rearguard

withdrawal

Act of taking away

• retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
• pullbackWithdrawal or reduction
• evacuationRemoval from danger

fallback · disengagement · orderly retreat · escape route · extraction · breakaway · retrograde

delaying action

Combat to impede pursuit

• holding actionTactic to stall enemy advance
• screeningEvaluative selection process
• flankingAt the sides of

harassment · ambush · counterattack · feint · diversion · decoy · covering fire · fighting retreat · scorched-earth · attrition

flank

Side of body

• infantryGround combat troops
• cavalryMounted military force
• battalionMid-sized military unit

regiment · platoon · column · formation · phalanx · brigade · corps · squadron · division · artillery

conservative

Cautious about altering customs

• traditionalistAdherent to established customs
• holdoutOne refusing to participate
• reactionaryAnti-progress political stance

die-hard · last stand · resistance · defender · stalwart · laggard · straggler · hindmost · trailing · backward-looking

• defensedefense, defending, protecting, protection, security
• combat tacticsflanking, ambush, feint, skirmish, firefight
• back linedefender, fullback, center-back, sweeper, libero
• cavalry tacticscavalry charge, cavalry charges, cavalry raids, flanking, flank attack
• medieval warfareknights, siege warfare, castle, castle siege, siege
• warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict