The Phalanx

The phalanx can be easy if you know what to do. It can also be hard if you have no idea what to do. Everyone knows flanking them is the easiest way to destroy it but is the hardest way to do it. Never put peasents angainst the phalanx because peasents are the worst unit in the game. Beatin units of peasents is as easy as cutting hot butter with a staek knife. The easiest way to approach phalanx is to split it. Send troops in different directions then attack with your infantry. while they're busy fighting take your calvary around on each side. Your infantry should hold long enough for you calvary to attack.

If anyone else has a different way to do please share.

a large battle?

they have a far worse mobility so in the odd chance that the AI forms a half decent line focus all of your javelin troops on their center and flanking units
then hit them hard at these points. In the center double click behind them so you can get heavy swords into the phlananx formation and on the outside hit them from 2 sides then as they move to counter with their sides use calvalry. plus breaking their line is typically damaging to morale

Divide your army in two and attack from both flanks. Deny them the centre they desire.

Javelins are your friend . Get Javelins {even cheap ones} behind a phalanx unit and you will shatter it . Even Sparabara {those cheap spearmen the Easterners get , forget what the vanilla game name was} can hold most Phalanx units long enough for rear-ending Javelins to destroy them .

Missile cavalry works well in field battles if you're willing to micromanage them. Use two units of missile cavalry (with fire at will turned OFF) to get on opposite sides of a pahalanx unit. The phalanx must decide which one to face. Then order the one that isn't facing, to shoot/throw at the back of the phalanx unit. If the phalanx turns around, stop the missiles and order the other unit to shoot.

The phalanx is easy to break down in a pitched battle. They're really tough, though, when guarding small openings in walls.

The hardest phalanx formations to face are dobule lined formations. if you flank the first line, you face up against a second lineso its difficult to get behind.

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Originally Posted by GrimeReaper

The hardest phalanx formations to face are dobule lined formations. if you flank the first line, you face up against a second lineso its difficult to get behind.

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That's what Alexander the Great did at Gaugamela, you know - and it ended up saving his butt :laugh4: