Guard mode

[naq]

Do you enable guard mode? If yes, then when?

[NightEye]

Yes, it's a must for phalanx units and when I need to set up a hammer and anvil.

[Chris Death]

Yes, it's a must for phalanx units and when I need to set up a hammer and anvil.

No and no

No, it's not a must for phalanx units

and

A hammer and anvil works so much better when you phalanx is off guard since
this will make your phalanx continue killing the enemy infantry while they maybe
turn around to deal with your cavalry - so it's the real sandwich.

With guard mode on - enemy infantry attacks your stationary phalanx - you move
your cav around - hammer them into their backs - they don't have probs turning their
backs to your phalanx (since guard mode allows them).
If the enemy infantry is maybe some spears or hoplites - congratulations - you will
manage to rout them at the end due to the overwhelming and the morale drop because
of having enemies in the front and in the back but it was then surely to a higher cost
than it could have been.

~S~ CD

[5th Lieutenant]

As a rule of thumb in a dual or triple acies I have the first line of cohorts on fire at will and guard mode to absorb the initial enemy assault and keep the front stationary. Everyone else has it off to ensure they advance and envelope the enemy as I commit them rather than fight and hold their ground.

[NightEye]

@ChrisDeath
Defensively for it is, phalanxes tend to break up a lot with guard mode off.

And CD, I said set up a hammer and anvil, I turn off guard when the cavalry hit the flank. I tend to keep my phalanxes passive and in formation until get them flanked.

[chaplain118]

I use guard mode when I'm letting the enemy crash into my lines since it doesn't deplete stamina from your men. Once they tire out the enemy, I order them to attack and take guard mode off. This usually breaks the enemy morale pretty quickly. Add that with a good heavy cavalry charge and it almost always starts a chain reaction rout.

As for phalanxes, I never liked how guard mode is implemented with them: namely, that the phalanx will still get tired as they fight because they're actively fighting instead of just parrying.

[RollingWave]

It's usually a good idea if your defending a line , as other pointed out your units don't tire when in guard mode, and unless the odds / quality is overwhelming they won't take much casaulties either. so the enemeis just waste away their strength and you remain fresh. then break the guard mode and attack and you have fresh units vs exhausted onces, a sitatuion where even mediocare units can overcome good onces.

[Chris Death]

Don't get me wrong NighEye but the way you posted it did look to me like guard mode is a must
for phalanx especially when you want to do some H&A stuff.

Somehow i seem to have lost while reading that you take them off guard when the cavalry hits the flank
dunno must be my bad reading then.



Let's try to change it then a little bit;

Phalanx in guard is good for: keeping your phalanx line in formation and don't try to kill everybody
who comes by - only if being attacked - so guard mode = self defense
Guard mode is also good for maneuvering without having your units engage here or there
when you not want to but during a fight guard mode on is rather a step back than forward.

Phalanx off guard is good for killing more enemies (or faster) while it will happen that single units
are going to leave the line formation for pursuing routers - which is not too bad at all since this
is an easy way to figure out (even from an airplane while having dinner) that this unit is free to use somewhere else. Also it's good for letting your phalanx line march to a spot behind the enemy
without having to care of manually engaging every single enemy unit during the attack. Meanwhile
you could set up your hammer and anvil just because of the spare time you got left due to your
phalanx engaging on it's own.

~S~ CD

[Titus Maximius Thongus]

in a phalanx v phalanx matchup, it's essential to take off guard mode especailly if you're using hoplties vs pikes. This will make your men force their way into the enemy phalanx and engage them in sword to sword, mano to mano combat where the superior defense of hoplite units usually wins the day. against troops like urbans and legionaries, leaving guardmode on may be preferrable to maintain a solid line to reduce the amount of guys trickling around the flanks of your phalanxes