Quote Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus View Post
Machimoi Phalangitai have 1 less armour than the Pantodapoi or Deuteroi. Deuteroi have a linthorax, whereas Machmoi have a padded vest. Also, both the Panatadapoi and machmoi have a 5-attack axe. Ridiculous. I modded the axe attack to 7 in my EDU. Five is just too low. Deuteroi have 7 sword attack. Keep all that in mind when you boast of the AP attack of the Eastern Levy Phalangites.
Yeah well. Axes and maces take -1 to base attack value (to offset the AP and fairly high lethality), xiphos-type mid-sized swords give +1... see where that goes ?

Anyway, I've personally found the Panty pikes quite useful. But then again I don't even try to use them for "push of pike", but pin enemy pikes in place for flankers to destroy. Deep "box" formations and guardmode does well there.

As for the Pontic thorakitai, is that with or without the +2 to defskill (making it 11) recommended as a fix to make them viable ? (Goes for the closely related Hai armoured swordsmen too, incidentally.) The kit design is kinda bad, granted.