Interesting phalanx weakness

[amazon77]

Hmmm, that's very interesting. So your pikemen didn't hold their pikes parallel to the ground, but in a bigger angle. However, it would seem more naturall that they hold them in a lesser angle, so the peasents could walk on them rather than walking under them. However i see no reason why they would do either of these irl (well ok, games aint real life ).

I know the next to athens mountain and truly it's an awesome one. Could it be that your guys were just levies and were exhausted by marching up that huge hill? Since you say you're at the beggining of your campaign. Another thing that crosses my mind is u didn't perhaps click on phalnx formation fast enough so they were only lowering their spears when the AI charged.

[Productivity]

I'm pretty sure it's documented, I think I've read something about it before.

[Uriel]

This is a fairly well known issue. I've seen it mentioned over at the .com forums a few times. Basically phalanxes just don't work on a gradient, either up or down hill.

[Oaty]

This is a fairly well known issue. I've seen it mentioned over at the .com forums a few times. Basically phalanxes just don't work on a gradient, either up or down hill.

Theres a bit of historical accuracy in that, phalanxes usually did perform poorly on gradients or were more prone to breaking down. Don't you also love how phalanxes can perforn exceptionally well in the woods.

[vale]

well have you guys ever try to surround the phalanx and then kill them off? I think a group of peasant if got the necessary level of xp and weapon they might be able to kill off a units of phalanx by surrounding it.

[Monk]

Another thing that crosses my mind is u didn't perhaps click on phalnx formation fast enough so they were only lowering their spears when the AI charged.

No, i had them in phalanx formation the entire time they were marching up the hill. It was strange because as i paused and zoomed in i actually saw the peasants under the pikes themselves. From what i could tell my soldiers, as they marched up the hill, held their pikes at a slightly higher angle than normal.

I think he was commenting more on the angle of the spears rather than the casualties.

yes i was.

[amazon77]

Well, then the only think i can think of is:

Did they charged you when your guys were "almost" at the top? You know, where the gradient (slope) starts to change, so it eventually flats out when u reach the top. If they did it then, it's only naturall the spears were looking at the sky.

Can't really think of anything else

[NimbleNota]

I too have also encountered this problem, but rather during online play for RTW I was charging downhill with urbans into a pike wall and it seemed the wall broke easier then usual. I ever really thought anything of it until now but it seems that this could be another glitch to the game.