0.5 - Observations

[Bercor]

They don't with the current way hoplites work, right? They're basically like standard spearmen. You can't get them in formation and have the guys behind thrusting enemies their friend in front is fighting.

Yeah, that's the problem with the formations in RTW, the unit can hold it, but only the first line actually fights, with the exception being the phalanx. So, I don't think it's possible to have the second line of hoplites thrusting wilhe the first fights.

[Fëanáro]

Well, I don't think it would be possible to fight with a spear overhand. You wouldn't be able to strike with as much precision or force. Also, I imagine it would be rather fatiguing.

[Bercor]

We're currently having a discussion about that here:
http://www.exilian.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2983.0

The problem is that, as far as I know, there's no decent underhand hoplite animations for RTW. Almost all mods use the overhand stance. Jarlaxe seems to have created some nice ones, but they're not out yet.

Spoiler

[ahowl11]

Yes. I have been wanting to see that animation in action for awhile now

[Alavaria]

I found it amusing that apparently the reason "almost all mods" use it is because one mod used it.

[Bercor]

Yeah, I guess most modders don't dare to defy EB's historical authority in that respect.

[Mausolos of Caria]

I'm pretty sure RTR VII also uses overhand...

[Bercor]

Yes it does, but that doesn't make it right or wrong.

[Mausolos of Caria]

But it makes Alavaria's statement ''only one mod'' wrong  Overhand was surely used anyway...

[Bercor]

I think he was saying that the reason that most mods use it it's the fact that EB started the trend.

I agree with you, some form of overhand was probably used.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Yeah okay, probably. The problem is that those vases depicting phalanxes are all from the classical or archaic age, like the Chigi vase I inserted above. Most authors don't seem to be interested in this question too much haha

[Alavaria]

Well, I think I've seen images of vases showing other ways of holding the spears as well, it isn't all using the same method.

Mostly likely, all the hoplites in a phalanx (or from a given city, say) used the same type, but reality is messy and it wouldn't be surprising if different cities might have had different forms of spear use that are roughly similar and all worked well enough.

Of course we'd probably just want to pick one animation and use it for all hoplites

[b257]

Meh, lets just stick to overhand since that's what people are familiar with, keep in mind also in the heat of battle, it didn't really matter how you held your spear, as long as the sharp end is facing the person you want to kill. That and plus there was a really heated argument on the EB II forum on TWC about this subject and it turned really ugly