08-22-2016, 07:53 PM
(08-22-2016, 07:34 PM)JaM Wrote: anyway, back to physics of such push.. i did not tried it, but my base knowledge of physics (i was manufacturing engineer major, with university level of Statics, Dynamics and Physics, but its been like 20 years i didnt used that stuff) i can tell that amount of force you generate with two blocks pushing against each other would be about 2x of what a single force can do against a solid object. Yet in this case, you have shields locked together in overlapping manner, therefore force from another file would add to yours, while certain amount of a force in third file, would also apply indirectly (pushing at the shield next to you, it would transfer some kinetic energy to yours) so all in all, overall pressure against single shield would be 2x what you got *2 for the enemy formation. (guessing its the same 8 ranks) or practically 4x what you achieved by pushing against the tree with single file of 8 men.
not exactly.. its not the pushing that gives you support, but the mere presence of them, having somebody behind you that improves your morale... the knowledge you are not alone..
Hmm, my initial reaction is "yes". I am not sure what your point is. Your physics is a bit off because the tree is pushing back with equal force on my men by definition. They are basically static, so there is no velocity multiplier. If they begin to form shock waves through the crowd then, yes you can have coincidence and high instantaneous pressures. But yes, when we tried three files of 6 pushing together we approached half a ton of peak pressures. The key is as you add files, you also spread the area of impact of those files. So the force of three files is absorbed and countered by three opposing files for example.
But lets say you are right, I am sure that real hoplites could put out more man for man than we did, all you do is reinforce the value of this tactic. The aspis will not fail even with more than a ton of force on its face and men can breathe the whole time in the hollow of the aspis. There surely were times that the aspis failed, if it were cracked perhaps, or had been damaged in spear fencing. We know that some aspides were crushed at that "battle like no other", the second phase of Coronea. When that happened, you died.
