Quote Originally Posted by antisocialmunky View Post
The only analogue to the run through would be for hoplites or other heavily armored close order infantry to simulate their push. Greek Hoplites pushing did manage to stop the Macedonian style phalanxes on atleast two occassions.

The EB engine is rather strange when it comes to any sort of formation warfare. You can actually put a unit in defense mode and order it to attack a phalanx. The effect is that the units will run past all the pikes and engage the front rank of pikemen befall stalling out and getting poked away.

That being said, you probably should keep in mind that its not that particularly hard to counter if you're expecting it.
Beig able to efficiently "push" through a pikewall has to do with many things. First and foremost, armour and a decent shield. Hoplites could (theoretically, at least) break a pikewall by pushing enough. Bu that doesn't mean it could happen every time.

See, I had fought a battle once against ACS who played the Sweboz. He said he'd wipe me off the floor in less than 2 minutes. He did. He used swordsmen with silver chevrons and weapon upgrades and, after running behind my pikewall, started butchering my main line. While I was busy flanking him in earnest and managing to actually deliver several back charges with my Hetairoi, the morale bonuses plus the fact that my line was already routing gave him a (quite) easy victory.

What I want to say, is that people should stop complaining about ot being able to use the phalanx exlpoit. You already debate about lowering the mnai limit (which is going to cripple us enough), debating about doing something that is probably highly ahistorical would be nonsense. IMO, it was not the fact that other nations had superior infantry that they won over the Hellenes. It was theit stubborness (Romans) and refusal to surrender when beaten repeatedly (Pyrrhos). Not to forget that "hiding behind pikes" gave several men (Megas Alexandros, Pyrrhos) some wonderful victories to brag about.

Maion