One of the hardest features of Ageod games for new people to get used to is the battle system, where you have usually been limited to reading reports. Without being able to see the ebb and flow of battle. But not in this one.
In this game,unlike any other game, the battle circle works as intended, perfectly. If you st the delay to maximum, the battle moves slowly enough to follow it on the circle, rather than than the almost instant results of previous games.
You can see the flow of committed units as the battle is resolved, as the circle displays your green units, and the red enemy units. This shows the flow of committed units, and units that are out of the battle. And if you are fortunate enough to see the bottom part of the circle turn green, you know you are sweeping the field, though a technical loss is still possible. Conversely, when you are literally seeing a lot of red, things are getting very bad. The colors change as units are committed, reinforcements march to the sounds of the guns, and units are decimated or flee.
In the meantime, you can hear the sounds of charges, musketry and artillery, and sometimes cavalry and bugles, as weapons are fired, infantry charges into melee, cavalry surges forward... while knowing that each of these sounds represents something happening in the battle.
The display lasts for a short time, but long enough to get the flavor of what is happening. Actually exciting.
And the deployment and battle plan choices actually make sense, and choosing the right one can make a huge difference in the battle. You can choose deployments that focus on artillery, or cavalry, or infantry, or a combination, and can actually take advantage in having a superiority in any of these arms. Again, very satisfying. Of course the plan chosen by the enemy can really change things.
But if you have a much better general, such as Napoleon or Davout against most of the others, you can see what the enemy is likely to choose, and make your choice accordingly. If you make the right choice, the result can be decisive.
I cannot think of any other Ageod game where the battles have been so enjoyable.
Another reason why this game is already a gem.