Night Battles - Perfect Era, But Not Here?

**Matsky** · April 05, 2009, 05:57 AM

Are CA planning to add night battles to E:TW? I haven't read it mentioned anywhere, but maybe someone has. Reading the Sharpe series and the night battles are so vivid in their descriptions with canon and musket fire. I'm also thinking of trying the smoke mod as there doesn't seem to be enough in vanilla. Night battles would be beautiful and so atmospheric. Previous TW games have only really benefited from the use of flaming arrows but in this game there would be bursts of light everywhere. Does anyone know if night battles were historically common in this era?

**L'Ost** · April 05, 2009, 06:00 AM

You won't regret trying the smoke mod, beleive me.
The only problem is you can't use it in mutliplayer anymore.

On night battles, I remember reading things about Napoleonic warfare. They stopped to fight at night because armies were ranged armies. It add a lot of random stuff to battle : basically, all units but horses should get "can hide anywhere".

**Skeleton Of The West** · April 05, 2009, 06:40 AM

I wished that there were still night battles, but like L'Ost said, it was stopped.

About the smoke mod- its great!

**fishcop444** · April 05, 2009, 06:55 AM

Damn, I forgot about night battles. You just reminded me of another reason to be disappointed in Empire!

**Humble Warrior** · April 05, 2009, 07:01 AM

I did have ONE battle once that appeared to be a night battle. It was very dark with a night sky. I was quite surprised. Not seen another one since.

**jaklei** · April 05, 2009, 08:39 AM

They actually forgot to take out the traits which enable night battles

Soo much for thinking it through lads!

**Ascarona** · April 05, 2009, 08:51 AM

Night battles?!?! Are you kidding me?!
A lack of light would make aiming for artillery and infantry near impossible, and giving every soldier a torch to hold would make them unable to fire their muskets. Night battles are a bad idea for battlefields.

However it would be a very good idea for naval combat.

**mightyfenrir** · April 05, 2009, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Ascarona

Night battles?!?! Are you kidding me?!
A lack of light would make aiming for artillery and infantry near impossible, and giving every soldier a torch to hold would make them unable to fire their muskets. Night battles are a bad idea for battlefields.

However it would be a very good idea for naval combat.

I've gotten some fairly dusky looking naval battles that were wicked awesome! They're especially great when something catches on fire or you're close down to the ships and you can see the shock waves of the cannon, oh it's great!

**Djûn** · April 05, 2009, 08:59 AM

Night battles are a bit hopeful for this Era. As Ascarona said, you would be unable to see anything and, combined with the smoke which was always present in such land battles, it would be essentially impossible to know where anybody was.

**Mangalore** · April 05, 2009, 09:04 AM

Night battles were an unimportant gimmick for other eras, as well. They were the exception with some extraordinary stunts that brilliantly succeeded. They were not something a sane commander normally would bet his chances on wether he was Caesar or Napoleon!!

In essence in a preradio army all communications would break down. This would be great for a small taskforce raiding a camp, but it would be disastrous for a field army trying to form into battle line.

**keith moons liver** · April 05, 2009, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Mangalore

Night battles were an unimportant gimmick for other eras, as well. They were the exception with some extraordinary stunts that brilliantly succeeded. They were not something a sane commander normally would bet his chances on wether he was Caesar or Napoleon!!

In essence in a preradio army all communications would break down. This would be great for a small taskforce raiding a camp, but it would be disastrous for a field army trying to form into battle line.

Which should fit in right with ETW, since at most unit sizes the armies are a few thousand men strong tops; these are hardly "field armies" and more small detachments.

**Lord Janos** · April 05, 2009, 09:33 AM

I agree, it's just not practical for this era. But the option should be there... especially for naval combat.

**monsterfurby** · April 05, 2009, 09:35 AM

They should add a trait to Generals representing sort of a "Night Raid" doctrine. In essence, that general would tend to send out a small task force the night before battle to destroy enemy assets or plant an ambush which, in essence, would give him a little edge in terms of morale if successful. Of course, the task force could be captured killing 50 soldiers in one of his units.

I think night battles should not be represented as in-game battles but rather as part of such a "preparatory" action. This concept could even be expanded with other tactics to be used before a battle which alter the initial placement and general situation of the battle. But I digress, so it's just a little thought on how night battles and operational level strategy could be implemented in a game like ETW.