 An overarm motion would allow more effective combination of the "aspis" and "doru" if the shield wall had broken down, while the underarm motion would be more effective when the shield had to be interlocked with those of one's neighbours in the battle-line.Hoplites in the rows behind the lead would almost certainly have made overarm thrusts.The rear ranks held their spears underarm, and raised their shields upwards at increasing angles.