Phalanx

The Phalanx is a heavy infantry unit that is avaliable in Age of Empires. It is the successor for the Hoplite in cases of most tribes, and may be upgraded into the Centurion unit. The Phalanx however, is unfortunately slow, but makes up for it with the strength, high hitpoints and great armor. It can be trained from the Academy.

Civilizations
Phalanx is only available for the following:
 * Greeks
 * Minoans
 * Hittite
 * Phoenicians
 * Sumerians
 * Yamato
 * Romans
 * Carthaginians
 * Palmyrans
 * Macedonians

Tool Age

 * Toolworking: Increases attack by 2 points.
 * Leather Armor: Increases armor by 2 points.

Bronze Age

 * Metalworking: Increases attack by 2 points.
 * Scale Armor: Increases armor by 2 points.
 * Bronze Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.

Iron Age

 * Metallurgy: Increases attack by 3 points.
 * Chain Mail: Increases armor by 2 points.
 * Iron Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.
 * Tower Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.
 * Aristocracy: increases Speed by 25%
 * The Phalanx can be upgraded to Centurion

Civilization Bonuses

 * Greek Phalanxes are 30% faster
 * Carthaginian Phalanxes have 25% more HP
 * Macedonian Phalanxes have +2 Armour when dealing with slingers, archers and ranged siege units, have +2 Line of sight and are 4 times more resistant to enemy conversions

History
The phalanx was a Greek heavy infantry formation used from about 800 BC to the conquest of Greece by the Romans in the Second Century BC. The Greek infantry, called hoplites, formed a square that could quickly face in any of four directions. Each man carried a pike or spear up to 12 feet in length. As the formation advanced, it presented an imposing wall of spear points to its front. Hoplites carried a large round shield and wore a bronze helmet, breastplate (cuirass), and greaves. All free men in the Greek city-states trained in the phalanx. The discipline and drill required to make the phalanx work permeated the entire Greek culture. Greek infantry fighting from the phalanx was the finest in the western world for several centuries. No other infantry faced it in hand-to-hand combat and won until the new tactics of combined arms made it obsolete. The last great success of the phalanx was in Alexander's campaign against the Persians, although in that army it fought as part of a combined arms army.

Related Articles

 * Academy
 * Hoplite
 * Centurion