Quote:
Originally Posted by zraver
10,000 men vs armies of 50,000+ legionares and support troops. I don't think so.
1-10,000 men is not enough to affec tthe reduction of the Roman cities and centers of gravity.
2- Roma has superior strategic mobility along the coast, and untouchable stragtic depth in North Africa, Greece (Thermopylae anyone), Britian, Spain and Italy, Scicily, sardina, Corsica etc. None of these areas will sustain a horse army for long.
3- Rome had great commanders every bity as good as Sudedei namely Scipio, Julius Ceaser, Maximus etc.
4- Roman discipline and professional standards were every bit as high as the Mongols
5- No one beat Rome when it came to copying new technologies and ideas.
6- Rome knew its own Terrain and the road system made the legiosn nearly as fast as the Tumen overland.
7- in the logn run the very durable legion could outmarch a Tumen once the Mongols remuda was worn down through loses or campaigning.
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1.) You are assuming that a single tumen would conquer Rome. In that regard I agree with you it can't. It would take the same amount of forces that conquered Song China and the Kwarazim Empire and taking into account that a big sea is in the smack middle of the empire.
2.) Say you have 100,000 troops guarding a 100 mile frontier. You have to disperse your forces in order to defend your strong points. You can't have them all at one time. That means that superior Mongolian mobility can fight and destroy smaller units in detail.
3.) Secondly, never underestimate the ability of superior mobility to frustrate the Roman commanders. If Scipio has his 20 legions in battle formation at A, why would Subutai attack him there when he can force him to defend B? A large enemy force like that travels in separate columns, which can be attack independently and wipe out with out the aid of the others.
4.) A roman Legion can march about 30 miles a day. A single tumen can travel 100 miles a day.
5.) The main problem with an infantry based army, no matter how well led or motivated, is that it cannot forced a well led cavalry army to a fight. It cannot dictate the terms of the battle. In simpliest terms, the Mongol Tumen can run away if it is in trouble, while a Roman Legion can't.