How to recreate the Battle of Termopylae?

**Africanvs** · 04-03-2009, 00:27

I would use spartan hoplites naturally, and some classical hoplites as well to represent sparta's allies that were present. I've never played that map, but make sure you have enough men to completely block the hot gates. Might want to give them some experience chevrons too. For the enemy I would use Pahlava. Throw a whole bunch of persian archer-spearmen, and parthian spearmen at them. Maybe choose some kind of elite infantry to represent immortals. It's not the easiest thing to do the whole battle, because there were so many phases to it. As for web sites, google Sparta and you'll be swimming in them. I couldn't tell you what the best ones are, I'd recommend reading a book though.

**seienchin** · 04-03-2009, 01:22

I played the map and it was really dissapointing. Doesnt seem to have any kind of link to the battle. Probably its just the battlemap from the campain, when you fight between athens and demetrias.
Anyway, 5 Units of spartans. one of it generals unit vs an army composed of archer spearmen, median cavallery, chariots (There are chariots for seleukia or Pontos in EB), maybe heavy babylonian infantry and you can use syrian archers as immortals. Eastern skirmishers are also a good choice to represent persian infantry.

**SwissBarbar** · 04-03-2009, 07:22

Yes, I've tried it before. There's no gates.

**Phalanx300** · 04-03-2009, 13:15

Looking at the number of soldiers on the Greek side(considering 300 men is about 1 unit):

1 Spartiatai Hoplitai, as the Spartan Hippeis(as far as it really might be the Hippeis, if so a chevron is in place

).

3 Akontistai, as the Spartan Helots who were forced to fight and probably with a big part of them also fighting till death!

3 Hoplitai, the Periokoi allies of the Spartans.

2 Hoplitai, the Mantineans.

2 Hoplitai, the Tegeans.

1 Hoplitai, Arcadian Orchomenos, Philians, Mycenaeans. (combined to make 1 unit of Hoplitai)

3 Hoplitai, other Arcadians.

1 Hoplitai, Corinthians.

2 Hoplitai, Thespians.

1 Hoplitai, Thebans.

3 Hoplitai, Phocians.

3 Hoplitai, Opuntian Lokrians.

-------------

1 Spartiatai Hoplitai
3 Akontistai
21 Hoplitai

Mmm, ok that didn't work out

. For a stack the best would prob be: 1 Spartiatai, 3 Akontistai, 16 Hoplitai.

But that would been thousands of Persian stacks.

I'm just gonna keep it with the last battle: 1 Spartiatai, 3 Akontistai, 3 Hoplitai (Thespians + Thebans).

**SwissBarbar** · 04-03-2009, 13:48

1 x Spartiatai Hoplitai
(Representing the Spartans)
2 x Akontistai
1 x Sphendonetai
(Representing the Helots)
5 x Hoplitai
5 x Hoplitai Haploi
5 x Ekdromoi Hoplitai
(Representing the Hoplitai of the other Greek allies, some weaker, some stronger)

= 19 Units.

For the Persians you take the Arche Seleukeia:

Stack 1

7 x Persian Archers (representing the Persian archers)
4 x Eastern Skirmishers (representing the Persian skirmishers)
5 x Different Axe and Hillmen (Representing different light infantrymen)
4 x Eastern Cavalry and Persian heavy cavalry (Representing Persian Cavalry)

Stack 2

4 x eastern slingers (representing the Persian skirmishers)
5 x Parthian Spearmen (representing the Immortals)
11 x Several kinds of light and medium Infantry (Representing the Persian infantry)

Somewhat like that ^^ I'm not referring to Herodot's numbers, but to the opinion, that the Persions were not THAT much outnumbering the Greeks

**Africanvs** · 04-03-2009, 14:44

I don't know about these troops numbers. I mean sure, if you take into account the entire Greek force, which if you average between Herodotus's and Diodorus's numbers, you get between 6,000 and 7,000 men of various Polis's, 300 of them Spartans, but the Persian forces were said to have numbered in the millions. I think it's pretty obvious that that wasn't the case, but even one tenth of a million is still 100,000 which wouldn't be too unrealistic.

The fact that light Persian troops had a hell of a time against the Greek heavy infantry in every case they faced them, it is safe to assume that a force of 7,000 could have held the hot gates for a long time if the Persians hadn't gotten behind them. Besides, at the end of the battle Leonidas dismissed all but about 1,400 men, 300 of them spartans (or however many were left at that point) and the rest Thebans, Helots, and Thespians.

So if he wants to create the final showdown, you figure 1,400 men vs say 100,000 and you get a pretty staggering ratio. Almost 100:1. Unfortunately each side only has 20 units to work with, so 1 unit of spartans, 2 units of classical hoplites for the Thespians, 1 akontistai for the helots, and 1 unit of classical hoplites for the Thebans, and watch them get slaughtered by a full stack of Persians. You don't need hot gates because they were surrounded at that point anyway. Just yell, "come and get them!" and watch your little force of Greeks get slaughtered.

If you really want to create the entire battle (which was 7 days, with 3 days of fighting), find someone to play the Persian force for you in an online battle who can attack you in phases, as the actual battle was fought. Start with a ratio of say 2:1 at the beginning. He gets 20 units, you get 10. After he spends 1/4 of his army trying to attack you with chariots, immortals, or whatever, then make half of your army withdraw and let him send everything at you from all sides. That is about as close as you will ever come to Thermopylae in RTW.