Quote Originally Posted by pezhetairoi
Someone Else, wouldn't making the phalanx sandwich at the walls be dangerous? What with the hoplites blocking the breach they'll take pokes at your hastati while they run to either side...
Yes, some will die - but hastati are cheap, just make sure they don't have another phalanx ready to come in and counter-flank. The thing is, the AI doesn't stick its blocking units close enough to the gap to actually block it. Anyway - I only do this when I've had spies open the gates for me, and I don't want to go through a siege. It actually works better using the general units - as they have a couple of hitpoints which help get past the phalanx in the first place, and a double charge from both sides should be enough to finish them off.

The double breach thing is still a better method, gives a little more room to play around, and do the crucial thing, which is to hit the phalanx units in the rear, or flanks.