The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word REENACTMENTS
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
R
E
E
N
A
C
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M
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S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Battle shows" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case battle shows = reenactments.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does REENACTMENTS mean?
REENACTMENTS noun- The repetition of an earlier (usually historic) event, as a performance or social event.