Onasander Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 I just thought of this, and its so retarded and simple...... 30 foot poles, carried by the middle formation before engaging a phalanx spaced a few men apart. When front line commences, unfurl large fragments, hook it up to the poles, and lift them up and ahead, dropping it on the enemy's front line a few ranks back.Mass Slaughter and holes in the formation insures victory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Six Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 You phalanx gotta have very bad AI. Also I wonder whether one could make 30 foot poles with materials then available, but I am no expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onasander Posted November 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Yeah, you can make them, fitted. Phalanx in formation, especially in its center, isnt very flexible. And they had horrible AI. The Stoic philosopher Asclepciodotus wrote essentially the first computer AI program for phalanxs on a mathematical model, making them do some truely absurd maneuvers. Pretty much, where you are, is where you are. I wouldnt expect this trick to work with a roman legion post-marius..... but all infantry formations, phalanx or legion, were very vulnerable from above, hence why it was so easy to kill either type of troop in urban terrain by raining down random stuff from rooftops. My idea is simple, quick, and a minimum of time consuming preparation. It would take them time to cut through the net. Imaging 20-30 of these nets falling in unison or sequence on the enemy's front..... I would perfer my opponent netted than standing tall. Roman gladiators did it individually, why not in mass? Only people still using phalanxs these days are labor unions and marxist groups in places like south korea and germany. I dont see it working very well on police formations, so its something to consider..... just dropping a big net on them next time they advance with garbage can lids and poles on the police. Walk up when they are squirming, and pepper spray them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 ...germany is marxist? I fear you dont know much about germany... apart from that, knowing my father and myself (both keen fishermen) we would shit in our pants seeing a phalanx marching towards us, facing them only with our fishing rods... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Agreed. Facing a phalanx in the manner described doesn't sound like a likely scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onasander Posted April 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Since writing this, I saw the series finale of Spartacus,and they launch beams forward in a very similar manner.... just add nets. Watch it, it can work, make the lines disorderly at the very least. The TV show had the right idea, even though it was tactically silly how they did it for the ditch crossing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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