For a long time I have had the idea for a fantasy series that takes place over several large wars in the history of the region (Revolutionary, Civil, and possibly World). The problem comes in how to narratively depict realistic warfare. I need help finding some inspiration for how to depict this.
So... What are some good novels (preferably modern and shorter ones - parts of a long series are fine, but I need to get through them quickly, so specific chapters for these would be nice) that depict large scale, mostly terrestrial, battle scenes (any period or genre is fine, but I prefer sci-fi or fantasy - steampunk would be good) and/or ones that take place during large wars but focus on characters that aren't necessarily participating in them directly, e.g. they are fleeing from them or making their way through battle zones?
Also, if you can recommend non-fiction books on strategy that are comprehensive yet easy to understand for the novice, that would be great.
Thanks for any help