10-27-2012, 02:50 AM
Furthermore, a wedge is not some super-formation. A good, sturdy phalanx, men who remained firm in their positions had no problem stopping a wedge, whether of infantry or cavalry. The two advantages of the wedge were:
A) its ability to concentrate its missiles against the enemy posted against its tip (which of course would most usually be a number of men, thus effectively making its shape trapezoid instead of triangular) raising the possibility to put this specific part of the enemy line in disorder before the actual clash.
B) its ability to more easily exploit a gap formed in the enemy line where the wedge would hit.
Nevertheless, the one thing that anyone should first keep in mind is that the wedge was not some formation that provided some great advantage. An advantage under circumstances yes, but not something real extraordinary.
A) its ability to concentrate its missiles against the enemy posted against its tip (which of course would most usually be a number of men, thus effectively making its shape trapezoid instead of triangular) raising the possibility to put this specific part of the enemy line in disorder before the actual clash.
B) its ability to more easily exploit a gap formed in the enemy line where the wedge would hit.
Nevertheless, the one thing that anyone should first keep in mind is that the wedge was not some formation that provided some great advantage. An advantage under circumstances yes, but not something real extraordinary.
