Twitter discussion

[Cybvep]

Pikes require a close formation, but a short spear is a perfectly good duelling weapon. It's like a short sword with a greater reach. Yes, it can be batted aside, but against a good spearman that will be a lot more difficult than you think.

I'm not implying that a spearman is useless by any means and skill is probably more important than anything else, BUT I think that in battle conditions a shieldwall would still be much more effective than individual spearmen fighting "duels". In EB1, the vast majority of cheap, non-Hellenic low-tier infantry units have spears, while mercenaries and nobles usually have swords, which doesn't surprise me at all. It seems like a waste to arm the Gaesatae with short spears and in EB1, they had longswords, hence my questions.

The Gaisatoi were highly professional bands and no fanatics

A description from the EB's website:

Historically, the Gaesatae were Gallic naked religious fanatics. Their skill was a source of terror, and their frightful appearance shook many. Most horrifying, even beyond their size and skill and terrifying cries, was their seeming invincibility. A chemical they used allowed them to brush off and ignore any pain. They were remarked to do things such as rip javelins that had struck them free from their bodies, and hurl them back, and continue to fight with gashes and wounds that would have surely fell a normal man. They were Hannibal's favored Gallic mercenaries, and were used as his personal guards, as they were so devoted and trustworthy, as well as brave and skilled.

Are you implying that this description is nonsensical?

Their name clearly speaks for the use of spears (Gaisatoi = Those who bear the Gaesum).

I thought that it was because of the javelins which they used. EB's website:

The Gaesatae (Guy-sah-tay; "Spearmen") are easily one of the most fearsome groups of warriors in the known world. They fight stripped bare but for neck torcs and sometimes their shoes or boots. They fight with longswords, but are named for their incredible skill with javelins; they can hurl them unnaturally long distances and deal great damage with them. Their charge is most ferocious though, causing many lines to simply fold and flee. This is not all solely due to skill and strength, though they are experienced and huge, muscular men. They imbibe a chemical before battle making them seemingly impervious to pain. They will fight to the very end, and are very destructive when employed properly.