[split] Phalanx warfare: use of the spear

[JaM]

i know that Paul, my point is that with underarm, even at maximum reach, you keep firm grip, and actual attack is not weaker. You can still deliver decent hits that way, while having advantage of extended reach, which is impossible with overarm, as you said - due to very weak grip and very weak strike force.

I dont see any reason why frontal rank of a phalanx would not wanna start the contact with enemy in that position, then when enemy gets close, they would just easily move the spear into overarm while second rank could just use underarm over their shield, until again they got close and they would switch to overarm as well.

underarm in that situation gives you about 2.2-2.5m reach (extended arm, sauroter behind the elbow), where overarm gives you 1.5m at best.


oh, and thanks for those gifs, they explain a lot.