Ok, i have no idea if this has been posted before so i apologise if it has. But i have just came across an interesting phalanx weakness that i will surely be taking into account from now on in my battles...
I was playing a campaign as Macedon, the year was 273 bc so it wasn't that long into the game. I'm at war with the Greek cities and they are putting up a decent fight but slowly my armies are gaining the upper hand. I was gearing up for the attack on sparta when i noticed a single unit of peasant brigands near my newest conquest (athens) so i thought "hey, easy kill" and dispatched a single phalanx pikemen unit.
Ok, so battle is joined and i click deploy, but to my surprise the AI doesn't fight at first, it pulls its peasants back. I follow their retreat eager for a kill when the peasants run up a steep hil and then turn and stand at the ready. Now this hill is quite steep, but i am still confident so i form my men at the bottom and begin marching up. naturally they are getting a bit tired but i know these farmers will be no match for a row of pikes.
I get within shouting distance when all of a sudden the Ai charges. This was no surprise but this is where I noticed something the AI knew but I didn't. Since i was at an angle (facing uphill) my pikemen's spears were off the ground more than usual, and when the Peasants charged they were able to get under the pikes and attack the front rank of my phalanx easily!
I was completely shocked, the AI withdrew and charged again, getting under the pikes again and killing 5 men. Realising i the phalanx's weakness i took them out of the formation and attacked with swords, the AI was defeated but not before 27 of my pikemen were killed.
I had no idea that the Phalanx had such a weakness. I will always take this into account when in battle from now on. this was in a game of rtr btw...
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