Hypaspit unit size too small?

[nath9091]

I'm playing as Macedon and hypaspit unit size is only 80 on huge unit size settings. Compared to sizes of 160 for my elite pikemen and 240 for Pez and Chalk this seems quite small so just asking if this was intentional. I don't see that much point using them when heavy cav are about the same unit size and are far more mobile and gain xp faster. The only point I see in using them is for ladder attacks where phalanxes get slaughtered by just about everything, but even then they'll still need to be retrained regularly.

On a side note, phalangites seem awful in RTR. I don't really see them beating enemies from the front (hoplites) and the engine makes them go walkies during a battle. In addition they're so easily flanked that unless the enemy runs into my spears I seem pretty much doomed. It means that using only a few units the enemy can tie up most of my infantry. I only beat the Greeks by overwhelming them with mass numbers and wiping out their generals with my generals. And if they get reverse charged by even light cavalry...

Fighting the Romans is going to be an absolute pain. Only thing I can think of is heavy cav and massed archers to wipe out the Triarii. Incidentally, every army needs 5 units of archers whatever you are. It'll do far more damage than your infantry and needs to be retrained far less. My army atm is roughly 2/3 generals, 2 Hetairoi, 7/8 Pez/elite Phalangites (forgot their name) and 5 units of archers. The infantry component varies the most depending on how many are travelling for retraining. Generally they get meatshielded the most.

[NightEye]

Hypaspists are supposed to be the flank the cover of the phalanx and made aren't to used as frontline infantry. Their best use is to hit an enemy unit in the flanks or rear while that said enemy is busy with another force. And while cavalry are more mobile, they're less likely to survive long slogging matches than hypaspists.
Also make sure to place missile units and generals behind the phalanx. The AI tends to want to go at these units even going through a phalanx. I've sent alot of generals and cavalrymen to Hades this way.

As for phalangites, the trick is NOT to set them in phalanx formation until the enemy AI commits its forces. Keep the phalangite line infront of the enemy while they're in standard formation. Have them run if you have to keep up. And make sure to have decent flank cover for the phalanx, cavalry and/or non-phalanx infantry. When advancing, make the phalanxes are walking side by side with cavalry and/or other infantry.
Pay attention the terrain, use building, trees and rocks to cover flanks so you can free up some forces to do other things.

As for the Greeks, your best bet is to let any of their big armies attack you first, make sure to bring skirmishers because these guys are more effective than archers when it comes to armored troops despite having less ammo. Afaik, archers are the most nerfed units in RTR compared to those in vanilla. The Triarii can be dealt also with this manner.

[nath9091]

I tend to find a Het charge from behind breaks most units especially once they gain silver chevrons which is fairly simple. I might start using Hys just because I like infantry. For my phalanxes, I find they tend to work fairly well except when the enemy general decides to charge into my center, which almost invariably happens. If my forces are over-stretched they tend to have problems if that happens. I've started using elite phalangites to cover my flanks. Fighting the Thracians atm and it's incredibly annoying having Falxmen get round the flanks. Hurts like mad.

I still tend to like archers. They gain experience fast without being hurt, good in thinning out enemies in siege attacks and they slaughter light infantry and skirmishers. After a bit of experience they'll massacre enemies as well as javelins at a far greater range. Tactics for them tend to be fairly simple. Either stick them behind the phalanx on Fire at Will without skirmish and leave them be and/or acting as flank guard if fighting two armies with a small army coming in on a flank. 800 arrows in the face tend to bring down any but the most heavily armoured units. 800 arrows in the rear is a quarter or more of the unit instantly dead.

Order of units gaining experience: cavalry, archers, infantry.