> In message <ECOWS06M68yDnDlmiFj000258ff_at_s...> "Matthew Cole"
writes:
>
> >So, a postulation: the Monrogh Yelmalians of Sartar could follow
one way of
> >fighting (phalangites) and the Thankantus Yelmalions (originating
in Saird)
> >a more Dara Happan way?
>
> As this list is intended for beginners to Glorantha, can we please
> define technical military terms if we must use them.
>
> Phalangites in particular has two meanings - the long two handed
pike
> phalanx of the Macedonians and the spear and large shield phalanx
of
> the Greek city states. The difference between the latter and a
> shieldwall unit is not particularly clear to me in spite of a fair
> bit of knowledge of ancient military history. I believe that the
> difference is due to the number of ranks and training, with the
deeper
> phalanx being less manoverable that the shieldwall.
>
> --
> Donald Oddy
> http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
I thought when people talked about Phalangites they meant Macedonian
pikemen, and the word for Greek spear and large shield-men was
Hoplites.
Back to Glorantha, pikemen/phalangites are a Yelmalion creation,
while (shorter) spear warriors (hoplites) belong to Yelmic, Lodrili,
and Argan Argar traditions.
Alda-Churi Yelmalions might be hoplites rather than phalangites as
it should be easier to train Orlanthi used to fighting with shields
and spears to fight in a spear-phalanx rather than a shieldwall.
Converting to a pike-phalanx would require more radical training as
not only do they need to learn a new formation, but they have to
abandon their spears and shields for super-long pikes.
Eventually, say after a generation, the Alda-Churi could go the
whole hog and train and fight as phalangites.
David