TURNING POINT SIMULATIONS # 3: ARBELA Wargame

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Throughout history, it is hard to find a battle that sees the individual clash of PERSONALITY in a more important way-- a decisively important way-- than the clash at Arbela between Darius III of Persia, ruler of the largest empire in the world-- and a young man named Alexander, who ruled a small, semi-backward nation and a collection of Greek states where he had only recently had to suppress rebellion.

The odds? Best modern estimates put them at something worse than 5-1 against Alexander. His 47,000 troops are fairly well documented. Darius commanded something over 250,000 (although some accounts place the figure much higher).

When Alexander attacked, he personally led the force that broke the enemy line, coming close enough (it was said) to throw a spear at Darius and to challenge him to personal combat. Darius had none of it and fled. His army was doomed, and so was his reign. And the empire of Alexander was begun.