One note when using Sparabara, is that I discovered that generally leaving your spearmen in Guard Mode (press "D" on your keyboard) will make them far more effective and prevent them from breaking formation, so they more or less stay in a coherent arrangement to at least delay the enemy while you prepare a charge on their backs, shoot at them, etc. Even Pantodapoi can last enough in such a formation, and it is definetely the only way to go with the low quality spear infantry you will recruit early in the game.