[EB] Phalanx Noob Box - And how to beat it?

[athanaric]

Pack some Gaesatae, Tindanotae, Pictone Neitos or Worgozez. Fear effect + heavy javelins + high lethality + high attack/def skill + very high morale = phalanx breaker par excellence.
Even more effective are Sreni Pattya Yoddaha/Rhomphaiaphoroi/Kluddargos. Or Lugian Swordsmen.
As has been suggested, the arrow throwers are also effective (the smallest version).
Nomadic nobles with a lot of micro ("Fire at Will" turned off) can also help.

If all else fails, drop a strategic missile. Oh wait, that cheat was disabled...

Your friend deploys his phalangites in a box-formation? What kind of a game is that anyway?
If i was in your place, i would instantly quit the match.

Another possibility (and watch the look on his face, haha).
That was my reaction to more than one WarCraft III match. Some people just never learn to adhere to rules, nor to leave their competitive ambitions aside for a while.