CA can't really win whichever way they go with this one. Julius Caeser described them as fighting in phalanx. As Spongly says, this is rather generic and does not mean Macedonian or hoplite phalanx--context is the key since phalanx is generic. It is likely to be used if there is discipline and/or close ranks, especially if the men have shields and spears, but at times it refers to the body of any army--even legions.

I modded the spear warbands in 1.1 so that they were in phalanx, but used the "short_pike" instead of the "spear" attribute. This gives them slightly less reach with their formation, allowing swordsmen to close with them somewhat more easily.