How well will other infantry types perform against the phalanx?

[Lavrentivs]

Salvete

Now we have seen the phalanx in action, and witnessed the devastating (and absolutely glorious) destruction that it inflicts from the front, it prompted a question: how will other infantry types perform against the phalanx?

We all know that the Macedonian-style phalanx was a formidable challenge when faced in a frontal assault and, in the most favourable of circumstances, would have caused massive casualty rates among the opponent. As we have seen in the demonstration by CA, the best way to take on a phalanx is to pin it down/hold it in place with infantry while using cavalry or another flanking force to attack from the sides or rear.

I would like to read your thoughts as to how well you think other infantry types (like Hastati for example) will stand up to phalanxes as a pinning force.

As a Roman player, for example, I would like to think that my hastati would be at least capable of holding a phalanx in place for some time while I sent cavalry around the flanks/rear without taking a ridiculous amount of casualties. Historically, it appears that manipular infantry could perform well against the phalanx, and could potentially cause substantial casualties if they got close enough, even in prolonged engagements (e.g. in the Pyrrhic wars). As a concern, but not as a complaint, I hope that standard infantry types will be able to at least hold their own for a while, and not get completely steam-rollered while I'm moving my flanking force into position. Just a thought

What do you guys think?

[Fanest]

as said by some before in another thread it was roman heavy infantry that made phalanx useless and that was proven on the battlefields many times. Search thread how to beat phalanx head on or smt like that...

[Dan113112]

as said by some before in another thread it was roman heavy infantry that made phalanx useless and that was proven on the battlefields many times so they should perform very well

Not from the front. It has been mentioned in several places on the forum that the phalanx was more than a match for the Romans in frontal engagements. Even though the Romans defeated the phalanx several times they always feared encountering it. The Romans resorted to the same tactics Jack showed in the latest Rally Point. They used their heavy infantry to pin down the enemy in the front and then they attacked its flanks and rear. The late phalanxes had shorter swords than in Alexander's time (the xiphos changed from 24-26" to about 14") and were not as well trained. The ratio of pikemen to support troops and cavalry was drastically different as well.

[Fanest]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ngites-head-on

here better continue discuss there otherwise we will have hundreds of threads on this forums of the same topic

[StealthFox]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ngites-head-on

here better continue discuss there otherwise we will have hundreds of threads on this forums of the same topic

Closed.

[Chirurgeon]

I set my units to loose formation and then they would wrap around the phalanx to the side and less of your men would go down

[Jester]

feint an attack and then run away to lure them in. then attack from the flanks with other troops without even sacrificing a unit for pinning them down. that ll show em

[GussieFinkNottle]

It gets carved up by evocati:

[Hans Friedman]

I fear my Suebi will be slaughtered by the phalanx we encounter.