So ... how are you supposed to use phalanxes?

**Arkatreides** · 01-11-2005, 23:51

I played the game for a couple of weeks now and I had a lot of fun, but the phalanxes are just beyond me. Playing as the Greek for the first time I simply cannot get them to work. I understand they are suppossed to crash into the enemy and hold the line until the cavalry crashes into their back, but they are are so slow that the battle is usually over before they even get to the enemy. Worse still, if they do make it to the front their line is completely broken up and just screaming for a nimbler enemy (e.g. legions) to crash through their lines and flank them.

How do you guys use them? And what does a standard Greek army consit of?

**lars573** · 01-12-2005, 00:05

How to use phalanxes a short guide,

1.In the deployment phase turn off the phalanx special ability
2.Turn off defense mode ability aswell
3.Put light infantry or cavalry on the flanks of the phalanx lines
4.When advancing the line of hoplites or sarissafors (pikemen) don't turn on the phalanx ability until you close to about 4 meters (just after this the AI will makes it's infantry charge)
5.If you tell the hoplites or sarissafors to charge they will attack with their swords

This is how I try to use phalanx units. As for when you turn on the phalanx that is kind of tricky to pin down. The 4 meters thing was just where I usually turn it on.

**soibean** · 01-12-2005, 02:09

the best use of phalanx has got to be using them to defend a town
my GOD do I love putting 2 units of armoured hoplites on a small street, completely blocking it, and watching cavalary and infantry crash into a wall of armoured spears... its beautiful

**Es Arkajae** · 01-12-2005, 02:37

Mate take your guys out of phalanx mode, run them up close to your opposition and then put them back into phalanx.

Its also best if you do it as a whole line, for instance sending just one phalanx into an enemies lines isn't very bright, better to send a whole line of six or more with no gaps between them ploughing into the enemy battle line.

The AI at the momemnt isn't very smart and it has no idea how to deal with phalanxes.

**Krusader** · 01-12-2005, 02:40

And keep an eye on your phalanx units...they have a tendency to shuffle to the right while in combat. An obvious bug, but you must kinda micro-manage them to get them to work.

**Zizka** · 01-12-2005, 03:20

Phalanxes are the easiest infantry to use in a battle without taking too many losses. You need patience for they will not move quickly, and you have to think of them more as ships and mobile unites of fighters for they aren't ment to turn quick or charge an enemy. Line your phalanxes up, generally four ranks will suffice because you need that frontage more than the extra ranks. Advance as a wall will whatever more mobile units on the flanks. Move this wall to whatever part of the opposing force you want to pin down, probably the center of their infantry line, if you go chasing cavalry you will get nowhere. as you play with them you will come to the point where you can get your phalanxes in the way of the charging bodyguard of a general. But essentially the phalanxes are a movable wall which you should use to pin down opposing infantry.

Move them at normal pace and simply think out where they should be or where you want them, they aren't good at turning quickly but if you think of ship or a car always moving you should be able to navigate them through your battles.

**Grifman** · 01-12-2005, 03:22

Originally Posted by Krusader

And keep an eye on your phalanx units...they have a tendency to shuffle to the right while in combat. An obvious bug, but you must kinda micro-manage them to get them to work.

Duh, no, it's NOT an obvious bug. Phalanx did historically shift to the right as each man sought to protect his unprotected right side with the shield of the man to his right.