Quote Originally Posted by antisocialmunky View Post
Perhaps increase mass but just something to keep legionaires in their formation and standing from taking 20% casualties from a formed charge from the front and not being able to do MAD or anything to the horses. That's a just a tad unrealistic...

They don't have any protection against horses and any decent charging cav can do massive a damage to a cohort and just withdraw with most of their units intact.
Yes, this is true...
Cavalry (also without stirrups) CANNOT run through a lot of armoured men without being thrown down.
Another questions... can a long spear be effective in a close melee?
Again: against cavalry in a close melee, isn t sword better?