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What is Dorne's Real Strength?


LordPathera

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I don't remember numbers at the top of my head, but 20-30k seems realistic. Dorne is known to be one of the weaker regions, but that doesn't mean their support wouldn't be a significant contribution to Aegon/Dany or whoever they support.


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I'd expect Dorne's true strength to lie somewhere around 20-30k with the low end estimate of 20k being what they would muster for a Host and the remaining 10k being a reserve or garrison force.


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That depends on where you put the other regions, if simply because we know the Stormlands is a fair bit below the North, Riverlands and Vale, and that Dorne is a fair bit below that.



So if you have the north/Vale at ~45-50,000 then it is not unforeseeable that Dorne has closer to 30,000 than 20,000, if the North/Vale has ~35,000 then I don't see Dorne having very much over 20,000.



Personally I have Dorne as much lower than that, 10,000 should have been the best part of the forces, so 20,000 might actually be scraping the bottom of the barrel for them.


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Dorne's strength is Dorne itself. While they might not be able to send a huge army North, they can certainly defend themselves. Rhaenys and Meraxes couldn't conquer Dorne. The Young Dragon theoretically conquered Dorne but couldn't hold it. My guess is that no matter the numbers, Dorne can defend itself.

Thinking about this led me to another idea. Are the Sand Snakes unique in their martial pursuits or is it somewhat common in Dorne? There's is much more equality in Dorne, and maybe the women are given some amount of military training, leaving the Prince/Priness free to send more men North?

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A tad less than 30,000 is the most common estimate.





Thinking about this led me to another idea. Are the Sand Snakes unique in their martial pursuits or is it somewhat common in Dorne? There's is much more equality in Dorne, and maybe the women are given some amount of military training, leaving the Prince/Priness free to send more men North?




Pretty unique. Check the released Arianne chapter of Winds:

Elia Sand is catching flak left and right. Form Dornishmen and -women.



Anyway, it wouldn't be an advantage even if they did. Economy is the limiting factor, not the number of fit men. You'd have about twenty of those for any soldier. Otherwise you'd simply starve.


And of course women are simply not on equal footing with men during battle. That 200-300% more upper body strength alone sees to that.


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Dorne's strength is Dorne itself. While they might not be able to send a huge army North, they can certainly defend themselves. Rhaenys and Meraxes couldn't conquer Dorne. The Young Dragon theoretically conquered Dorne but couldn't hold it. My guess is that no matter the numbers, Dorne can defend itself.

Dorne's strength is their geography. With the right tactics (i.e. the tactics Dorne usually use against invaders) it's a pain the ass to try to conquer them.

These are the answers you're looking for.

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As mentioned above, the order of strength quite clearly places the Stormlands below the North and Vale, but still above Dorne. So our assessment of Dorne's strength will be directly dependent on the first clear evidence we get of either the North, Vale or Stormlands full strength.

we know it is North/Vale, step down, Stormlands, step down, Dorne. And with a big enough gap that the steps are clearly delineated.

my view:

North/Vale 45k

Stormlands 30-35k

Dorne 25-30k

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Real strenght? Universal conscription for both genders.

If they can still only field somewhere around half the soldiers of the other regions, that's not really a strength, at best it's a leveler that takes them from inconsequential to mildly relevant.

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Going by the lack of intellect in the Martells, I'm going with the average Dornish person's willingness to defend their land and culture as their primary strength. The number of knights is really immaterial.


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If they can still only field somewhere around half the soldiers of the other regions, that's not really a strength, at best it's a leveler that takes them from inconsequential to mildly relevant.

I think they are more than mildly relevant... by the time they march supporting Dany or Aegon all of the other kingdoms minus the Vale have been engaged in warfare for a long time and are unprepared for the coming winter

A fresh fighting force backing either Dany or Aegon should put either over the top so to speak

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