Issus

[edward77]

I appreciate that discussions on deployment and numbers for ancient BC battles are extremely problematic, possibly futile and that the FOG II standardisation of strengths in multiples of two often makes it difficult to get the required numbers. However, I think there is a fair amount of evidence that the vanilla FOG II scenario of Issus could be vastly improved.
In the vanilla scenario the numbers of different unit types do not correspond too well to the so called accepted historical estimates. There are also some basic errors in deployment.

Here are the major differences:
Rounded numbers
Type Historical Vanilla Deployment Corrections

Cavalry Companions 2000 4000 Alexander is with Companions not Hypaspists
Prodromi/Paeonian Cav 4000 750
Thessalian H Cav 2000 3000
Illyrian Peltasts 1000 4000 At front on LW
Thracian Peltasts 2000 5000 With the Illyrians
Hypaspists 2000 4000 Veteran Hoplites not pikes
Peltasts 4000 1500
Archers 2000 1000 Cretans on LW not RW. Add Macedonians on RW

Persian Peltasts 3500 0 Add Kardakian Peltasts in the Centre
Persian Archers 1800 0 Add Mardian Archers on both wings.

Oh well, Darius on a horse? I better put my money where my mouth is and create the Issus V2 scenario .
I don't wish to cause any controversy, just a ploy to justify my own version. Next stop Gaugamela!

[rbodleyscott]

Oh well, Darius on a horse?

He isn't on a horse, he is on a chariot, but the unit he is with are on horses. One chariot does not make a unit.

However, you are very welcome to make your own version which we can then make available.

[edward77]

Ha ha, Caught me out again Darius is back on his horse!

[edward77]

----------------------- TOTAL ARMY IN 000s

SCENARIO-------------VANILLA VERSION 2

ISSUS.------------M-------40---------- 28
------------------- P-------38-----------44

GAUGAMELA.----M-------64---------- 51
--------------------P------- 42----------59

HYDASPES.------M-------16---------- 30----- 23 Alex + 7 Craterus
------------------- I-------42-----------43----- 37 Poros + 6 screening Craterus

[rbodleyscott]

Of course the numbers in the vanilla versions depend on the difficulty level set and which side you are playing.

We justify this on the basis that all numbers for enemy forces in primary sources tend to be heavily exaggerated, and modern estimates are merely estimates and often do not agree with each other anyway. It is therefore impossible to know for ancient battles what the actual balance of forces was.