Wheeling the phalanx

[Tarbicus]

Believe it or not, but this simulates quite well in Rome: Total War. The AI makes the phalangites raise their sarissas, each man individually turns 90 degrees, and then lower their sarissas again. However, it can take a while, and I've managed to outflank a phalanx by having a century of Romans appear to be marching to attack another phalanx whilst the real target one is engaged at the front. Then I turn the Romans suddenly and make them attack the flanks or rear at a run. Bedlam, and it usually works. The only thing then to do is watch for another phalanx coming up in support, in which case you do the same with another unit, or keep pounding the new phalanx with missiles. :twisted:

Just to illustrate how the AI works, if I retreat my velites through the hastati, every other file of the hastati will step into the file next to it. I actually don't think it's programmed per se, as the velites can also be coming through at an angle and the hastati will shift about to suit. I've also hacked the unit formations to give different spacing between the men, and the actions can vary depending on that spacing.