How mobile was the Macedonian phalanx?

[Randal]

Fair enough.

Hm. Thinking in this vein it might actually make sense to claim Alexander's phalanx was more manoeuvrable than earlier hoplite phalanxes, because unlike those militia forces they had been properly drilled. Though of course there were also more professional hoplite forces.

[WinsingtonIII]

Sprinting does seem a bit much, but I do know that in a much later era, the Swedish army employed Carolean tactics, by which they would advance to point blank musket range, fire a volley or two, and then the pikemen would charge, using their pikes as an offensive weapon. They were only charging a short distance, so perhaps they did sprint, and perhaps this means it would be possible to have used a similar tactic in a different era. However, the Swedes were also not wearing much in the way of armor, which would make charging easier.

[Tyrfingr]

Sprinting does seem a bit much, but I do know that in a much later era, the Swedish army employed Carolean tactics, by which they would advance to point blank musket range, fire a volley or two, and then the pikemen would charge, using their pikes as an offensive weapon. They were only charging a short distance, so perhaps they did sprint, and perhaps this means it would be possible to have used a similar tactic in a different era. However, the Swedes were also not wearing much in the way of armor, which would make charging easier.

Remind you that the muskets of the 17th and 18th century were not that accurate, which the swedish carolean kings knew. Every third soldier (!) of the swedish carolean army were actually equipped with pikes between 1650-1720, thus favouring a very offensive tactic called "Gå på" translated "Go on", and was basically a cold steel charge as you have described it.

[Alrik]

Heh, funny you'd mention the caroliners, I actually helped Bohus-Älvsborgs Karoliner with one of their gigs. I'm used to running around fighting full contact in full armour, (mine ways roughly 25 kg + sweat) so I figured a day doing drills in minimal armour with a five meter pike, walk in the park. (Just helmet and a harnersk.) Boy was I wrong, the pikes weren't counterbalanced, which I assume would help A LOT. Because the biggest problem with them was the balance, five meter of anything is unwieldy, so a wobble or a bit of wind pulling or pushing on the tip is a real strain to counter on the other end.

As for running, sure, might be possible a short distance, but not a full on "charge", it'd be some sort of controlled jog.
The equipment I carried that day was easily less than half of what I normally wear, but as for manuvering, I'd say I normally walk around relaxed at a pace as fast or faster than we marched.
As for moving into different formations, I'm not sure they apply, most of them were stationary and included the fist two rows actually standing on the ends on their pikes to lead the force of a cavalry charge into the ground. Needless to say, with half of us untrained and the rest of unknown training each fromation change took a couple of minutes, which is a pretty darn long time, though for many of them I really doubt that it could be achieved in less than 30 seconds. (Like the newb-box with protected corners and archers in the middle...yes we did it!)

[WinsingtonIII]

Remind you that the muskets of the 17th and 18th century were not that accurate, which the swedish carolean kings knew. Every third soldier (!) of the swedish carolean army were actually equipped with pikes between 1650-1720, thus favouring a very offensive tactic called "Gå på" translated "Go on", and was basically a cold steel charge as you have described it.

Oh, I'm fully aware why and how they practiced these tactics (The Great Northern War is one of my favorite periods, historically), I was just mentioning that if the accounts are true, they did charge with pikes. But thanks for further explaining, I didn't explain as much as I should have perhaps.

Heh, funny you'd mention the caroliners, I actually helped Bohus-Älvsborgs Karoliner with one of their gigs. I'm used to running around fighting full contact in full armour, (mine ways roughly 25 kg + sweat) so I figured a day doing drills in minimal armour with a five meter pike, walk in the park. (Just helmet and a harnersk.) Boy was I wrong, the pikes weren't counterbalanced, which I assume would help A LOT. Because the biggest problem with them was the balance, five meter of anything is unwieldy, so a wobble or a bit of wind pulling or pushing on the tip is a real strain to counter on the other end.

As for running, sure, might be possible a short distance, but not a full on "charge", it'd be some sort of controlled jog.

That's very interesting, maybe the accounts of the pikes "charging" really meant just jogging forward and lowering it to engage.

[Alrik]

That's very interesting, maybe the accounts of the pikes "charging" really meant just jogging forward and lowering it to engage.

Well "Gå på!", if I'd interpret that by the use of the modern language, (Which hasn't changed that much since the 17-hundreds) I'd take it as a forceful shoving march. "Go on", is really a too weak a translation, sounds more like an encouragement to keep at it rather than "Put your backs into it and don't stop until you've walked right through and over them!"(But it still says walk, so the way I'd see it is a controlled marching spearwall of doom, not a running one. But then I haven't read anything, I'm just saying how I'd interperet the order "Gå på! if it was given to me.)

Oh, and I'm terribly sorry about my spelling, I fixed quite a few errors earlier, but I see I missed a lot as well...

Edit: I mean that I'd interpret it as not stopping once you've engaged, but actually keep on walking, for this to work, you need an orderd spearwall.

[vartan]

The Macedonian phalanx was actually one of the most mobile military units of all time. It traveled thousands of miles in its heyday, under Megas Alexandros. I have yet to march as far and long as these men did.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Macedonian phalanx was actually one of the most mobile military units of all time. It traveled thousands of miles in its heyday, under Megas Alexandros. I have yet to march as far and long as these men did.

I'm talking about tactical, rather than strategic mobility.