These guys look interesting. What's the 'Gates of Fire'? Jochannon (talk) 17:35, August 7, 2013 (UTC)
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Probable already happened. Kadjah Thoris (talk) 22:44, September 5, 2013 (UTC)
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You are aware that line combat is extremely unfeaisable in any setting with artillery right? Even moreso when the infantry in question is only capable of mustering five squads of ten (if a demi-company is simple half a company) and they still try and form a phalanx. So even IF your demi-company was made up entirely of Assault Marines with Storm Shields and Power Spears, you have a block of fifty hulking, extremely inexpendable, highly trained warriors. Which any modernized army is going to look at, laugh histaricly at, and blow away with concentraited artillery fire. The Phalanx only worked in an age where the most dangerous ranged artillery was the ballista and catipult, and those were hardly accurate enough to take down a whole block of say three hundred men. But here, we have the Thudd Gun, the Manticore, the Whirl Wind, hell even the humble grenade launcher, all of these are death sentances to a phalanx. That not even mentioning tanks or aircraft, which would have no trouble dealing with a bunch of marines in a shield wall, regardless of how effective the Storm Shield is.
I could only see this style of warfare really paying off against Orks or Tyranids, armies that tend to be very melee oriented, even then though the Tyranids have monsterous creatures like the Mawlok and Trygon, both of which can simply burst out of the ground under your infantry block and scatter them to the wind. And Orks, well Orks still have Buggies and Trukks which they would have zero issue with running those into your shield wall. Say what you will about Spartan strength and will, if a V-68 Engine slab of rusty spikes and green muscle slams into you, you are not staying on your feet no matter HOW many men you have at your back.
Now this being said, I can see small ten man squads of Assault Marines armed with Spear and Shield being a specialist unit like the Imperial Fists Templar Brethern or Space Wolf Blood Claws. Have these spear and shield Marines be a sort of specialist honor guard or anti-horde style force. Ten Marines could form a square or circle formation, and knowing those wacky Orks and even some particular brands of Chaos Space Marines and Daemons, they enemy will priotize them out of blood lust. A square is still vulnerable to the aformentioned modern weaponary, but at least its not a whole block of the entire company, just a squad. As a form of Honor Guard for captians though, I think is your best bet. Large shields to protect yourself and the Captain with, spears for keeping opponents at a distance, hell make the spears like those gun spears the Custodes use and you have quite a fearsome bodyguard. I do hope you take these critisems into consideration.T42 (talk) 16:27, July 5, 2015 (UTC)