this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2024
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Edit Eh it wasn't turn based, really. Also I get that this is a meme, I just feel like rambling.
The older combat was still rooted in set piece maneuvers, and without smokeless powder, visibility was a huge issue. keeping an eye on your units (as a commander) and your peers (as a lower leader) was critical.
Also, cavalry was still a thing, and if your units were dispersed, it was very easy to get owned by roving cavalry.
Also the rate of fire, and functional accuracy was something that took lots of training then. They weren't waiting for the other guys turn, they were considering how fast their troops could load, and when they can use their volley to the greatest advantage. You didn't want to be halfway through a reload command when a charging unit gets on top of you. So sure, sometimes they would reserve their shot instead of firing that moment... But it was a gamble that:
These are random ramblings, not a complete coverage of the concerns.
Source: nothing.
According to my study of the historical fiction series Sharpe's Rifles, I concur.
It's kinda a ridiculous series, basically about a British super soldier in the Napoleonic war. However, the author was obsessive about the environment and tactics being historically accurate. It's a fun read if you like historical military fiction.
Haven't read the books but in the series Sharpe basically survives through sheer dumb luck, but in the narrative it's presented as him being some kind of super soldier.
On the other hand Sean Bean survives for a change
In the books it's kinda a mix of dumb luck and Sharpe being the equivalent of a British Terminator, who does nothing but kill and sling dick across Europe and India.
If I remember correctly, among other normally mortal wounds he gets shot in the dome twice throughout the series and lives.
The story kinda jumps the shark a bit here and there, but the descriptions about the military history like logistics and tactics are pretty great in all the books.
Ah, sure bullets were slower back then...
Multiple copies are on youtube, btw, e.g.: