Phalanx

Phalanx is a class of Cabal. Phalanxes are used as a mobile defensive front. They carry large shields that are immune to all small arms fire. They hold an equal place in the Cabal ranks as Legionaries and use the same armor, augmented by their shields.

Tactics
Phalanxes should be faced at a reasonable distance. The Slug Rifle is their weapon of choice for ranged combat. Usually, they will slowly corner the player and fire a few shots, although a Phalanx will plant his shield down and fire his weapon in rapid succession once they get to a good position.

However, they are even deadlier up close. They have two deadly melee attacks: a shield swing and a shield smash. The swing is a simple yet fast and highly damaging attack that is difficult to dodge. The smash is even more dangerous. A Phalanx will lunge at the player and attempt to pound a Guardian with his shield. This will usually be enough to kill in one hit, while those that survive will be sent flying far away. For this reason, melee attacks are a bad idea. (However, Melee attacking or shooting the Phalanx When it does the slam attack instantly stuns it. Recommended to not rely on this however, as for higher ranked Phalanx resist this for multiple shots.)

To deal with Phalanxes, the easiest way is to shoot the glowing button in the middle of their shield. This turns it off and staggers them for a couple seconds. Flanking them is normally a good idea if the right angle of fire is exploited. Using explosives is also sometimes successful, usually causing significant damage regardless of whether or not they have their shields covering them. Grenades stuck to their shields also cause full damage. A Phalanx's gun arm and right leg are not covered by their shields, and shooting those areas will temporarily stagger them, exposing more of their body.

Occasionally, a Phalanx that is not currently fighting will bang its slug rifle on its shield as a way to taunt the Guardian. Doing this reveals less of the arm, so if the player is trying to snipe a Phalanx from a distance, wait until they are done before taking the shot.

Variants

 * Elite Phalanx
 * Fleet Phalanx
 * Hardened Phalanx (Patrol mission on Mars)
 * Imperial Phalanx
 * Line Phalanx (Patrol Mission on Mars)