I think the Macedonian phalanx has to be considered significantly better than the Greek phalanx. Longer spears, professional instead of part-time troops, a two-handed underarm grip, twice the depth and tight integration with cavalry add up to quite a big difference.
It's hard to judge how revolutionary the Roman legion was when nobody really knows how it operated. Fagan points out that in the Renaissance using similar edged weapons they tried to recreate Roman tactics of line relief through gaps, but nobody could get them to work. They may just have been parade-ground maneuvers that the writers observed but nobody used on a battlefield. It seems to have been pretty effective however it worked though.--"Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise." -- Bertrand Russell[ Parent ]
Once the guns can shoot more than once most battles take place from cover, trenches, foxholes and small fortifications, making it more like seiges than the army vs army battles of the stuff with sharp edges era. There's less inclination to go chasing after opponents as it's a lot easier to for them to turn round and pop off a few shots to encourage you to stay in your trench. [ Parent ]
It is a interesting detail.[ Parent ]
Check your email, depending on how interested you are.--"Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise." -- Bertrand Russell[ Parent ]
