How big is a division?

[zute]

I apologize for another lame-ass question, but in the story I'm writing now this actually has relevance. It's the difference between paranoia and reasonable concern.

When you rescue Riordan he tells you that Loghain had turned away 200 Grey Wardens and two dozen divisions of cavalry.  When I looked up division sizes I got utterly enormous numbers like 10,000 for single light infantry division, in the modern army. I'm sure that must be vastly larger than in middle ages terms.

Does anyone have a feel for how many actually people that would be? 

My thanks!

Zute

Comments

[niniane]

I'm honestly not sure that Ferelden is supposed to have much of an army, TBH. Someone or other on a board remarked that it was interesting that Cailan's side looks like a bunch of random farmer's, while Loghain's seems a lot more professional. If this is supposed to be a quasi-Medieval army, most likely the vast majority of them aren't really highly trained professionals capable of holding a formation in the way a Greek phalanx or Roman legion would. In this case, it is highly possible that as soon as they were over run, they'd break (which seems semi-consistent with what we see in the cut-scenes).

It's possible that Loghain's army was better prepared, as Loghain strikes me as the type to go "hmmm...well, we have all of these people, so I am going to drill them until they're good or else". But this would have been a really unusual thing at the time...

All supposition, but it does make for an interesting premise that's semi-supported by the game. (Also makes you wonder why in the hell Loghain's army wasn't reversed with Cailan's...then again, possibly the disorganized side was supposed to be the lure, then when things got messy, the more organized side went "um...no way. This is suicide.")

[zute]

That's an interesting observation.

I could understand Loghain's army being more professional. He dealt such things during the rebellion and has become Ferelden's de facto 5 star general.

Now Orlais, they fancy themselves an empire, like Rome was. Their leader are entitled "Imperial Highness" which says a lot. Plus, as someone pointed out, they're trying to conquer Nevarra. I have a sneaking suspicion they've got a pretty good army, better than Ferelden's.

[niniane]

I thought it was, anyway. ;) (Hence why I shared!)

And, yeah, I'd expect most nearby areas to have more professional armies than Ferelden, esp. Orlais. In any kind of pitched battle, Fereldens are probably going to break and run long before Orlesians would. *shrugs* It sucks for them, but again, from any kind of historical sense, that would be I would think the logical outcome...