The largest figures attached to the battle, including claims of ten thousand ships, are doubtful. Comparing the roughly 200,000 people associated with the Song force and about 20,000 Yuan troops with plausible crew sizes suggests a Song fleet nearer a thousand vessels, many of them transports. The attacking fleet was much smaller. The estimate remains tentative, but the reasoning shows how manpower, ship type, and logistics can discipline dramatic narrative numbers.
Notable Point · 2:59:11-3:02:20
Yamen fleet totals require source criticism
Work from reported troop strengths and ship capacities to test spectacular claims of thousands of vessels at Yamen.