A wireless communication system comprising: a source node, a destination node, and at least one relay node configured to transmit and receive in synchronized timeslots; wherein the source node is configured to transmit a first message to the destination node in a first timeslot; wherein the destination node is configured to receive the first message and to transmit an indication of whether the first message has been correctly received; wherein the at least one relay node is configured to operate in an incremental relaying manner by receiving and storing the first message transmitted by the source node, wherein, when the at least one relay node does not receive the indication from the destination node or receives a positive indication from the destination node, the at least one relay node is configured not to transmit the first message; wherein when the source node receives a positive indication from the destination node, the source node is configured to transmit a second message in a subsequent timeslot; and wherein when no indication or a negative indication is received at the source node from the destination node and a negative indication is received at the at least one relay node from the destination node, the source node and the at least one relay node are configured to participate in a cooperative retransmission process in which: the source node is configured to retransmit the first message in the subsequent timeslot, or to perform neither retransmission of the first message nor transmission of said second message in the subsequent timeslot; and the at least one relay node is configured to transmit the first message in the subsequent timeslot. a source node, a destination node, and at least one relay node configured to transmit and receive in synchronized timeslots; wherein the source node is configured to transmit a first message to the destination node in a first timeslot; wherein the destination node is configured to receive the first message and to transmit an indication of whether the first message has been correctly received; wherein the at least one relay node is configured to operate in an incremental relaying manner by receiving and storing the first message transmitted by the source node, wherein, when the at least one relay node does not receive the indication from the destination node or receives a positive indication from the destination node, the at least one relay node is configured not to transmit the first message; wherein when the source node receives a positive indication from the destination node, the source node is configured to transmit a second message in a subsequent timeslot; and wherein when no indication or a negative indication is received at the source node from the destination node and a negative indication is received at the at least one relay node from the destination node, the source node and the at least one relay node are configured to participate in a cooperative retransmission process in which: the source node is configured to retransmit the first message in the subsequent timeslot, or to perform neither retransmission of the first message nor transmission of said second message in the subsequent timeslot; and the at least one relay node is configured to transmit the first message in the subsequent timeslot.