...because logic says so. It's kinda hard to poke that oar you call a spear in close quarters. And besides, t'hell with the unit master. Some of the things he says make realistic military sense but no sense whatsoever in RTW. Yes, alternative weapons are weaker than the original, but that's not entirely true.

e.g. Cataphracts-armour piercing mace has lower attack (9) than spear (12), but has the advantage of armour piercing which will in reality give it an advantage over armoured foes but disadvantage against unarmoured ones.

e.g. Royal Pikemen-their spear attack in phalanx is 10 but sword attack is 12, as befitting their historical role as flexible flank guards.

e.g. Spartan Hoplitai-spear 16, sword also 16. Really uber.

Yeah. But otherwise most alternative weapons are weaker, especially for normal phalanxes since their primary function is to fight in phalanx. Most others don't have secondary weapons, unless you count the Roman gladius standard attack as a secondary weapon, considering they fire their armour-piercing pila first. Alternative weapons are what they are--'alternative'. I.e. not to be the main or most important weapon. So what Marcus says is true, but not always.