Originally Posted by
Aleksandr Vasilyevich Suvorov
While thousands of troops died during these battles, the individual soldiers did not act as recklessly as in the game. They were stricken with terror and only advancing because they felt they had to for various reasons - obligation to their comrades, fear of punishment or being called a coward. If shell-holes and other cover was available, they used it, especially when the shooting started. Soldiers did not stand on breastworks to get a better shot at the enemy unless they were severely shell-shocked and crazy. Suppression fire would keep most men down. The formation-shattering, morale-shattering effect of shelling was also far greater than it is in-game. Many soldiers died, but they did not act in the suicidal way of the game. Vanilla NTW had the same problem. Units often fled after receiving a single volley and a bayonet charge; in the game, they would stand and fight in close combat, which BARELY EVER HAPPENED. The huge casualties of these battles were also inflicted over larger fronts and longer times than in-game. The front of the first day of the Somme was many kilometres long, and the first day lasted...1 day, not 20 minutes.
The suicidal behaviour is more on the defending side than on the attacking side. While attackers lost entire units of men, defenders did not leave their trenches and defensive postions to get a better shot at the enemy. Gunners did NOT charge the enemy lines with knives.
The main problem here is that World War 1 infantry, especially in the later period, operated in many smaller squads, not huge, dense units. Any scale but "tactical" feels very awkward to play. In the end, NTW is a game for a different period (100 years before!), and even for that period, it was a fairly c rappy effort. Your work has been admirable, but it will never become a good World War 1 game because it was, at the base level, still made by CA.
I've actually had all TW games uninstalled for several days, and I doubt that I will ever play them again, except possibly Europa Barbarorum for nostalgia's sake.