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

[prisoner_24601]

'Orlais is totally going to invade the promised lands of Ferelden just because'.

Come on now, people have given lengthy reasons and arguments, about why it's reasonable to believe this. No one has said Orlais will invade just because. That's a straw man, and not accurate of what people have been saying at all.

Why would Loghain's actions keep Orlais from doing what he is afraid they would do?

Why wouldn't they? If I thought Orlais wanted to take over Ferelden, keeping their military on the other side of the border would be the #1 priority, right?

Why does he make himself regent when his daughter, widow of the late king, is the most likely candidate to be promoted by the Landsmeet to become the new ruler? This would have prevented civil war and Anora could have continued the diplomatic relations with Orlais.

Possibly to keep her hands clean from the terrible decisions he thought needed to be made. Possibly because he thought she didn't appreciate the threat from Orlais. Personally, I think this is one of his biggest mistakes, second only to his belief tha the blight isn't for real.

Why does Orlais stop at the border if they simply want to take over Ferelden?

Again, this has been discussed at length elsewhere. Waiting out the blight safely on the other side of the border is a win/win for them, as they can invade later if ferelden is weakened by fighting the blight.

Why does Loghain abandon the south?

Because he messes up and judges the greater threat to be Orlais. This is something he takes ownership and will talk to you about if you let him into your party.

Why does he fight a civil war when Orlais and a Blight pose a threat?

He's trying to hold the country together in the face of these threats, he's got opposition that he doesn't think appreciate the theats so they clash and fight.

No matter what you think of Orlais, NONE of Loghain's actions make sense or help him defend the country.

Again, I disagree. People have given very well thought out answers why they do think why many of his actions make sense given the situation and the information he had. He's wrong, of course, but judging him with meta knowledge and with the benefit of hindsight isn't doing the character justice.

So far I have the choice to make him look incompetent or a madman, who got curropted by what was once his strength (a bit like Denethor in Lord of the Rings, though less of a lunatic).

I disagree. He can be entirely wrong and make terrible misakes without being either incompetent or a madman. There are a lot of shades of grey in most of the choices he makes which is what makes his character interesting and compelling. If you disagree, that's cool, but if that's how you're writing him in fics, then I personally think you're not doing the character justice.