Phalanx Stratigies.

[Shottie]

How do I conquer it? Im having some trouble, I flank with my cavalry but they just turn the formation, I weaken it with Javalins and Arrows, but that doesnt help, I try everything nothing things to work. What should I do?

[Medieval Assassin]

Run right behind them

Get right behind them; slaugher, they can't turn 180 degrees fast enough. You will slice them.

[Ziu]

Or if you have two cav units, use one as the bait to make them turn and the other to spank their bottoms.

[Shottie]

So I just have to spank them? Thats it, sounds easy, Im gonna practice though, gotta master it LOL Thanks guys.

[Barbarian King]

I usually get my cheapest unit to hold them off, while as the others said, smash them with my calvary.

[Alphidius]

I use the strategy like what Ziu said. Use two cavalry. Use one to smash from the back, then pull out. Then the other cavalry smash them from their backs again when they turn to face the cavalry pulling away.

However I must rant that those Germania Phalanxes are just too much!!!

[Shottie]

That sounds good, I dont think I will have a problem with Germany to soon, Im to busy with the GC and Macadone.

[Maltz]

First you better "separate them" somehow. For example, you can run to one side so they will come to in a series, instead of all at once.

Then, you can charge a single unit from both sides. Cavalry are very good at this (charing on both sides) because this will disrupt the phalanx formation. YOu don't have to charge head-on, you can always stop the unit that the spear faces just before the contact, and charge it in after they turned the spear away. Once the formation is gone and they switch to the secondary weapon, your infantry / other cavalry can efficiently mob them, and rout them very soon. If you don't have cavalry to disrupt their formation, infantry might work but a little harder.

For German spear warband it is particularly hard because their don't have a 2nd weapon, so they will always have the spear on - meaning they will fight tougher for your cavalry.

I found that Eastern infantry & barbarian warband mercenary are particularly INeffective against phalanx. So if possible don't use them.

[DisruptorX]

Actually the AI *can* turn 180 degrees in time to spear your cavalry, they did it every game I played. They would put up their spears, turn around, and calmly lower them while in melee. Really stupid, that.

To beat them, pincer attack with infantry.

[*Ringo*]

I use solid melee infantry to pin them down then flank with cavalry. Or alternatively take three or four units of archers; put them in front of my battle line on skirmish and fight large pointy sticks with small pointy sticks (that fly through the air at distance). This works well but be wary of heavily armoured enemy troops. The Phalanx formation is too slow to be able to deal with decent skirmishers, so try to break the formation and flanking of some kind is essential.

*Ringo*

[Somebody Else]

Same as with everything else, find some way to disrupt the formation, then send in the heavy infantry - whether it be elephants, heavy cavalry charge, javelins, onagers or whatever. If the infantry can get in, preferably from the rear or flanks, whilst the formation is disarrayed, the phalanx has no chance. Unless they're Spartans, in which case, run like buggery.

[m4rt14n]

Horse Archer them to death!

[KyodaiSteeleye]

If you're roman, use Velites or light auxilia on their flanks to disrupt their line - some phalanxes will go running after them for some reason - then the rest will come at your main line piecemeal and you can use 2 or 3 infantry units on each.