How Technology Effects Battle Tactics: Phalanx vs. Cavalry

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This section is dedicated to exploiting the weaknesses and gaps in battle tactics, unit formations, technology and other aspects of the fighting forces. Much of military doctrines, battle tactics and both theories and practice are designed to revolve around the existing technologies of the day, and how to exploit them both to maximize enemy casualties and minimize friendly casualties, and exploring alternatives to a head on approach is crucial when resources are limited compared to the enemy.

One example is the use of phalanx against cavalry. We now know that Roman legionary cohorts were eventually able to defeat the Macedonian phalanx, simply because they were able to get close. Yet cavalry was effective against the cohorts, and the phalanx could destroy cavalry. These are the types of dynamics we will explore in this section.