Thanks for clearing it up, Foot. I hope you don't take vartan's comment personally. I think all he was trying to say is that it seems inconsistent. All us MPers have issues with phalanxes and there is a general loathing of phalanxes due to the bugginess of the mechanics involved. The missile proofness is just icing on the cake that makes them some of the least fun-to-play-with units. They'll just spin around to coutner cav charges, infantry quality makes no difference attacking them from the front, and missiles just bounce off so the only way is to surround with infantry.

Phalanxes are not really anything special since most heavy infantry are missile proof anyway.