The Phalanx in 1.3

**RabidGibbon** · 10-07-2005, 16:11

Don't know if anyone else has tried this yet, but I just fought a custom battle in RTW after installing BI.

It was on grassy flatlands, with 6 Macedonian Phalanx pikemen defending against 6 Seleucid Phalanx pikemen. The Seleucids were under AI control, but I didn't alter the deployment of the Macedonians or issue any orders to them throughout the battle.

Setup

It dropped spears as it approached, and began obviously pairing off against my units.

Looking Good

I've been waiting years to see this!

Phalanxes fighting properly!

The Macedonians won, but suffered nearly 50% casualties (in my excitement I forgot to screenshot the final score) so Phalanxes are still a defensive formation. I might go see how it behaves when theirs cavalry and missile troops about now.

**Zatoichi** · 10-07-2005, 16:25

Looking good! I've still yet to try RTW 1.3 as I'm enjoying my BI campaign so much! So much gaming - so little time!

Anyway - looking at your screenies, I couldn't help thinking of that Star Wars Death Star battle quote: 'Stay on target... Stay on target!'

I hope it's still behaving itself when there are other troop types in the mix, but this is more evidence of successful CA tweaking!

**Kekvit Irae** · 10-07-2005, 23:11

[QUOTE=Zatoichi]Anyway - looking at your screenies, I couldn't help thinking of that Star Wars Death Star battle quote: 'Stay on target... Stay on target!'[QUOTE]

Three Roman Cavalry run through the Phalanx Star trench.

R3: "The Phalanxes... they've stopped."
R2: "Switch to rear shields and watch for enemy spears."
R3: "Three spears, behind us!"
R1: "Stay on target..."
R2: "I cant shake them!"
R1: "Stay on target..."

**Kraxis** · 10-08-2005, 01:45

[QUOTE=kekvitirae][QUOTE=Zatoichi]Anyway - looking at your screenies, I couldn't help thinking of that Star Wars Death Star battle quote: 'Stay on target... Stay on target!'

Three Roman Cavalry run through the Phalanx Star trench.

R3: "The Phalanxes... they've stopped."
R2: "Switch to rear shields and watch for enemy spears."
R3: "Three spears, behind us!"
R1: "Stay on target..."
R2: "I cant shake them!"
R1: "Stay on target..."

R1: "Couldn't get a clear charge..."
R1: "Lost Tyrius and Hutchius... They came from... Behind..."

**hoof** · 10-07-2005, 16:26

Were your troops on "guard" or was guard off? I know this made a huge difference in v1.2 in the way phalanxes fought.

**Bob the Insane** · 10-07-2005, 16:36

I tried somethng similar with Macedon (Me) and Greeks (AI) a custom battle on medium...

20 units each with proper generals and cavalry units.

The Greeks approached in line with the cavalry holding on the wings...

I pushed my archers out to fire on them and the AI general charged them and a died rather spectacularly when trying to pursue them through my phalanx!!

I had laid my troops out in line, shirmishers behind the line with the best troops on the right... The Greek line was the same with the one unit of spartans I have given them on the right end of their line.

My right routed their left fairly quickly but they rallied pretty quickly and kept coming back. It took a little longer for their right to route my left, my left having held out longer and taking heavier casualties meaning once they routed they where not coming back...

Overall pretty even (the spartans slaughters all that came near).

The cavalry battle went better for me. The Greek cavalry tried to flank my line and I attacked them them with my Macedonian cavalry routing the greek horsemen. While the battle in the center had rotated and started to become messy, I used my light cavalry to keep the greek horsemen routing and kept my heavier cavalry back and used it to individually break the remaining Greek units. The Armoured Hoplites and the Spartans being the last to break...

A victory but with pretty heavy casualties and not a few of my units routed off the field...

**antisocialmunky** · 10-07-2005, 22:23

It's not really fair to pair Macedonian Cavalry to Greek Cavalry though.

**Bob the Insane** · 10-08-2005, 02:17

Originally Posted by antisocialmunky

It's not really fair to pair Macedonian Cavalry to Greek Cavalry though.

Well it wasn't like I was trying to be fair... Both armies where 10000 pts and pretty much the same construction...

If the Greeks suck it's not my fault...

**Zatoichi** · 10-08-2005, 07:51

Originally Posted by Bob the Insane

Well it wasn't like I was trying to be fair... Both armies where 10000 pts and pretty much the same construction...

If the Greeks suck it's not my fault...

Ah yes, as we all know, all is fair in love and war!