I wonder if part of the discrepancies we are seeing here is comparing phalanx units with shorter spears vs the really long ones.

I mean, when stuff charges at my silver shield pikes. They don't reach the men. They are simply slaughtered by my first or second rows of pikes.

In my current campaign, the Macedons sieged one of my back water cities. Consisting of Levy and Militias. They had a couple units of Royal Phalanx I believe it was. My levy/militias could not fight them at all. As they formed up through a breach my units were torn to pieces as the reach of their pikes was more than double mine. No contest, luckily in the end I held on for the victory by the skin of my teeth ;p