Advice on how to beat pikemen and phalanx?

[twitch.tv/Mattikush]

So I've been progressing well in my campaign where I'm Rome and right now I'm defending a north african settlement against a combined Egyptian and Lusitani force where they will deploy pikemen then will tear my legions apart in the direct street warfare that will make up this battle as I have no walls in this settlement. Does anyone have any strategies or advice on how to defeat these units?
Historically, roman legions tried to shy away from direct conflict with these units but as I have no choice here I will need to think of something. I have velites but they are slow to damage massive groups of infantry. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

[AccelExhilar]

Send in sword/axe/blunt infantry let them wear down the pikes stamina abit, withdraw them and charge second line of infantry, let them fight some. Withdraw again send in third and first infantry lines, continue untill won. bring cavalry around the flanks, charge - withdraw, charge - withdraw untill broken. Optionally include ranged units focus all on 1 or 2 enemy units at a time, I prefere focus the units at the ends of the line, instead of the center that way you can more quickly surround them.

[-]

Pikemen are extremely vulnerable against ranged units. Phalanx units got high defense, sure, but you can counter that with sword units that got high attack damage. So just focus your skirmishes on their pikes, and send your swordmen against phalanx units. Should work

[Rabidnid]

Ignore the advice above. My Pontic pike would break oathsworn without suffering more than 20% casualties. You can put high morale units in front of them, but they will die, all you can hope ios that they delay them long enough for a flank or rear attack to get in. You need to hit them from behind to kill them. You might be able to lure them out where you can flank them, or shoot them up, but pikes are practically unbeatable from the front by anything but better pikes.

[alexraoul]

Don't fight in the streets, use the sally forth option to fight in the field and give yourself more room to maneuver. Then just to what Jigglypuff and Rabidnid said. Swords against hoplites, velites against pikes.
Only engage pikes in the front when you have another unit ready to charge in the rear. Then disengage the units that are fighting the front face. When the pikes try to about face in order to fight the unit in their rear, then charge in again and disengage the other unit fighting the front of the pike, repeat as neccessary. The goal is to limit the time your units get a face full of enemy pike.
If you are using a combination infantry/ cavalry team to take down a pike unit, then always keep the infantry unit engaged with the front face, and just keep charging and disengaging with the cavalry only.

[Shadow of the SPQR]

You can manouver with 2 units around a single pike unit to confuse it. When it goes into phalanx on one side, mash it with the other.

Keep in mind ya might not have enough manpower...

[Emperor Richard]

I always use archers and artillery to focus fire on pike or phalanx only when they are in range.
With cavalry supports on flanking, my legionaries are divided and sent to fight flanks of enemy troops who are not pike or phalanx.
Some Legionaries will still encounter those pike, but I have already controlled the flanks and weaken the strength of those pike with range units.
After the flanking units finished their job and then surrounded the pikes at their rear, my legionaries encountering pikes break them with inconsiderable casualties.
I am training myself of tactics about flanking. :)

[twitch.tv/Mattikush]

Thanks for the adivce guys it helped. It bares worth mentioning that this defense was a roma village so there was plenty of open ground and no walls.
I repelled the attack by singling out their pikemen first by locking them into combat with my vigiles that bore the front of the Egyptian assault in a grassy field on the edge of the town, locked down in square formation, I singled them out with my vigiles while sending my legionares and pretaorian guard to counter the Lusitani force coming with more pikes and their pesky infantry. Luckily the Lusitani had weakened pikemen that were hurt initially by my legionarres' pila enough to the point to not be concerned about. The Egyptian force was repelled except for some infantry with an Elephant commander that had flanked my Vegiles and were heading for the town center but their pikes went down right before so I reorganized my remaining cohorts(my Vigiles hung in there until the elephants charged) into the town center and from there we had the upper hand in combat due to our better units and I again singled out the elephants with my Velites who took them all down rather quickly, from there it was a drawn out melee bloodbath that we won as my cohorts had rather excellent veterancy and defeated the lesser-armored melee units. After this victory both nations have yet to attack with much force and I've refocused my efforts to conquering northern gaul with Caesar.
I too have been practicing a lot with flanking, I have managed to win some huge open field battles where I've been outnumbered 2:1 and the autoresolve said I had no chance LOL

[Alexandria38]

Your legionaries have fire at will with their pila, so let them pelt the enemy. Sometimes a conflict with pikes is not avoidable. Attempt flanking around one of the many side streets with leves or velites and some supporting infantry.

[Jams]

Basically skirmishers are your friends, a few archer, javilin or even slinger units can destroy most pikemen units. Another tactic is to pin them with some cheap units then outflank, a good rear charge will destroy most non braced spear units.

As for hoplites, if they are braced, rear charges, chariots or elephants should do the job.

[Callum]

I found that just out flanking them is the most effective way. Either way charging at them won't do much. Two elephant units can't even break through

[Stanley]

Charge with legionaires and cancel right before connecting. Do it one more time. Their synchronised pila throw 2 times in a row will devastate front lines. If they dont then bring another unit of legionaires and repeat.

[Harper]

Stanley, Good reasonable plan. Does "fire at will" take effect to help with pila fire instead of charging / cancelling charge? Once in range of course. Regards, Harper

Originally posted by Stanley:

Charge with legionaires and cancel right before connecting. Do it one more time. Their synchronised pila throw 2 times in a row will devastate front lines. If they dont then bring another unit of legionaires and repeat.

[Stanley]

Originally posted by Harper:

Stanley, Good reasonable plan. Does "fire at will" take effect to help with pila fire instead of charging / cancelling charge? Once in range of course. Regards, Harper

Originally posted by Stanley:

Charge with legionaires and cancel right before connecting. Do it one more time. Their synchronised pila throw 2 times in a row will devastate front lines. If they dont then bring another unit of legionaires and repeat.

Fire at will makes em use up their pila whenever they get a chance and its doesnt hold a punch since not all of them throw at once. I usually disable it so i can use it whenever i need it the most.

[Harper]

Stanley, Thanks for explanation, and makes sense. R, Harper

[Stanley]

Originally posted by Harper:

Stanley, Thanks for explanation, and makes sense. R, Harper

You are welcome mate