Austria has just been eliminated. Austria is the only country with a retreat. Regardless of where Austria retreats, the unit will have to be destroyed. So why is the game extended in this situation? Nothing Austria or a replacement could do would change the outcome - elimination of the Austria units.

[NJLonghorn]

I think the answer is probably that the programming would be unjustifiably involved. They would have to "teach" the computer how to consider every possible scenario and determine whether any of them might make a difference in the game.

[OldBaldGuy]

I think this is a fairly simple decision tree. Is it fall? If yes, Does the retreating country have any SCs? If No, destroy all units and advance the game. I know this is a small thing but it is a smart enhancement.

[Zosimus]

Doesn't this eliminate the possibility that said unit might be able to retreat into an open supply center?

[Charleroi]

The retreating unit could also destroy a displaced unit controlled by a foreign power if both retreated into the same space.

[OldBaldGuy]

Great point. That could extend the game, and I see how the programming would get complex.

[super_dipsy]

The key points have already been made, but I would also add that if a country cannot retreat, the unit is destroyed in the movement phase rather than having to destroy in a Retreat one. If this was the only unit that would otherwise have had to retreat, the turn can then skip the retreat phase entirely. But that did not apply here because the Austrian unit had somewhere it could have retreated to so it was not immediately destroyed in the Fall movement phase.