diff --git a/src/battle.c b/src/battle.c
index 837d4a280..da84b2763 100644
--- a/src/battle.c
+++ b/src/battle.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ static int army_index(side * s)
     return s->index;
 }
 
-static char *sidename(side * s)
+const char *sidename(const side * s)
 {
 #define SIDENAMEBUFLEN 256
     static int bufno;             /* STATIC_XCALL: used across calls */
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ static const char *sideabkz(side * s, bool truename)
     return sideabkz_buf;
 }
 
-static void message_faction(battle * b, faction * f, struct message *m)
+void battle_message_faction(battle * b, faction * f, struct message *m)
 {
     region *r = b->region;
 
@@ -227,14 +227,14 @@ void message_all(battle * b, message * m)
 
     for (bf = b->factions; bf; bf = bf->next) {
         assert(bf->faction);
-        message_faction(b, bf->faction, m);
+        battle_message_faction(b, bf->faction, m);
     }
 }
 
 static void fbattlerecord(battle * b, faction * f, const char *s)
 {
     message *m = msg_message("battle_msg", "string", s);
-    message_faction(b, f, m);
+    battle_message_faction(b, f, m);
     msg_release(m);
 }
 
@@ -1302,7 +1302,7 @@ terminate(troop dt, troop at, int type, const char *damage, bool missile)
     if (oldpotiontype[P_HEAL] && !fval(&df->person[dt.index], FL_HEALING_USED)) {
         if (i_get(du->items, oldpotiontype[P_HEAL]->itype) > 0) {
             message *m = msg_message("potionsave", "unit", du);
-            message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
+            battle_message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
             msg_release(m);
             i_change(&du->items, oldpotiontype[P_HEAL]->itype, -1);
             fset(&df->person[dt.index], FL_HEALING_USED);
@@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ static void loot_items(fighter * corpse)
     }
 }
 
-static bool seematrix(const faction * f, const side * s)
+bool seematrix(const faction * f, const side * s)
 {
     if (f == s->faction)
         return true;
@@ -2615,7 +2615,7 @@ static void aftermath(battle * b)
                 struct message *m =
                     msg_message("killsandhits", "unit hits kills", du, df->hits,
                     df->kills);
-                message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
+                battle_message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
                 msg_release(m);
             }
         }
@@ -2755,7 +2755,7 @@ static void aftermath(battle * b)
             faction *f = bf->faction;
             message *m = seematrix(f, s) ? seen : unseen;
 
-            message_faction(b, f, m);
+            battle_message_faction(b, f, m);
         }
 
         msg_release(seen);
@@ -2779,7 +2779,7 @@ static void aftermath(battle * b)
                 message *m =
                     msg_message("battle_loot", "unit amount item", du, l->number,
                     itype->rtype);
-                message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
+                battle_message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
                 msg_release(m);
                 i_change(&du->items, itype, l->number);
             }
@@ -2877,54 +2877,6 @@ static void set_attacker(fighter * fig)
     fset(fig, FIG_ATTACKER);
 }
 
-static void print_header(battle * b)
-{
-    bfaction *bf;
-    char zText[32 * MAXSIDES];
-
-    for (bf = b->factions; bf; bf = bf->next) {
-        message *m;
-        faction *f = bf->faction;
-        const char *lastf = NULL;
-        bool first = false;
-        side *s;
-        char *bufp = zText;
-        size_t size = sizeof(zText) - 1;
-
-        for (s = b->sides; s != b->sides + b->nsides; ++s) {
-            fighter *df;
-            for (df = s->fighters; df; df = df->next) {
-                if (is_attacker(df)) {
-                    if (first) {
-                        str_strlcpy(bufp, ", ", size);
-                    }
-                    if (lastf) {
-                        str_strlcpy(bufp, lastf, size);
-                        first = true;
-                    }
-                    if (seematrix(f, s))
-                        lastf = sidename(s);
-                    else
-                        lastf = LOC(f->locale, "unknown_faction_dative");
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        if (first) {
-            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, " ", size);
-            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, LOC(f->locale, "and"), size);
-            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, " ", size);
-        }
-        if (lastf) {
-            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, lastf, size);
-        }
-
-        m = msg_message("start_battle", "factions", zText);
-        message_faction(b, f, m);
-        msg_release(m);
-    }
-}
-
 static void print_stats(battle * b)
 {
     side *s2;
@@ -2947,10 +2899,10 @@ static void print_stats(battle * b)
             message *msg;
             char buf[1024];
 
-            message_faction(b, f, msg_separator);
+            battle_message_faction(b, f, msg_separator);
 
             msg = msg_message("battle_army", "index name", army_index(s), sname);
-            message_faction(b, f, msg);
+            battle_message_faction(b, f, msg);
             msg_release(msg);
 
             bufp = buf;
@@ -3569,13 +3521,13 @@ static int battle_report(battle * b)
         size_t size = sizeof(buf) - 1;
         message *m;
 
-        message_faction(b, fac, msg_separator);
+        battle_message_faction(b, fac, msg_separator);
 
         if (cont)
             m = msg_message("lineup_battle", "turn", b->turn);
         else
             m = msg_message("after_battle", "");
-        message_faction(b, fac, m);
+        battle_message_faction(b, fac, m);
         msg_release(m);
 
         komma = false;
@@ -4078,7 +4030,7 @@ void do_battle(region * r)
     /* Bevor wir die alliierten hineinziehen, sollten wir schauen, *
      * Ob jemand fliehen kann. Dann er�brigt sich das ganze ja
      * vielleicht schon. */
-    print_header(b);
+    report_battle_start(b);
     if (!fighting) {
         /* Niemand mehr da, Kampf kann nicht stattfinden. */
         message *m = msg_message("aborted_battle", "");
diff --git a/src/battle.h b/src/battle.h
index f7e84ea6b..6494a6e27 100644
--- a/src/battle.h
+++ b/src/battle.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define LAST_ROW FLEE_ROW
 #define MAXSIDES 192            /* if there are ever more than this, we're fucked. */
 
-
     typedef struct bfaction {
         struct bfaction *next;
         struct side *sides;
@@ -266,6 +265,9 @@ extern "C" {
         const struct faction * stealthfaction);
     int skilldiff(troop at, troop dt, int dist);
     void force_leave(struct region *r, struct battle *b);
+    bool seematrix(const struct faction * f, const struct side * s);
+    const char *sidename(const struct side * s);
+    void battle_message_faction(struct battle * b, struct faction * f, struct message *m);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/reports.c b/src/reports.c
index ff289c8d0..ad8a0fbc2 100644
--- a/src/reports.c
+++ b/src/reports.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 #include "reports.h"
 
+#include "battle.h"
 #include "calendar.h"
 #include "guard.h"
 #include "laws.h"
@@ -2030,6 +2031,54 @@ static void eval_order(struct opstack **stack, const void *userdata)
     opush(stack, var);
 }
 
+void report_battle_start(battle * b)
+{
+    bfaction *bf;
+    char zText[32 * MAXSIDES];
+
+    for (bf = b->factions; bf; bf = bf->next) {
+        message *m;
+        faction *f = bf->faction;
+        const char *lastf = NULL;
+        bool first = false;
+        side *s;
+        char *bufp = zText;
+        size_t size = sizeof(zText) - 1;
+
+        for (s = b->sides; s != b->sides + b->nsides; ++s) {
+            fighter *df;
+            for (df = s->fighters; df; df = df->next) {
+                if (is_attacker(df)) {
+                    if (first) {
+                        bufp += str_strlcpy(bufp, ", ", size);
+                    }
+                    if (lastf) {
+                        bufp += str_strlcpy(bufp, lastf, size);
+                        first = true;
+                    }
+                    if (seematrix(f, s))
+                        lastf = sidename(s);
+                    else
+                        lastf = LOC(f->locale, "unknown_faction_dative");
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (first) {
+            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, " ", size);
+            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, LOC(f->locale, "and"), size);
+            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, " ", size);
+        }
+        if (lastf) {
+            bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, lastf, size);
+        }
+
+        m = msg_message("start_battle", "factions", zText);
+        battle_message_faction(b, f, m);
+        msg_release(m);
+    }
+}
+
 static void eval_resources(struct opstack **stack, const void *userdata)
 {                               /* order -> string */
     const faction *f = (const faction *)userdata;
diff --git a/src/reports.h b/src/reports.h
index f30dfc051..3eaa6137c 100644
--- a/src/reports.h
+++ b/src/reports.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+    struct battle;
     struct gamedate;
     struct selist;
     struct stream;
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ extern "C" {
         const struct locale *lang);
     size_t report_status(const struct unit *u,
         const struct locale *lang, char *buf, size_t siz);
+    void report_battle_start(struct battle * b);
 
     void register_reports(void);