Are certain historic battles just impossible in the RTW engine?

[polluxlm]

oh ok. now that really changes everything. so Alexandros was not severly outnumbered in either Issos or Gaugamela, or at least Issos?

If he wasn't severely outnumbered he would never have applied the cowboy tactics that he did.

Ancient writers may exaggerate, but they didn't just make stuff up (most at least).

Either Darius' army was close to the reported numbers, or Alexanders army was smaller.

I'm not willing to discard the legacy of the greatest general ever just because modern notions claim 'it couldn't be done'. We know next to nothing about the inner workings of the Persian Empire.

[Geoffrey S]

If he wasn't severely outnumbered he would never have applied the cowboy tactics that he did.

Why not?

Ancient writers may exaggerate, but they didn't just make stuff up (most at least).

Plenty of cases where they did, whether intentionally or not.

Either Darius' army was close to the reported numbers, or Alexanders army was smaller.

If Darius' army can't be smaller, why should Alexanders be?

I'm not willing to discard the legacy of the greatest general ever just because modern notions claim 'it couldn't be done'. We know next to nothing about the inner workings of the Persian Empire.

Is there an ostrich smiley here?

[polluxlm]

Why not?

Because then there are more economic ways of winning the battle.

Plenty of cases where they did, whether intentionally or not.

Like I said, 'most' didn't (referring to the sources today's historians consider the most feasible).

If Darius' army can't be smaller, why should Alexanders be?

I'm not saying it can't be smaller, but if it were Alexanders would have to be to.

Is there an ostrich smiley here?

No.