A question about guard mode with phalanx pikemen

[mrjade06]

When do I want guard mode on with the pikemen versus off? And when would I want it on for hoplites? Thanks a lot

[Andy1984]

For pike units: Guard mode on will pin the enemy down. It is most advisable if you are outnumbered or outclassed and need time for flanking manoeuvres. It is also an excellent choice if you are defending a single city street against several units. Your pikes will kill less enemies but they manage to hold their formation better, thus taking less casualties (which buys you time).

Guard mode off makes your pike units more agressive. They are more likely to break up their formation (even switching to their secondary weapon) and to advance towards the enemy should a gap between your line and his line be created. This can be the case when your opponent flees. I use guard mode off:
(1) when cavalry has broken up my formation (and there is no more hope my pikes can push enemy cavalry back)
(2) when charging with secondary weapons into someone's flank (obvious)
(3) when my pikes are being attacked in their flanks or back (putting guard mode off makes them turn faster - put it on when you think they'll lower their pikes towards the enemy)
(4) or in a pike-vs-pike attack where I need to push quickly through an enemy syntagma. This last strategy, which is only advisable if your flanks are secured and if your fighting on open terrain against low-end-pikeunits, will cost you more casualties but it might speed up casualties on your opponents side (and thus give the enemy less time to flank you). If I have any choice at all, in any kind of pike-vs-pikefight, I choose the guard mode on (taking less casualties and hoping my flanks last sufficiently long). One last note: attacking AI-falanxes have (as far as I remember) guard mode put off.

Since I don't deploy hoplites that often, I can't give you any tips on them. Maybe someone else can.

kind regards,

Andy

[mrjade06]

Thanks a lot...I have been using pike units awhile and never really took guard mode off until recently, and when I did I began to take some horrific casualties. But thank you very much for explaining exactly how and to use it and not to.

[stratigos vasilios]

I think I remember reading somewhere that when your defending city walls, the pike units on the wall should have guard mode turned off? I can't remember why or how it's more effective, (hopefully someone can jump in here). Sorry it's a useless reply, but I guess someone can maybe help me out now :P

[Andy1984]

I've never used pike units on walls, but it makes sense. Pikes that have guard mode off are more likely to follow an opponent (that is standing next and not only in front of the soldier), while they move towards their opponents if they've killed the first row. If they wouldn't attack these guys, they'd be subject to first strikes of their opponents, thereby taking more casualties. Fighting on a wall is just a very specific case of an attack in the flanks (where you're forced to use your secondary weapons).

[mrjade06]

yeah I've never used pike units on walls so that wasnt the issue. Something that drives me crazy about pike units is when the ai walks cavalry (not even good cavalry either mind you) right into them and then just starts mauling them, I was hoping having guard mode off would do something to help that. As for the hoplites I still havent decided how to truly use them effectively. I only started playing EB 2 weeks ago (unfortunately) despite playing RTW and various other mods for years on end, so I'm basically a little lost on what to do with them to use them effectively...whether to stand and take a charge from the enemy, charge themselves and whether to have guard mode on or off on them. Thanks for all the advice so far.

[SwissBarbar]

Actually it's quite simple. If the enemy attacks you, and you need to hold your ground, put guard mode on. It's a defensive mode. If you are attacking the enemy put it off (f.e. if the enemy has enganged your line, which was on guard mode, and now you want to order your soldiers to push foreward... put it off). Never use it on walls