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

**Skullheadhq** · 05-15-2010, 19:27

Okay, I've been playing EB with schoolfriends for 2 years now, and I always got a Heroic Victory and because of this one friend ALWAYS employs the Phalanx Noob Box, a very dense formation of Phalangitai which points all ways, I have no idea how to breach it. Could any of you give me some insight in this. Note this, it is so dense that he haves to stack his other troops and generals over eachother.

**Hax** · 05-15-2010, 19:36

Archers. Surround his box with it and aim at the backs.

**Skullheadhq** · 05-15-2010, 19:37

Any suggested faction(s) and or units for this tactic?

**Macilrille** · 05-15-2010, 19:40

Depends what army you have available.

One thing that might work is to not attack them but click behind them and have your troops slowly (possibly in Guard Mode) walk through his formation. Then when in the middle of it, suddenly click on his troops to attack.

That is a typical MP cheesey tactic against dense phalanxes. You could also move Cretans or Balearics up to just in range of the units on the opposite side and shoot them in the back.

But then, I never play MP, ask Fluvius, I hear he is pretty good MP ;-)

**Cute Wolf** · 05-15-2010, 19:42

the reason to bring some arrow throwers then

**Hax** · 05-15-2010, 19:52

Any suggested faction(s) and or units for this tactic?

Anything east from Greece. Steppes are the best, but Persian and Syrian archers are fine too.

**Jebivjetar** · 05-15-2010, 20:24

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.

**Maion Maroneios** · 05-15-2010, 20:34

Originally Posted by Jebivjetar

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.

Or he could do something much better; namely, he could force him to accept playing on Arcade Mode which basically gives you an unlimited amount of ammo.

So you could go Carrhae on him. In a way.

**athanaric** · 05-15-2010, 20:28

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...

Originally Posted by Jebivjetar

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.

**Macilrille** · 05-15-2010, 20:53

Those are all expensive units Athanaric. And quitting is not an option if they have not agreed to not play with such cheats.

I gtg read some Economics, but here is brief, cheap Sweboz army that might deal with him.

4- 6 Medininkas to pepper the back of his units on the opposite side. More packed = more targets, do not empty their quivers, but save 2-4 salvoes
2 Worgozes or the like to scare.
Bodyguard.
0- 2 Kludda Lugia
8- 10 Slagonez
Rest LT Cav, german or gallic, to pepper him with Javs and run down routers.

You can afford the many units as Phalanxes are expensive, you may even be able to afford some upgrades on them.

Set up with archers in front, rest behind. Everything in Guard Mode.
If he has archers or slingers inside his Noob Box, shoot them first, while keeping your infantry out of range, except that you might want to send the bodyguard forwards to absorb arrows and if you have Cav, let them throw their javs.

When most ammo is spent, stop shooting. Move infantry forwards still in Guard Mode to the units you with to attack- the already depleted ones will be ideal, let them throw their javs to cause even more losses, then click behind the units you want to kill. AFAIK, your units will walk into and through his formation with few losses.

When it is well mixed up, click on his units with Guard mode Off and watch them be clubbed to death- Slagonez kills any armoured unit they are in close contact with. Meanwhile when he starts to waver you have moved your scary units up, but not in contact- their presence is anough, and fire a couple of fire-arrow salvoes on wavering units. They should rout then and his fine Noob Box is no more. While your cavalry runs down routers, you start concentrating on the individual parts of his formation as you are much more mobile then him.

Another tactic is to get an army of (horse) archers- or even the army described above, move up and shoot him up (always targeting the unit opposite's back or his missile units), then when your quivers are empty, withdraw to your own start position. You have not beaten him, but you have cause losses and he has not... you then hold the initiative as he has to move if he is to beat you and you will be able to concentrate all your force on a small part of his as you are more mobile.

just suggestions, dunno if they will work. Never play MP. GTG read.

**Ludens** · 05-16-2010, 11:34

Originally Posted by athanaric

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.

If SkullheadHQ nearly always wins these matches, I can understand why his competitor would switch to cheesy tactics. Skullhead, I think you should talk to this guy and agree to some handicaps in return for him not using noob boxes. An one-sided competition is no fun for the other side.