So which faction has the best phalanxes hoplites etc. (Your opinions here :D)

I think its Greek Cities or Macedonia but i just ask you for your opinions in case i am mistaken or something :P

Greek Cities. Spartans are a bit OP'ed, but Armored Hoplites are perhaps the best, overall, when you consider cost & availability vs unit stats. While Macedonian Royal Pike are my favorite, they are pricey (but well worth it) and require the top tier of army barracks to train.

Carthaginian Sacred Band would have to be considered, and have higher attk/def/morale numbers than the AH. Takes two turns to recruit vs one turn for the AH, though, and they are tied to a Temple of Baal....

Hey thanks for answering, But why do spartans look so bad and are so strong :laugh:, im using a mod just to make them look better (Like in the movie 300) And yeah i just love how phalanx units are useful, just need to cover them good and you will be unstoppable :D

I didn't mind the look of the Spartans. But then again, I never used them much because they can only be recruited in Syracuse and Sparta so it becomes a hassle to bring replacements to a distant army.

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i just love how phalanx units are useful, just need to cover them good and you will be unstoppable

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Spartans lose out to Macedonian Royal Pike, or Seleucid Silver Pike because the Dory is much shorter than the Sarissa:shrug:

Then again, I'm a Horse Archer fanatic, and Armenian Cataphract Archers just make pin-cushions out of any phalanx....like in 300...~D

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Originally Posted by HeirOfGreece

I think its Greek Cities or Macedonia but i just ask you for your opinions in case i am mistaken or something :P

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Depends on criteria. Overall, I would have to give it to Greece, with their Armoured Hoplites that can be recruited at a city level barracks, take one turn to make, and are nearly invincible. I love Royal Pikemen, especially for their longer spears, but they need a large city level barracks and take two turns to make. That said, they also have more men, which helps. Given the choice, I think I would go with the AH on a campaign, but as Macedon, your phalanx pikemen are your mainstay anyway, and I only bring one or two RP along. So I have to give it to the AH.
Frankly, Silver Shield Pikemen are a waste of money, requiring a large city barracks, take two turns, are more expensive, and aren't that much better than Phalanx Pikemen. Now, Pontic Phalanx Pikemen come in smaller units with better defense, for some reason. At least that is what I have on my computer, using version 1.5.

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Originally Posted by ReluctantSamurai

While Macedonian Royal Pike are my favorite, they are pricey (but well worth it) and require the top tier of army barracks to train.

Carthaginian Sacred Band would have to be considered, and have higher attk/def/morale numbers than the AH. Takes two turns to recruit vs one turn for the AH, though, and they are tied to a Temple of Baal....

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Another thing to consider. Royal Pikemen are trained at an Army Barracks, which of course is only Large City, not Huge, so if you are attacking somebody who is advanced availability is not a concern.

Sacred Band have equivalent stats to Praetorian Cohort, plus the bonus vs cav, but again, taking two turns and needing, I think it is an Awesome Temple of Baal and probably a Large City level barracks, I would not field them in an army. At least with Praetorian Cohort all you need is the right governor's palace OR an Army Barracks to retrain. I take one unit of PC more for realism than for their abilities.

Once they start fielding Armoured Hoplites Greece can just go on a roll and are a pain to try to take over. Of course, post-Marian Roman units can handle them, but Greece can get to the AH a lot faster than Rome gets the Marian reforms. The only thing that really could stand up to them for more available units are the Chosen Swordsmen/Axemen, who are available at the same level. Chosen Axemen are just a barracks unit and don't require a temple, right?

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I would not field them in an army

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That insane defense of 23 along with the very high morale insures that they stand toe-to-toe with any other infantry unit in the game. They can switch to swords when fighting Chosen Swordsmen, so they don't suffer any melee penalty. Like any other of the elite phalanx, they never constitute the bulk of my battle-line, but several of them dispersed amongst Poeni Spear, are enough to break even a Greek City phalanx army of any kind.

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but Greece can get to the AH a lot faster than Rome gets the Marian reforms

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Which is why I give the Greek Cities the edge, overall, in phalanx factions.

Chosen Axe do not have a temple requirement to recruit.

I can't believe nobody is mentioning Nubian Spearmen!:laugh4: I did not realize till my Egyptian campaign how overrated Pharaoh's Guards are, though I guess their attack is decent, I think 13 attack 16 defense. That said, I will field them over Nile Spearmen against Rome.

I'd say Greece... far and away. And the game designs it to be as such and the game does achieve it, I think. They get the same basic unit of militia hoplites that every Hellenic faction does to start, but then their level two unit is better than Levy Pikemen by a mile (just basic hoplites), and then at level 3 and 4 as well. Plus they can stand up to Romans on walls which is key and the only place pre-Marian Romans have a leg up on you. An argument for Bronze Age Egypt or Carthage can be used, but Pharoah's Guards are not nearly as good as Sacred Band or Spartan Hoplites, and the Carthaginians don't get a top tier spear unit until late game.