For me Hoplite > Palax anytime... The palax is slow moveing, giveing you time to mass out stones from your slingers, your hoplite can easy flank them, just put ec milita in guard mode and let them come lose, then flank them whit another strong hoplite like the classic or your spartanbodyguards.

I find that palax has a extreamly hard time to cut trough the hoplite guard mode (shield wall) and by just that you can tier them pretty quikly then take your hoplite and charge trough the pallax, it will kill maby 10-15 of your men but once enough are trough you engage them in close combat and your spears and large shields cut trough thouse macedonians easy.

Palax is only a problem relly if they are in huge masses and you dont have enough hoplites to block and flank them, also if they have a strong cavalry support.

Just remmeber to use Block stand whit hoplites whenever you can.