Fighting with Phalanxes against Phalanxes

[Jolt]

I'm playing on M/M. I can't handle much more, maybe a Hard campaign if I'm lucky, but I don't ever play battles on Hard or higher for the very reason you mentioned. So I know it definitely wasn't the difficulty that skewed the casualties.

I honestly wouldn't know what would be wrong with you. My elite Macedonian phalanxs Pezhetairoi/Argyraspides faced the Seleucids/Ptolemaics elite phalanxes with ease (On guard mode). When I mean with ease, I mean that each pinned the other down. I have a human brain, so I can take advantage of that better (Go Thraikan Podromoi/Podromoi/Agrianikoi/Hyspaspistes/Somatophylakes!)

[Ibrahim]

I honestly wouldn't know what would be wrong with you. My elite Macedonian phalanxs Pezhetairoi/Argyraspides faced the Seleucids/Ptolemaics elite phalanxes with ease (On guard mode). When I mean with ease, I mean that each pinned the other down. I have a human brain, so I can take advantage of that better (Go Thraikan Podromoi/Podromoi/Agrianikoi/Hyspaspistes/Somatophylakes!)

I can top that-my Argyraspides (as AS), took out 2 klerouchikon Agema single handedly, and won, losing 10 men (on M level battle, H campaign) and gaining 1 chevron (they were literally silver shielded, chevroned, and armed). they had only 3 prodromoi to help (having been mauled to hell by lonchophoroi heppeis in an ambush, my hetairoi 200 miles away in the area of Gaza (battle was in Egypt). took 20% casualties because of prodromoi mauling.

how did they do that? sheer luck I must confess

[Jolt]

Yeah, and somehow, I pretty much see Phalangitai Deuteroi as an Elite unit. They're inexpensive and kicks the ass out of most units I encounter. Except when they're defending walls. Then they suck more than most units.

[TunaMaker]

Could you be attacking uphill? I have found this makes a huge difference. I always use my phalanxes in guard mode but find that whatever phalanx is defending a hill, or even a slight grade, usually wins. I've used phalangatai deuteroi and pantodopai to decimate far more elite phanalanxes using this tactic.

TM

[Chaotix]

The terrain was rather hilly now that you mention it, although full of small hills instead of a single large one. I can't remember if I was fighting uphill or not for those first few tries, but that could have certainly been the case. Thanks for your advice, TM.