Strategically, the lesson drawn from this battle was that it was more advantageous to besiege and capture towns than to attempt to win in the open field. This would increasingly characterise operations in the Eighty Years' War thenceforth. Nevertheless on the tactical side, Maurice's army had beaten a Spanish army. However, his reformed infantry had been dislodged from a strong defensive position by the Spanish infantry using its traditional methods and it was only his cavalry that had saved him from defeat. The Battle of Nieuwpoort is considered as the first challenge to the dominance of the tercios in sixteenth and seventieth century warfare. Spanish experts were quick to notice Maurice's innovation in tactics - furthermore there was even an adoption in the increase of light mounted troops in the Spanish army.