I was thinking to myself how will ETW stack up historically with regard to scale and unit composition. So I have drawn up a basic explanation of the formations of the day and what they consist of.
I have also included a pic so people get an idea in their head of how big an army would have been. This also brings to light what a massive undertaking it was to move and maneover the army. Feed the army etc.
This picture (fig1) below shows an infantry battalion of Napoleonic times.
Essentially each block is one company of 100 men. their are 10 companies of 100 men which make up the 1000 man battalion. You will note that the Battalion has one set of colours(flags) in the middle.
Fig1
An army of the day had in basic terms.......
Company = 100 men
Battalion\regiment = 1000 men : (8 line, 1 light infantry, 1 grenadier company)
Brigade = 3-4 Infantry Battlaions = 3000 (or 4000) men
Division = 3-4 Brigades + arty brigade = 9000 - 12000 men + arty
Army = 10 divisions + Cavalry Division = 90,000 men + arty + 9000 cavalry
+ General staff, scouts/guides, field train (supplies)
Keep in mind that it was the Battalion (also called regiment) formation that usually had a name associated for battle records and recognition. Names such as 42nd Battalion Black Watch or Coldstream guards. However you will also often see many battalions of the same name but different number serving in different formations. An example would be 1st battalion 60th foot then 2nd battlaion 60th foot. This would usually be the result of the same administrative unit at home raising a 2nd, 3rd or more unit under their 1st units name. It was common to have a Battalion or Companies at home to train and raise raw recruits while the real one was in the field. Thus the difference between a regiment and a battalion, regiment being more administrative. The regiment included the administration at home, any recruitment or reserve forces + the units in the field + any other units in the field that were raised by the regimental administration.
In some armies a regiment may consist of two battalions plus a couple of companies at home that trained new recruits. Suffice to say that regiment is a confusing bloody topic!!!
Oh and to make it even more confusing during peace time some units get merged to become two numbers e.g. 12/14 lol Then u have two unit histories for the same unit!!!
Now in ETW I am assumeing we are getting 20 units at about 100 men each. Thats enough, if we take 3 units away for arty and cavalry, to make 1.5 battalions. This would have been considered to be a skirmish taking approx 2% of an armies strength to carry out.
LArger armies of the day approached 300-500,000 men in a typical European army.
Although it was even common to have armies in th 30,000 - 60,000 men size. Especially earlier in the period. A typical ETW engagement will still only represent a tiny percentage of a real army
What would be really cool though, is if CA somehow simulated the regimental and army systems of the day. Supplies, replacements coming from units home towns etc
That is why I still dream of something a cross between the game 2nd manassass and total war. I want the strat map and graphics from total war and the tactical map and scale of 2nd manassass.
I can however deal with the scale, I am sure I will be dissappointed by the map size however
I understand the need to limit numbers on the field because:
a) The pathing issues would be crazy
b) Earlier computers could not handle the numbers
c) The map just aint big enough!!
d) this game is really about skirmish sized battles. If only they found a way of linking them all into
a meaningfull battle! Many small battles making up a large one somehow.
e) They are not really interested in actually simulating the warfare of the day? Well I have to admit thats probably just a throw away comment!