Battlefields

Most text games don't have a proper battlefield because it's difficult for players to visualize, and commands to navigate around the battlefield are awkward. In games like Aardwolf and Achaea, there's no concept of "distance" between combatants at all, so everyone can reach everyone else with any melee or "ranged" attack at any time. Games like DragonRealms have a loose concept of distance between combatants in that combatants must "advance toward" or "retreat from" specific targets.

Tohm's battlefields try to be a little more "realistic" and relevant to combat tactics, while not becoming difficult to visualize and navigate.

The 1-Dimensional Field
Tohm's battlefields are 1-dimensional, meaning that they have only length. Distance is measured in armspans, so any other combatant is either right next to you (close enough to touch with your hand), a number of spans ahead of you, or a number of spans behind you. This means it's possible to be "surrounded" by enemies or friends. With the "engagement" mechanic, it's then possible for one combatant to protect another combatant by blocking access (engaging attackers before they reach their intended targets).

Interesting Escapes
Combatants have to make their ways to the edge of the battlefield before they can leave the battle. Using the engagement mechanic, a well-positioned, determined enemy can hinder or entirely prevent escape. So even escaping from a bad combat situation can be an interesting challenge requiring tactics, timing, and positional awareness. This is in contrast to most online text games which make escape either impossible or trivial (Achaea, Aardwolf, DragonRealms) and most console RPGs which make success or failure random (Final Fantasy series). When players who are grouped escape from combat, their group may become "fractured" such that they're in different locations and may have difficulty regrouping. They're more vulnerable during that window of separation, so this adds another risk factor to consider when deciding whether or not to leave combat. It's also possible that some players may be able to escape while others can't, bringing social considerations in as well.

Area of Effect Maneuvers
There's potential for combat maneuvers (thrown explosives, falling rocks, volleys of arrows) to hit multiple targets based on their positions. This is common to graphical games, but seen less frequently in text games, where maneuvers often impact either all potential targets or only one. A stray projectile (like an arrow) could also strike an unintended target based on positioning.

Obstacles
Battlefield obstacles like rushing streams, hillsides to climb, lava pits, force fields, concealing foliage, solid cover (projectile protection), and gaping chasms can be placed at specific locations on the battlefield to add another layer of tactical depth. Some combat maneuvers might even add temporary or permanent obstacles, like for example a spell creating an icy patch on the ground.