Page "Battle" Paragraph 9

The use of the term " battle " in military history has led to its misuse when referring to almost any scale of combat, notably by strategic forces involving hundreds of thousands of troops that may be engaged in either a single battle at one time ( Battle of Leipzig ) or multiple operations ( Battle of Kursk ).

The space a battle occupies depends on the range of the weapons of the combatants.

A " battle " in this broader sense may occupy a large piece of spacetime, as in the case of the Battle of Britain or the Battle of the Atlantic.

Until the advent of artillery and aircraft, battles were fought with the two sides within sight, if not reach, of each other.

The depth of the battlefield has also increased in modern warfare with inclusion of the supporting units in the rear areas ; supply, artillery, medical personnel etc.

often outnumber the front-line combat troops.