carthaginian phalanxes a tad too strong?

**Titus Maximius Thongus** · September 06, 2009, 12:48 AM

I noticed that many of Carthage's phalanx pikemen units have attack ratings over 40-50 ish, and this makes me wonder if it is a tad overpowered. I mean, they are doing damage equivalent to that of dacian falxmen, and i believe the primary role of phalanxes should be to fix the enemy in place while you flank them with more mobile infantry/calvary, not to act as a steamroller.

anyone else share this opinion?

all in all, great mod with great balance as a whole though. This is just one minor nitpick.

**messiah** · September 06, 2009, 01:48 AM

In truth the Macedonian Phalanx type is believed to hold the enemy in place, but in truth they had a bunch of dead men in front of them, so they were like a tank in the ancient period.

If they are the Greek phalanx type, then it is normal.

**Titus Maximius Thongus** · September 06, 2009, 01:59 AM

I never really noticed the steamroller effect with greek phalanxes, only with carthaginians. But then again, I relied on more auxiliaries against the Carthaginians, not legionares so they had less ability to soak up punishment.
I'll have a look see around at more stacks. WIll have plenty of opportunity to see how powerful greek phalaxes are, considering they just sneaked 4 full stacks through some valley and sneak attacked me -.-

**TheAeneas** · September 07, 2009, 11:46 AM

I loooved the heavy punic phalanx. one of the best units in the game and a pleasure to use (if a tad slow) on the battlefield, eating up Romans for breakfast.

Edit:

Gee, did you know that you can rep yourself!?

Gosh...

How sad am I...

lol.

**simplemind07** · September 07, 2009, 01:14 PM

I think I heard in one of the disscussion threads that Carthage wont have phalanx pikeman anymore in RSII or unless Im mistaken? I think just the elite should have that ability.

**Titus Maximius Thongus** · September 08, 2009, 06:09 AM

I checked the stats with the other phalanx using nations, and Carthage has the most powerful phalanxes damage wise. Greek and macedonian phalanxes do damage in the 28-35 range, but Carthaginian phalanxes do damage in the 40+++ area. Eats up all but the toughest troops for breakfast... om nom nom

**PrimeChaosVC** · September 10, 2009, 04:32 AM

Probably to compensate the fact that the AI will never be as brilliant as hannibal, but still a bit over the top IMO. Now we have a nation that produce Hannibals Veterans in mass production...

**Alavaria** · September 10, 2009, 10:20 AM

Even better yet, if a player is using them, and is an/several order of magnitude better than the AI.

Hmm, playing as Carthage, I suppose churning out pikemen and steamrolling the world would be amusing. Could you beat Macedon in a straight up "push of pike" fight? Just march at them and let superior stats do the work.

**Thorn777** · September 10, 2009, 06:42 PM

Hmm I noticed they have high stats, but they seem to die pretty quick compared to Greek equivalents.

Maybe it was just because of the fighting in the winter against roman pilla's...

**frontier-auxilia** · September 11, 2009, 04:58 AM

In the respective period of RS II, the macedonian style phalanx does indeed have longer spear then the Philip the II predecessors as all the successors warlord wanted theirs to outreach their enemies's sarissa by a fair bit. So yes their role by now should be primarily of the grinding board purpose rather then the line breaking variety.

Imo a cavalry charge to the rear or flank should have oblierate a force of Phalanx like it does in history. Except in RS and europa barbaroum, i always hav the easy option of turning spear towards the back and stabbing them all to death.

**Titus Maximius Thongus** · September 11, 2009, 12:11 PM

and somehow the pikes manage to squash people to death by landing on their heads, even if the flanking force is well inside the killing field of a pike-wall.

Carthaginian phalanxes are like giant trash compactors that go OM NOM NOM NOM on your poor little infantry, cavalry, everything really, in front of them.

delicious foodz...

*edit* @ Thornz777, that's because I think Greek hoplites wear notoriously heavy armour and carry larger shields compared to other phalanx-using nations. Greeks are a real pain like that.

**Enyalius** · September 14, 2009, 06:18 PM

The Carthaginian phalanxes in RS 1.5 has lower defence then the greeks though I think they added the extra damage to them to compensate for the lack of protecton. Besides Egypt usually annhilliate Carthage anyway despite of their phalanxes and elephants, for some really strange reason.

**Beggar** · September 15, 2009, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Enyalius

The Carthaginian phalanxes in RS 1.5 has lower defence then the greeks though I think they added the extra damage to them to compensate for the lack of protecton. Besides Egypt usually annhilliate Carthage anyway despite of their phalanxes and elephants, for some really strange reason.

AI really likes to use skirmishers instead of phalanxes as Carthage, for some reason.

**Titus Maximius Thongus** · September 15, 2009, 10:32 PM

very true. 6 or more units of skirmishers sometimes. A reaaaal pain in the rear to fight if you forgot to recruit archers or skirmishes or light cav (i guess i deserve the suffering then, heh)