How did people always know where to meet for battles?

when they discuss great battles of wars in history books, they always say that people met on the battlefield (usually in an actual field), but how did they know when to when and were to meet? i mean all throughout history, even in the ancient world. did they send messages to one another letting them know they planned to fight? it always seen that sneak attacks and surprises are very rude. what are the general codes of conduct when fighting a battle? the rules of engagement seem to be so varied throughout the history of the world, but what are the ones that have the real staying power?

How did people always know where to meet for battles?
Unlike modern warfare,in ancient times,emmisaries were sent to each army to decide where and when to meet.


Take the early Islamic army for example. They would meet the enemy at an agreed location and the generals would fight each other first. The winners would decide if their army charges to attack or stands to defend.


Only a king could kill a king and only a general could kill a general.


Over the centuries,guerrilla fighting became the norm.
Reply:It is a misunderstanding to think that two combatants would usually arrange to meet on a prearranged battlefield. What would normally happen is one side would draw up their forces in a place they could not easily be outflanked and hope that the other side would attack, or they would position their army in such a way as to block the other army from going in that direction (towards a strategic target say). Of course some battles were arranged and in the middle ages it was the job of heralds to do this. In the 16th through 18th centuries battles could be quite gentlemanly affairs with officers on opposing sides dining with one another and a lot of manouevering and posturing but very little fighting. The French revolutionary wars changed this.
Reply:THE INTERNET AND GOOGLE EARTH
Reply:A good general decides where he wants to fight and sets up his troops there. It is no accident. Intelligence is the major factor and the armies leader would send out scouts which if they were good (and had a bit of luck) would be able to find just where the other side was. Very hard to hide a foraging army. They used to totally rely on foraging to supply the army and that meant sending foragers to provide victuals. There presence was always much greater than the armies, so it wasn't hard to find the other side without actually blundering in to them (which might have meant a very short life for the scouts).





Of course, sometimes Generals would set up the battlefield then send an invitation to the other side, which might just take them up on it if the commander thought he had the numerical advantage.





As for sneak attacks and surprises are very rude...haven't you heard the expression 'All's fair in love and war'?
Reply:I hope you are kidding.


2 groups head toward each other and meet in the middle. That is the battlefield. Or one group comes up on a fixed group. Its not the battlefield until after the battle starts.