Histwar and History

[Holman]

This is a not a complaint but a question:  how historically accurate are the setup, tactics, and outcomes in a typical Histwar battle?

I know each battle will play out differently from history, but I'm asking if the course of a scenario in the game follows what we *could* expect from a Napoleonic battle.

For example, I notice that units in the default lines at the start of a battle tend to be hundreds of meters apart.  There is nothing like a continuous line of battle, or rather there is a "dotted line" with lots of gaps.  Is this how units were spaced in Napoleon's time?

I know a lot of research has gone into the game.  I'd love to hear how experienced players see that research reflected in the game.  What are some of the details that make Histwar more realistic than something like Total War?

[solvent]

Well, I don't know if there was a continuous line of battle in the wars of the napoleonic area, so I can't answer this point...
However, you have to remember that the game simulates a bigger army than what you see on your screen. One soldier in the game represents ten real soldiers. And, if I'm right, the battlefied has correct "proportions". So, on a virtual battlefield as big as it really was, you have 10% of the soldiers who did fight two centuries ago.
It could be the reason why there are such "gaps" between the units.
But it's only a hypothesis.

[JMM]

THX Solvent for this answer...

On the real battle, the battalion length in formation of line was around 130 meters... 600 men per battalion, 3 lines, 0.65 meters shoulder to shoulder, so the length is around 130 meters; it's the length in the game.
In fact, the 3D model width is around 1.5 meters, high around 4 meters; moreover all objects (trees, building) use this scale factor so all seems right.

Gap? just if the length of the deployment line is too important, you have a gap between the units.
The paintings of this epoch show a huge density of troops.. but I am no sure it's a precise presentation of reality, just a nice painting.

JMM

[Tirailleur]

I've also a question regarding HistWar and History:

I've read some napolenic books about the tactics (also the great book "The Battle Tactics of Napoleon and his Enemies" - Brent Nosworthy) and if I understood it correct the use of light companies for skirmishing was a common practice - rough said for attack and for defence.

But I noticed that the AI of HistWar didn't use skirmisher in most cases in a battle. It is more a deployment of whole infantry regiments (battalions) and if they are in range they shoot on each other.  I've seen skirmishers very, very rarely.

Can someone please explain how the use of skirmisher is modelled in HistWar?