this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2024
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The Youtuber Brandon F has a 4 part series talking about why they fought like this. Spoiler- it wasn't because they were stupid.
Part 1
TLDR- if you split up you just get run down by enemy cavalry.
Part 2
TLDR- a close formation lets you concentrate your firepower at one point.
Part 3
TLDR- a close formation makes communication and controlling the army much much easier (or even possible at all).
Part 4
TLDR- the formation makes the troops less likely to run away.
Can't they just all aim at the same spot no matter where they're standing?
They only had a range of like 50 yards. Split your troops up and they can't aim at the same point because they wouldn't all have the range to hit it.
I mean you can still have guys standing further apart than shoulder to shoulder. 50 yards is still something to play with.
On a vast featureless plain, yes. But you won't be overly surprised to learn most battles were fought over some form of terrain, and not a mathematics textbook.
I thought line of sight would be an exceedingly obvious requirement, but I suppose some people need it spelled out for them.