RE: The mathematics behind medieval battles

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The mathematics behind medieval battles

in mathematics •  7 years ago 

The interesting thing about the model is that it seems to work better for armies where numerical superiority is key to winning as the objective is to reduce enemy army to 0, however medieval armies would require a much more complex model, not least because of equipment, movement speed and morale, but the disadvantage of commanding a massive army. Your cover photo for instance, the impressive battle of Grunwald was won due to tactical manoeuvrers and not numbers: though the winning side was numerically superior it was the speed of the initial light cavalry attack, the retreat and then coordination of wing movements that clinched the victory. Good examples of numbers not being of much use when countered with discipline and formation are Cannae and Vienna. Still, I'm no expert but this seems to be a better model to predict modern infantry facing off, great work though!

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Yeah I totally agree that this is a highly simplified model which does not take into account crucial aspects of medieval warfare. But it is possible to extend this model. More specifically, it is not too difficult to set up equations per unit-type so that you can determine a possible outcome when two types of units meet in combat for a given time interval.