[BUG] Pikemen are useless (prob. vanilla problem)

**ATRAVI8TOR** · June 27, 2009, 06:50 AM

The problem i have is that they don't seem to use their pike!
If you use them to charge another unit they will have their pike in 1 hand and sabre in the other.

Having them set to pikewall, a unit of militia cavalry charges straight onto the pikes without problems.

I think this problem is most likely in vanilla, but would like to hear if anyone else can concur.

Wonder if it is like the polearm bug in MTW2 where the anim wasn't firing??

Do you know if there has been any change with the way fight animation are handled in ETW?

**S-te-Fan** · June 27, 2009, 06:58 AM

Jup, CA made them like flag bearers.

**l33tl4m3r** · June 27, 2009, 09:06 PM

We'll see what we can do with the animations and others bits of info that control weapons and attacking to see if we can fix this.

**Templar Knight** · July 01, 2009, 03:45 AM

perhaps if you remove the sword from the pikeman entirely it would stop the problem

**alpaca** · July 01, 2009, 03:49 AM

The main problem is the one-on-one combat animations. I guess they simply didn't make a man vs pike animation set so they don't use it unless they're in pike wall/pike square in which case they don't use these animations at all. Unfortunately they can't move in pike wall which makes them pretty useless.

**ne'er-do-well** · July 02, 2009, 07:45 PM

Did a few tests on this.

You can move pikemen while in pikewall formation although its a little finicky to say the least. It only seems to work if you give them a short run command of a few meters, longer than this and they'll break formation. Walk commands have no effect initially.

Double click a short way infront of them and they'll walk with pikes pointing forwards (you'll notice also that the pikewall button will appear to untoggle). From this point to make them run you can either give them another short run command or toggle the walk/run button. You can also make them walk/run backwards and even sideways

Once they reach their destination and have all settle into line they'll go back to the default formation but you can prevent this by re-toggling the pikewall button just before they stop.

Its all a bit micro heavy so not very practical. Though I did run a battle versus a regiment of ghoorkas and easily managed to prevent their outflanking attempt and forced a head on battle (the regiment stayed in pikewall throughout). Also I noticed there is a pike thrust animation its just not used often and never kills anything

Dont know much about modding empire but would there be a way to force pikemen to remain in pikewall at all time, by making it the default formation or something? Pikemen do seem to fight much better in it so would be great if were easier to move them about.