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Strategy and Doctrine

Macedonian Combined Arms Tactics

Also Known As Combined Arms Tactics
Ancient

Known as the hammer-and-anvil tactic, this doctrine paired the Macedonian phalanx as a fixing force that pinned the enemy's infantry frontally with the Companion cavalry as a mobile striking force delivering the decisive blow against an exposed flank, usually led personally by Alexander. The system was built by Philip II of Macedon; Alexander employed and further refined it in his own campaigns. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Core Claim
Pin the enemy line with the phalanx, then break it with a decisive Companion cavalry charge against an exposed flank. 1
Origin Year
359 BCE 2
Classification
Domain (Land, Sea, Air, Cyber)
Land 1
Connections

Associated With

Macedonian Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Ancient Macedonian army

Developed By

Alexander the Great, Commanders

Philip II of Macedon built the sarissa phalanx and Companion cavalry system; Alexander employed and further refined these tactics in his own campaigns.

Source Wikipedia: Military tactics of Alexander the Great

Practiced By

Companion Cavalry, Armed Forces and Units

Derived from entity-description (backfill w-bfill-g2-0924): "the Companion cavalry as a mobile striking force"

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Military tactics of Alexander the Great
Wikipedia
  • Set-piece battle section
    The hammer was the charge of the Companion cavalry...which made the decisive breakthrough.
  • Domain attribute (macedonian-combined-arms-tactics)
    Known as the hammer-and-anvil tactic, this doctrine paired the Macedonian phalanx as a fixing force that pinned the enemy's infantry frontally with the Companion cavalry as a mobile striking force delivering the decisive blow against an exposed flank, usually led personally by Alexander.
  • Developed By: Alexander the Great, Introduction section
    Additionally, Alexander employed and further refined the tactics his father had developed.
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Ancient Macedonian army
Wikipedia
  • Development, Philip II section
    at the beginning of Philip II's reign in 359 BC
  • tactics and organization section
    The Macedonian army perfected the co-ordination of different troop types in an early example of combined arms tactics
View the Source

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