learning the of the phalanx

**Hax** · 09-21-2008, 00:02

Cavalry is a must for a phalanx army, but be careful, as I have noticed that sometimes your own cavalry gets skewered on your own sarissas when they are charging an enemy unit from the back when the enemy is already engaged with a phalanx. What kind of problems are you having with the phalanx anyway?

Eh...I'm pretty sure it can't.

**Aemilius Paulus** · 09-21-2008, 00:10

Originally Posted by Hax

Eh...I'm pretty sure it can't.

Yes, it can. I know it is hard to prove, but it has happened to me about four times during my RTW/EB experience. When one time my cavalry charged a unit that was already routing, right near the sarissas. They lost 5 horsemen and my general. A routing unit that is not fighting to death could not have done that. That was my pikes. I also had that happened when my cavalry was running away and it passes my phalanx. That unit lost 4 men. Not only this, bu I actually observed an enemy general losing 14 men to his own phalanx. It is very rare, but it happens.

EDIT: If anyone who is reading this post had the aforementioned happen to them, please say so! This paranormal happening needs to be validated!!!

**Ravenic** · 09-21-2008, 01:11

As far as killing your own cavalry with Sarissas, I think its just a very rare bug because I have had it happen to me once, but only once.

And while I agree that Aemilius' tactics are certainly effective (boxing multiple units atop one another for example), I tend to shy away from that because that's not plausible historically. Indeed, no offense to Aemilius, but I'd consider it an exploit really.

Aaand on the last note, the poor pathfinding I'm talking about with phalanxs mostly involves trying to actually get through a gate, though half of the time my phalanx will just do something stupid while I'm marching through the streets or engaging an enemy in urban combat. Bah...much easier to use the infantry designed for it!

**craziii** · 09-21-2008, 01:41

it does happen. just like your archer units killing your own troops with friendly fire.

**Aemilius Paulus** · 09-21-2008, 04:55

Originally Posted by Ravenic

. Indeed, no offense to Aemilius, but I'd consider it an exploit really.

Yeah, I'm kinda big on the exploits! (reloading when losing battles, FMs dying of old age, failed agent mission, shooting in the backs of the units, using the battlefield borders as flanking guards - that me allright!)

**Ludens** · 09-21-2008, 12:40

Originally Posted by Ravenic

And while I agree that Aemilius' tactics are certainly effective (boxing multiple units atop one another for example), I tend to shy away from that because that's not plausible historically. Indeed, no offense to Aemilius, but I'd consider it an exploit really.

In this particular instance, it's actually historical. Phalangites could form a impenetrable pike-block called synaspis (locked shields) where individual soldiers stood at half the distance for their neighbours. However, this formation was immobile. And I agree that the R:TW engine is far too lax when it comes to stacking-penalties.

Incidentally, I have little problems with pathfinding in cities as long as I remember that the units should be less wide than the road (the pavement). That way they will generally stay in formation. And the A.I. often won't deviate from the road to attack my phalanx' flanks.

**Cbvani** · 09-21-2008, 19:33

Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus

Yes, it can. I know it is hard to prove, but it has happened to me about four times during my RTW/EB experience. When one time my cavalry charged a unit that was already routing, right near the sarissas. They lost 5 horsemen and my general. A routing unit that is not fighting to death could not have done that. That was my pikes. I also had that happened when my cavalry was running away and it passes my phalanx. That unit lost 4 men. Not only this, bu I actually observed an enemy general losing 14 men to his own phalanx. It is very rare, but it happens.

EDIT: If anyone who is reading this post had the aforementioned happen to them, please say so! This paranormal happening needs to be validated!!!

Seen it, done it, myth confirmed.

**Hax** · 09-21-2008, 22:07

Seen it, done it, myth confirmed.

That's funny, never ever happened to me in my entire RTW life (which spans about since the release now).

**Aemilius Paulus** · 09-21-2008, 22:11

Originally Posted by Hax

That's funny, never ever happened to me in my entire RTW life (which spans about since the release now).

Maybe it happened during moments when you were busy with another unit/maneuver and simply didn't notice the casualties, perhaps dismissing them as normal losses.

**Ibrahim** · 09-23-2008, 14:31

actually, I agree with Aemilius here. your cavalry can be impaled by your sarissas. I've had more than a few cases of this happening-though casualties are lower than you'd expect (maybe one or 2 on average)

as long as the preference part is set on friendly fire, I believe that keeps it that way.