the BEST PHALANX UNIT

**Erwin Rommel** · November 02, 2006, 01:43 AM

ok so i'm running out of ideas on which is the best phalanx unit
i personally chose the silver-shield pikemen
but whats do you consider to be the best phalanx unit

**Trajan** · November 02, 2006, 01:54 AM

Moved to the RTW GD.

For vanilla, my pick is both the Macedonian Royal Pikemen and Seleucid's Silver Shield. They cost a lot but they're well worth it on the field.

**Erwin Rommel** · November 02, 2006, 02:01 AM

Yeah Pikes Are Better

**CiusFortius** · November 02, 2006, 02:54 AM

Spartans

**Spart** · November 02, 2006, 05:01 AM

Spartans seem to be powerful against normal troops. They aren't so vulnerable to flank attack and know how to fight without spears too. + They have 2 hitpoints.
Silvershields are good against elephants and other phalanxes then, but weaker in close combat.
I think Spartans and Silver shileds are pretty much equal, depends on how they are being used.

**Your Lame Sister** · November 02, 2006, 11:27 AM

No, the spartens are the best phalanx unit.
i tested it and they beat any other phalanx in a fair fight.

it doesnt matter, though, because any phalanx is enough if you can secure your flanks and attack the enemies' flanks.

**tFighterPilot** · November 02, 2006, 11:37 AM

Spartans are obviously the best. I'm pretty sure sacared band is next. Then there are the Armored Hoplites along with the Royals and the Silver Shield. Royal Pikemen are better than Silver Shield simply because they have 3 more defence points. Silver Shield is equal to the Pontic Bronze Shield.

**Korinthos Hoplites** · November 02, 2006, 11:45 AM

Spartans are the best all-round phalanx and Royal Pikemen are the best phalanx-only unit. I'm not sure which of them would win on a frontal fight though, those long pikes are surely gonna make a lot of difference.

**carl-the-conqueror** · November 02, 2006, 02:21 PM

spartans (in vannila), they are also good out of phalanx, which is why they can win better ( i say good, i mean acceptable)

**Lavastein** · November 02, 2006, 06:51 PM

i hate the spartans. they are treated like god himself because they are from sparta. Um, last time i checked they should die like other men. You cant charge into a wall of pikes and live. you cant survive a row of pile in your face. Anyone play against the spartan spammers online? i look at the row of spartans and say........jesus is back.

**Zipzopdippidybopbop** · November 02, 2006, 07:42 PM

spartans are best phalanx unit. ive marched units of them against royal pikemen, and slaughtered em with possibly 2 or 3 losses. but, like any unit, they can be beaten (use archers to soften em up, and cavalry on the bastards backs

)

**13ig_VV** · November 02, 2006, 07:52 PM

i like spartans if you can upgrade their defense. everything about them is great but their defence and if u upgrad that they're crazy

**Trajan** · November 02, 2006, 08:14 PM

Yes, going with all the inaccuracies in vanilla, the Spartans are the most powerful phalanx unit in the game. When I think of the Spartans, I think of them carrying the one handed spear, not the pike/Sarrisa. So when I'm asked, what's the best phalanx fighting unit in ancient times, King Phillip's Macedonian phalanx (two handed long spear) or the old Greek phalanx style (one handed spear), I'm going to pick the Macedonian phalanx. Been playing mods for so long that I totally forgot the historical inaccuracy's of the Greek phalanx in vanilla.

**Hyungoku** · November 02, 2006, 08:44 PM

spartans are just too powerful... there are strategies to beat spartans easily but not on fair grounds.

**Korinthos Hoplites** · November 04, 2006, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Trajan

Yes, going with all the inaccuracies in vanilla, the Spartans are the most powerful phalanx unit in the game. When I think of the Spartans, I think of them carrying the one handed spear, not the pike/Sarrisa. So when I'm asked, what's the best phalanx fighting unit in ancient times, King Phillip's Macedonian phalanx (two handed long spear) or the old Greek phalanx style (one handed spear), I'm going to pick the Macedonian phalanx. Been playing mods for so long that I totally forgot the historical inaccuracy's of the Greek phalanx in vanilla.

Of course noone's expecting vanilla RTW to be historically accurate

The macedonian phalanx proved it's worth.

**The Gnomes** · November 02, 2006, 10:48 PM

The most ridicuolous thing about Spartans is their invulnerability to flanking. I had 2 units of Hastati holding them in front, then hit the Spartans in the rear with 2 units of heavy cav and 1 of light cav on the right flank. Logic would demand that a phalanx being hit in the rear and side would crumble, but this doesn't apply to Spartans. It seemed as is my cav had charged into their front. I lost almost all of them.

**Emcman333** · November 03, 2006, 07:19 AM

Spartans!!!

**Leonidas The Lion** · November 03, 2006, 09:34 AM

Spartans are statisticly the best but i have beaten them with militia hoplites.
The trick is to know your units strengths and weaknesses.

**"Et Tu Brute"** · November 03, 2006, 11:05 AM

No offense but to beat spartans with militia hoplites is probbably impossible and if you did you must have had unfair advantages, upgaded units when the arn't etc.