7 – Fire Arrows Everywhere
Give me a strategy game where archers are a thing, and there’s almost a 100% chance that there’s a sort of passive or active ability that will allow them to use fire arrows as a way to deal “extra damage”, as if getting skewered by a nasty piece of metal being shot straight at you didn’t deal enough damage. Archers in games constantly use flaming arrows to do a bit of everything: from blowing up barrels, dealing passive damage over time, and extra damage to builds (this one actually makes a bit of sense). Historically, fire arrows were a thing, but they were finicky and aerodynamically terrible. If you shot one, the wind would likely blow the flame out before it hit, or the weight of the pitch would make it fall short. In reality, and unfortunately for those of us who enjoy the spectacle, the usage of fire arrows in battle is just a myth.
6 – Medieval Siege Weapons Easily Destroyed Walls
Games often show medieval siege engines like trebuchets and catapults effortlessly smashing through massive stone walls, but this is largely a modern exaggeration for gameplay purposes. In reality, most fortifications were designed to withstand prolonged bombardment, and siege weapons were far more effective at damaging parapets, towers, gates, structures inside the walls, and the defenders’ morale than outright collapsing at the walls. Stand atop a fortress or castle wall, and you’ll see how thick and well-built most of them actually are, and how destroying it would require hundreds, if not thousands, of precise hits on the same location to damage the wall. Starvation, disease, bribery, and betrayal were usually more decisive than brute force, with successful sieges often lasting months rather than ending in spectacular destruction. With that being said, I won’t even get on the fact that in most games you can also use melee weapons to destroy walls!
5 – Ancient Battles Were Chaotic, Unorganized Brawls
This one is a pet peeve of mine, because more often than not, historical games frequently portray ancient battles as messy, free-for-all melees where formations instantly collapse into individual duels, reinforcing the myth that combat lacked structure or discipline once swords and spears crossed on the frontlines. In reality, ancient warfare relied heavily on organization, formations, command hierarchy, and coordinated movement. Shield walls, pike blocks, cavalry charges, bayonet charges, musket lines, flanking maneuvers, the management of reserves, and pre-planned tactics were central to battlefield success, and commanders worked hard to maintain cohesion under extreme pressure, sometimes putting their lives on the line to inspire and control their men. While chaos certainly emerged once lines broke, and no battleline ever stayed perfectly intact, most of the time, soldiers would rather stay within the safety of their lines, instead of being a hero.
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