It was impossible for infantry to engage light cavalry with bows or javelins in close combat, as long as the chosen ground didn't put a major hindrance to the cavalry movement. The only resort for engagement were
missile weapons in ranged combat. In this case both cavalry and infantry fought only in a missile exchange. While the infantry can be considered static in comparison to the cavalry, their own protection, the damage their missiles would cause and the hit rate were important.
For example in the prelude of the
battle of Mohi,
crossbowmen, protected by
pavises, sniped at the Mongol light cavalry, resulting in a tactical defeat of this Mongol unit even if the Mongols did go on to win the overall Battle.
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The defence of such ranged combat units was important, for cavalry could always switch roles and engage the ranged combat infantry (often lightly armored skirmishers) in close combat.
Against heavy cavalry with lances the following tactics were sometimes effective:
Missile weapons: The
longbow and the
crossbow were able to threaten knights. Although the heavy noble cavalry of
Middle Ages often fought on foot or at least avoided futile frontal attacks, it happened several times that knightly armies led charges according to their warrior ideal. The results could be devastating. At
Crécy (1346) and
Poitiers(1356), the French knights suffered heavy casualties against the
Welsh/English longbowmen. Important for military archery was the ability to keep several arrows in the air. Thus, while a cavalry charge followed a strict pattern of acceleration (
400 metres in 2 minutes, gallop just at the last 150 metres) from a distance beyond effective weapon range, arrows could be launched to hail down on the advancing enemy as they came within effective range.
Polearms: The long spears (
pikes) of
Scots and
Swiss were an excellent defensive weapon against cavalry. The warriors stood in tight formations like an ancient
phalanx, the end of their pikes embedded in the ground, presenting a massive spiked wall. In battle against the Scots, the English knights proved to be as narrow-minded as their French counterparts, employing the classic cavalry charge despite the new challenge of the Scottish pike. In the battles of
Stirling Bridge (1297) and
Bannockburn (1314) they were defeated by the Scots. While the English imitated this tactic successfully against the French, the Swiss perfected it. Despite longer lances for the knights, this formation was now almost impenetrable. Pikemen with polearms remained an important part of armies throughout the
30 Years War. Later tactics used against this formation included
caracole maneuvers with ranged weapons.
Using advantages of the terrain: Lancers needed hard, plain ground and enough space for attack. A clever enemy avoided battle on open ground and preferred marshy, mountainous or arboreous grounds for battle. The Scots did this at Bannockburn and Stirling, and in nearly all their guerilla fighting against the English, as did the Welsh to a great extent. The Swiss defeated the Austrian knights at the battle of
Morgarten (1315) by attacking the knightly army in a narrow place between an acclivity and a swamp. The peasants of
Dithmarschen faced in 1500, at
Hemmingstedt, the army of the
Danish king. They opened the dykes and flooded the country. If the terrain was not well suited for a cavalry attack, English knights often fought on foot and used their lances as pikes.
Why did Point Blank :wub: with the unit stats? especially pikemen
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Originally Posted by Point Blank
once in his complained and didn't call the menu annoying the reception he received was still quite welcome.
I'm, not sure on that, gracul has more info.
