Phalanx with M2TW engine.

**mikil100** · January 27, 2009, 04:29 PM

As we all know, in M2TW the spear-wall formation sucks if you give them a secondary weapon, and still MUCH weaker than the RTW phalanx formation. While being weaker than the RTW phalanx isn't exactly a bad thing, in all the M2TW mods and games I've played the spear wall is sub par. I recently played the Hegemon mod of SS.. not to compare EB in ANY way to a game that has fantasy units in it, but this question came to mind while playing as Makedonia and ALWAYS having my phalanx crumble and switch to swords..
Does EB have a fix, for the spearwall formation? How much more powerful can we expect to see it, and will you equip them with swords as secondaries? If so, can we expect them to keep their spears out longer, much longer? keeping the enemy at a safe distance?

**Antiochos VII Sidetes** · January 27, 2009, 07:29 PM

I've had this on my mind as well. For a Hellenophile such as myself, a weak phalanx would be devastating.

**TheSavage** · January 27, 2009, 07:37 PM

Well if you remove the secondary weapon then they become so strong that you have to reduce the attack and defense factors to almost nothing to compensate. The stats on these units would look weird but they might perform well as phalanx's.

I suspect that if anybody can solve this problem, it's the EB team.

**General Grievous** · January 28, 2009, 02:58 AM

I think about it too!

The phalanxes on hegemon mod really sucks a lot! moreover, they are too weak against archers.

I really hope that EB team will fix this... if it's possible!

**mikil100** · January 28, 2009, 08:29 AM

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=111607

I found this, I guess its in the ANIMATION which thank god can be modded. I guess we'll see perfectly balances, Spear and sword weilding phalanxes in EBII... that is game saving for me, if my phalanxes dont work I get pissy haha.

**Gaias** · January 29, 2009, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by General Grievous

I think about it too!

The phalanxes on hegemon mod really sucks a lot! moreover, they are too weak against archers.

I really hope that EB team will fix this... if it's possible!

Somethings not historical with an Creative Assembly game?!?! Quick! To the EB Team!

Sorry about that, just seems relevant at the moment.

**The Colonel** · January 29, 2009, 10:37 PM

Didn't banzai make a good pike formation for his hegemon mod?

**Antiochos VII Sidetes** · January 30, 2009, 09:17 PM

I heard it was terrible, with phalanxes switching to swords instantly upon contact.

**mikil100** · February 01, 2009, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Didn't banzai make a good pike formation for his hegemon mod?

If by good you mean swords drawn and pikes dropped, yes. It does, however, look intimidating. Once it engages its pathetic though.

**jmrc** · February 06, 2009, 07:02 AM

We have reworked the phalanx formation animations and now it looks good to us (in many aspects, better than in RTW). And the phalangites may still use the swords. Check the Announcement and Video page in our List of Previews.

**Grythius Avalorius** · February 10, 2009, 10:59 PM

The pikemen in FKOC are amazing and dont switch to swords. In my mind, play using those pikemen and just immagine them with a small shield strapped to their arm and a longer pike.

**oudysseos** · February 11, 2009, 02:55 AM

I like the FKOC pikemen too but I don't think that they have any swords or any secondary weapons at all. And the 17th century tactics doctrine for pikes is different than the Macedonian one.