Wheeling the phalanx

[Severus]

If your spear/pike phalanx is in open order the commands:

EPI DORI KLINE (turn to your spear i.e right) or
EPI ASPIDII KLINE (turn to your shield i.e leftt) can turn the trooper in 90 degrees in a matter of seconds.

METAVOLI = about face can change the frontage 180 degrees also in a matter of seconds.

Interesting. I am assuming by this statement that phalangites are not assigned to a particular rank and the rearmost soldier is equally adept (and properly equipped to be) serving in the front rank?

If you are in locked shields formation, then you are in deep trouble.
Only under the assumption that you are not engaged by an enemy you mast fall in open order and then execute the above commands.
Spartans and crack merecenaries would achieve British Guards "fall in
square" in about 2 minutes. The others....well....tough.

Pikes formation would need probably 4 minutes. If they were outflanked by an enemy in 100 meters or less they were toast!

Kind regards

Not exactly sure what British Guards "fall in" means. Care to elaborate?

So 2 minutes for elite troops to go from a front facing battle array to an entirely different direction? 4 minutes for the less trained. . .

Any images of your recreation that I could check out.


Wonderful stuff, thanks so much.


Matt Webster


P.S. Tarbicus Rome Total War makes it look so easy. I wondered if it was true.