He found the nights most advantageous for such attacks: Judas found he was most successful when he conducted raids at night. We may say “He liked to attack these places at night [or, after dark].”

And talk of his valor spread everywhere: Jews all over the country were talking about the courageous things Judas and his men were doing.

Here is an alternative model for verses 6 and 7:

• 6~Judas and his men would attack towns and villages without warning, and set fire to them. He defeated [or, put to flight] large enemy forces [or, very large groups of enemy soldiers] and captured places that had military importance. 7~He liked to attack these places at night. People everywhere were talking about the daring things Judas was doing.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.