Infiltrating my phalanx

[duncan.gill]

I have played several battles where the enemy charges my in formation phalanx and manages (with the charge) to penetrate past the wall of spears and engage the front row in close in melee. What gives? The formation was fine, the phalanax mode was on, the charge was head on and the pikes were down. Any suggestions?

[Eisenhorn538]

This happens to me as well but only with heavy cavalry and even then quite a lot still die. What cavalry was it and what did they charge into to?

[darkness_rising]

Yeah had this as well, normally with cavalry as previously mentioned though. I dont think you can do a huge amount about it except a)Hope the charging unit isnt heavily armoured and chews through the phalanx or b) keep a free unit, ideally cavalry, close by to charge the enemy unit in the rear.

[duncan.gill]

I actually had it happen with infantry....had problems fighting the Getai skirmishers

[General Appo]

If enough men are thrown against the phalanx no amount of pikes will stop them, some will slip through and force some of your men to raise their pikes and so allow a few more to slip through.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Battle difficults and unit depth are also important. You need at least six ranks to make the pike phalanx effective. Even then, if the enemy are heavy infantry, in deep formation and there are a lot of them your phalanx may buckle. Still, that's why you cover your flanks with heavy cavalry, right?