A new use for supercomputers...

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IronManBeta -> A new use for supercomputers... (4/4/2011 4:35:12 PM)
This is odd but strangely fascinating. A group is modelling logistics in the Middle Ages and early to figure out how large certain armies really could have been. It is all based on 'agent theory' up to the actual point of battle itself. They are not trying to recreate battles, just the figure out what physically led up to them. Rob C

martok -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/4/2011 9:53:06 PM)
A fascinating project, indeed. I'll be quite interested to see what results they come up with.

Anthropoid -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/5/2011 3:01:59 AM)
That is VERY cool!

ilovestrategy -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/5/2011 6:18:47 AM)
That's awesome!

warspite1 -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/5/2011 8:17:35 AM)
Now that is interesting. Out of scope as they are looking at the middle ages, but I wonder if anyone can work out the likely realistic numbers for the Persian army that invaded Greece, leading to the Battle of Thermopylae. One million seems a tad excessive after all..... Will be really interested to hear their conclusions.

freeboy -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/5/2011 4:54:18 PM)
can you imagine even at 500k the logistics nightmare of feeding these guys? clean water etc???

martok -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/5/2011 10:33:19 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 Now that is interesting. Out of scope as they are looking at the middle ages, but I wonder if anyone can work out the likely realistic numbers for the Persian army that invaded Greece, leading to the Battle of Thermopylae. One million seems a tad excessive after all..... From what I've read, most historians believe the Persians numbered closer to 100,000-250,000. Of course, even that's still a huge frickin' army for the time period, and would require an impressive feat of logistics regardless!

Joe D. -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 12:29:59 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: RobertCrandall It is all based on 'agent theory' up to the actual point of battle itself ... Would anyone care to explain what this theory is?

warspite1 -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 12:36:44 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: martok quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 Now that is interesting. Out of scope as they are looking at the middle ages, but I wonder if anyone can work out the likely realistic numbers for the Persian army that invaded Greece, leading to the Battle of Thermopylae. One million seems a tad excessive after all..... .......most historians believe the Persians numbered closer to 100,000-250,000. Of course, even that's still a huge frickin' army........ Warspite1 Indeed - especially when you have just 300 Spartans taking them on [X(]

bradfordkay -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 1:58:20 AM)
A new use for supercomputers: War In The Pacific II. [;)]

Anthropoid -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 3:39:01 AM)
Didn't they have like 600 Thespians or Lesbians or something with them though? quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 quote: ORIGINAL: martok quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 Now that is interesting. Out of scope as they are looking at the middle ages, but I wonder if anyone can work out the likely realistic numbers for the Persian army that invaded Greece, leading to the Battle of Thermopylae. One million seems a tad excessive after all..... .......most historians believe the Persians numbered closer to 100,000-250,000. Of course, even that's still a huge frickin' army........ Warspite1 Indeed - especially when you have just 300 Spartans taking them on [X(] ADDIT: quote: ORIGINAL: Joe D. quote: ORIGINAL: RobertCrandall It is all based on 'agent theory' up to the actual point of battle itself ... Would anyone care to explain what this theory is? Its basically a fancy way to say "models based on the emergent dynamics among autonomous or semi-autonomous decision-making entities (people, organizations, organisms, etc.). Agen Based Model You define the paramenters you want to manipulate, in put the estimated values for various agents, etc. then let it run repeatedly for appropriate stretches of time, and then you compare the frequency with which you get various final outcome states. Computer games with "AI" are a sort of agent-based modelling, though the intent there is to challenge the human player not to model realworld or hypothetical ecological dynamics.

martok -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 9:08:25 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 quote: ORIGINAL: martok quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 Now that is interesting. Out of scope as they are looking at the middle ages, but I wonder if anyone can work out the likely realistic numbers for the Persian army that invaded Greece, leading to the Battle of Thermopylae. One million seems a tad excessive after all..... .......most historians believe the Persians numbered closer to 100,000-250,000. Of course, even that's still a huge frickin' army........ Warspite1 Indeed - especially when you have just 300 Spartans taking them on [X(] Actually, it was more like 5000-7000 allied Greeks (including the 300 Spartans) -- the poor Thespians never get the recognition they deserve! That being said, yeah, they were still pretty thoroughly screwed either way. [:'(]

Joe D. -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 12:37:12 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Anthropoid quote: ORIGINAL: Joe D. quote: ORIGINAL: RobertCrandall It is all based on 'agent theory' up to the actual point of battle itself ... Would anyone care to explain what this theory is? Its basically a fancy way to say "models based on the emergent dynamics among autonomous or semi-autonomous decision-making entities (people, organizations, organisms, etc.). Agen Based Model You define the paramenters you want to manipulate, in put the estimated values for various agents, etc. then let it run repeatedly for appropriate stretches of time, and then you compare the frequency with which you get various final outcome states ... Tnx, but isn't that also how forcasters now "predict" the weather?

Anthropoid -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 1:50:21 PM)
I suppose it is similar. But the weather is not made up of decision-making entities that follow behavioral rules. Rather, weather is made up of physical forces that follow purely physical rules.

Joe D. -> RE: A new use for supercomputers... (4/6/2011 4:48:29 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Anthropoid I suppose it is similar. But the weather is not made up of decision-making entities that follow behavioral rules. Rather, weather is made up of physical forces that follow purely physical rules. Sometimes personified as "Mother Nature" [;)]

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