Did barbarians fight in tight formations?

[Hurin_Rules]

I was just thinking about some of those total war movies, and how the barbarians fight essentially in shapeless mobs with no real formation. Now, this would be accurate for some barbarians, but would it be accurate for all? I tend not to think so.

I can't imagine that the Visigoths at Adrianople fought as mobs, nor the Celts at Allia. Surely, some of the barbarians would be capable of forming a line or a shield wall and of fighting in formation?

[Leet Eriksson]

definitly the "barbarians" did have some organisation,they also had their own special tactics,i don't think they really fought as mobs..

[Kraxis]

Not all fought as mobs, that is certain.

But I do believe that the Allia force was rather loosely connected, most of them seeking individual honour rather than maintaining a formation. That said it doesn't mean they wouldn't be able to tactically move around the Roman position (as it seems they did).

[biguth dickuth]

i think that their infantry sometimes used wedge formations in order to break through enemy lines. i think they were pretty close to each other, when using this formation, so as to make it work.

[Mithrandir]

Moved to the history experts in the Monastery.

As for the wedge formation, was it really used ?

I cant imagine an army actually formin a wedge http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-confused.gif

esp since it doesnt seem strong with the first guy getting doubled and the rest flankwed