Also alien, your 30 ships got ambused by 10 enemy ships before making it to the blockade, and managed to take the 10 ships down at a cost of 20 ships
Minecraft, maybe some of your troops, if not officers aren't who they say they are
Well our army has been concealing itself lately, i daresay it won't be too easy for enemy spies to find our position in a forested area.
Now slow down the 1000 retreat, make them actually visible to the enemy force, have the soldiers make themselves look battered and exhausted. Also send a delegation to the enemy force, saying: "We are all that's left, please spare us, we'll surrender without terms, just end this misery."
Do keep in mind that they do have a spy network in all parts of enemy countries
The enemy troops have repelled your "ambush" and are continueing their march, more on guard, the enemy reienforcements are still closing in, do remember that
Hopefully the fake ambush satisfies their suspicions of where we are.
Ooooh, ok, lets give them some mindbending. Send 1000 Troops down the trail toward their position. Attack in an ambush, but a fake ambush, just make it look like it was the real thing. And spread out the troops to make our army look bigger, as though it is the main force. Once our troops begin to be pushed back, have the smaller force retreat UP the trail, toward our main positions. And make sure to have the 1000 ambushers look like whatever is left of our army, as if we all starved.