which formations do you use ?

[steve]

usually if i am defending as Greece, i like to use 4 units of spartans in a straight line then in front i cover that line with 2 thick units of greek swords men and then a thin layer of armored hoplites 2 men deep. That way in case of a cavalry charge i have the spears to protect the swords men, but either way i find that who ever attacks me is wore out by the time they hit the spartans that their is no hope for them. on the flanks i like to have 4 units on swordsmen on each side and then 2 units in back for reinforcements or in case some trys to get my spartans from the back. I usually keep my general as far back as i can and flank my calvary so when the enemy attacks i get hit them from the rear, or chase down thier cavarly or missle men

[Arrowhead]

usually if i am defending as Greece, i like to use 4 units of spartans in a straight line then in front i cover that line with 2 thick units of greek swords men and then a thin layer of armored hoplites 2 men deep. That way in case of a cavalry charge i have the spears to protect the swords men, but either way i find that who ever attacks me is wore out by the time they hit the spartans that their is no hope for them. on the flanks i like to have 4 units on swordsmen on each side and then 2 units in back for reinforcements or in case some trys to get my spartans from the back. I usually keep my general as far back as i can and flank my calvary so when the enemy attacks i get hit them from the rear, or chase down thier cavarly or missle men

Your enemy could just field an army full of archers.

[The Stranger]

with phalanx factions i use this

p,p,p,p,p,p,p,p,p,p
s,s a,a,a,a s,s
c c

[pezhetairoi]

When I played Macedon, I used Epaminondas' tactics at Peuctra, modified. I always divided my phalanx into an attack division of about 2-3 units, and the rest into the contact division, which would form a refused flank that played a purely defensive role. The attack division is usually on the right flank, with a unit or two or mercenary units to the right of it. Simply put, I mass overwhelming shock power on the right flank, denuding the left. It's dangerous, but it's always worked for balanced-army battles. I concentrate all my cavalry on the right flank, except for the commander's cavalry, which I leave somewhere on the left in case cavalry tries to outflank that side anyway. Archers/peltasts will be in a line behind the phalanx, the archers set to fire flaming arrows. Right wing opens the battle, phalax advancing to contact, mercenaries (i prefer barbarians/bastarnae for this) coming wide to outflank, or to guard the right flank, whichever is applicable depending on the width of the enemy line, and cavalry coming around wide to deliver charges onto the exact same units the phalanxes are engaging, all the time with flaming arrows falling among them. They don't tend to last long.. Then it really is all about rolling up the line, which by now will have been engaged with the contact division, so the attack division will have a good time. Not to mention the cavalry, who will probably, given their numbers, overrun the enemy cavalry at first pass, and hit the enemy in rear. It's always worked for me, though I've never tried it against the Greek cities... archers alone were enough for that :-P

As Romans, I always deployed in single line, with the wings marching out to do the double envelopment like Count Belisarius, cavalry sweeping wide to complete the Cannae. I've had some pretty spectacular slaughters from this tactic.

As the Scythians...well, let me figure out the Scythians more before I tell you what I think. My tactics for the Scythians currently do not pass for anything more than mediocre.

As Germans, I used to get my archers to open the battle while I formed my army in the same way as the Macedonians. I always carry at least 8 phalanxes in my Germanic armies in case I get to fight a defensive battle, so my tactics are rather identical, except when I face hoplites, upon which axemen and cavalry form my primary attack arm, and I concentrate them all on one wing.

I haven't played enough of the other factions to get a taste of their fighting styles, so I'll stop here.