If I remember the scene with the wagon, and it's been sometime since I read the first book, the heat of the battle had already started. I could see people fighting and not paying attention to what was going with a wagon and most of the time, wagons meant the train line and were off limits. No one attacked the train line, they would circle it but not attack.
I personally feel that the battles were done in good taste. Just enough was given for us to use our imaginations and yet not too much to make it a bloody scene. All her battles are mostly like that. I think the best one is in The Gathering Storm and how she brings so many battles to one point.
As far as the battles being believeable... I agree with Kelpie on this issue. Kate I know has done a lot of research on the subject... a lot is an understatement by all means. I'm sure she knows more then a few of us on the subject.
