Quote Originally Posted by econ21

TW has always been a bit "all or nothing" in its battles. I suspect most historical battles did not end in the disintegration of the losing army. Waterloo being the Napoleonic exception that proves the rule. A successful disengagement, a fighting retreat or even a pause due to mutual exhaustion were probably more likely. To be fair to TW though, the disintegration of the losing army only tends to happen if the victor has sufficient cavalry to chase the losers. You could nerf TW cavalry in stats and it would still be invaluable for that reason.

Actually that's one of the reasons I've found TW so good. Form my reading of history I've got the impression that it is the routing of one side that genreally marks the end of a a battle, and then the casualities come in that slaughter.

Casualties while fighting were generally surpisingly low but then when one side runs it is slaughtered, and that's where you get your massive cacualty imbalances.

For example Mon Graupius was given some totally ridiculous casulaty count by the roman historians: Something like 10,000 celts and 84 romans. There are generally thought to be 3 explanations.

1) Exaggeration.

2) The roman historian didn't count auxiliaries as romans, thus only 84 romans died, but possibly 100's of aux. - who were alwasy sent in first.

3) Routing. The suggestion is only a few hundred britons were dead when their line broke, then teh vicotrious army slaughtered the fleeing britons.

But in other cases, like Bannockburn, it was the routing english being trapped by the river and drowning or being hacked to death in water or on bank that led to teh death toll - not the initial pikes. There are various other examples.

Casualties are low, then your shield wall breaks. YOur side runs. They are slaughtered. I find it very realistic.

As someone here posted above, morale is the one factor that makes TW better than all the other contenders - and I'd rather not have lots of units fighting to the death. I think that was pretty rare!

Morale rules good. me like.