Slitherine

I have learned to play FoG with a early Armored Spartan army, and am thinking about graduating to Alexandrian Macedonian. But, I have some questions:

1) Can a pike-centric army be good? Say, lots and lots (4 to 6 battlegroups of 10 or 12 pike bases) be good?
2) Obviously, I would mix this army with the agema and other good cavalry; is it possible to have too much or too few cavalry? Is there a good number?
3) Good missile troops! Uh oh, compared to my early Spartan list, I'll have to get used to this. Suggestions?

Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

ATXPaul wrote:I have learned to play FoG with a early Armored Spartan army, and am thinking about graduating to Alexandrian Macedonian. But, I have some questions:

1) Can a pike-centric army be good? Say, lots and lots (4 to 6 battlegroups of 10 or 12 pike bases) be good?
2) Obviously, I would mix this army with the agema and other good cavalry; is it possible to have too much or too few cavalry? Is there a good number?
3) Good missile troops! Uh oh, compared to my early Spartan list, I'll have to get used to this. Suggestions?

Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

I think that the first question you need to answer is whether you intend to run the Alex Mac as a pike army with good supporting troops, or as a true combined arms army. All the rest springs from that.

For instance, there are mounted that can be taken as lancers or as light spear, swordsmen. If they are to be support troops for pike, you probably want them as lt sp, sw so that they do not charge without orders. And so on.

Marc

I run Selucids myself, so a later better version of your Alexandrians I have tried pikes in 12's which can work well but I fight Romans and those 4 pak BG's can cause some problems with the extra pike frontage where I will be fighting 2 Roman BG's and one breaks and I am stuck still fighting the other one so can't move the whole unit. 12's makes it harder for your opponent to get CT's on you from shooting, the old 8 pikes can be forced to test by small units of LF if they are lucky.
One difference you will notice is that pike armies are deep but narrow on the front so the same point cost of your Greeks will not cover as much of your TT. Keep in mind you need something to cover those wide open flanks. I would suggest at least 3 BG's of pikes more if you can get them and with Alex you can always deploy them as spears if you end up in a map that is full of terrain that is not pike friendly. As for the 10 pikes, I don't use them as its hard enough to get a wide line with a pike army and I would rather see those points go into some useful lights to cover my boys from the opposing shooting lights, or some other units to put on the flank.

I've enjoyed some success with Alex Macs.

PM with your email address ad I'll send you some army lists.

Personally I prefer combined arms though - a pike heavy version is too inflexible IMO.

I prefer to use them as a combined arms force as well. I generally find I want to have at least 32 stands of pikes. I've run these both as 4x8 (3x8 average, 1x8 superior Hypaspists) and as 2x12 plus 1x8 superior Hypaspists. I think I prefer the former but both have their advantages.

Chris

After months of losing with my Alex Mac's taking Petedalby's advice worked wonders.

He does know what he's talking about.

Don't faff about with too many lightweight troops.

Bert

After months of losing with my Alex Mac's taking Petedalby's advice worked wonders.

He does know what he's talking about.

You are most kind - thanks Bert