It's pretty clear that CA have failed miserably to produce an immersive and challenging representation of 18th Century warfare. What we have instead is something akin to Command and Conquer in inaccruate period costume.

Its a real shame as there are numerous games already in existence which would have provided an accurate model upon which to base the game, and which if used as the political and economic backdrop would have at least made sense of the battles.

Many of these boardgames are really accurate simulations of the period and I've played a few of them. However, one that seems to be getting a lot of acclaim at the minute is 'Friedrich'.
http://www.histogame.de/e_friedrich.html

I haven't actually played this one but wonder if anyone else has as I might buy it of its as good as it says it is.