Re: Terrrain and phalanxes

From: gamartin_at_...
Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2001 08:38:39 -0000

> The phalanx was a unit type at a particular disadvantage in rough
ground.
> Alexander got around this by having an army consisting of many
types of
> units, some being quite suited to broken ground. This was what we
call
> today a "combined arms" force.

The Greek phalanx develops in hill-and-valley terrain itself; because the city states were skirmishing over the relatively few flat, fertile plains. The phalanx IS a flat terrain unit, but also an enclosed space unit - it suffers in broad flat terrain where it can be easily outmanouvered by cavalry. One shouls also confidently assumes that Greek holites anyway are accompanied by Helots who provide light missile cover and skirmishing capacities. In the SDT situation, one might assume such auxiliaries are from the local populace, the waifs n strays interested in the temple, or surrounding farmers, that sort of thing.

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