Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21

Thread: Pikemen

  1. #1
    razr19's Avatar Civis
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Vancover island, BC, Canada
    Posts
    108

    Default Pikemen

    Since Empire: Total War or should I say Total War: Empire (as the name is bieng switched) came out I never understood what to do with Pikemen. Mine rarley get used, they get cut down by bullets, Cavalry are too smart to charge them, they get destroyed by other mele troops Ex Bashi Bazooks. When they charge they don't use their Pikes. Whats the deal with them? How do I use them effectivly. The only time they have been of use was in my Swedish campaign when they and a unit of line infantry fended of a half stack of rebal millita, the pikes only acting as cannon fodder while the line infantry nailed the rebals.


    The point is how do you use your Pikemen?
    ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδαhčn oîda hóti oudčn oîda
    I know, that I know nothing
    - Socrates

  2. #2
    pbwu1f's Avatar Civis
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    120

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Here's 2 ways I use mine. Garrison and back up for my artillery. I usually keep them behind my artillery and if I suspect a cavalry charge I stop firing and move them in front with pike formation. I mean, they are slow moving and don't even use the pike to fight. Somehow for some reason I still have 1 unit of them in my army.

    Roma...will....fall.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Pikemen

    I usually put them at my flanks or behind my cannon to counter cavalry charges. I find they are useful "swing around" troops in that i fire at a unit in the front and my pike-men charge them from the back it makes for a deadly and morale shattering combo.

  4. #4
    Libertus
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    92

    Default Re: Pikemen

    In all my games, I have used pikemen to great effect as stall units. I'll send them in ahead of my main army and charge enemy flanks while my cannons pound their units and my main line moves into position. They are effective melee infantry that can go toe-to-toe with the best early-game native and eastern melee units, even forcing a veteran unit of Muslim Swordsmen to rout in my most recent game as the British.
    "The Bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding Bureaucracy" - Oscar Wilde

    We are anonymous. We do not forgive. We do not forget. United as one, divided by zero. Expect us.
    www.whatis-theplan.org

  5. #5

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by Aelita View Post
    I usually put them at my flanks or behind my cannon to counter cavalry charges. I find they are useful "swing around" troops in that i fire at a unit in the front and my pike-men charge them from the back it makes for a deadly and morale shattering combo.
    I use pikemen similarly. First, I have very few units of pikemen, I generally only keep those that I start out with; they just get very experienced over time, which makes them more useful later in the game as more experienced, more effective units. I place them immediately behind my line infantry on the flanks, so that they can run through the line infantry and attack cavalry charging my flanks. I also use them to swing around behind enemy units that are engaging my line infantry.

    If I have my artillery in a relatively exposed position, such that I can move infantry over to defend it if infantry attacks, but the artillery is open to cavalry attack, I'll place pikmen near it so they can defend it.

    They are also useful for defending or assaulting breaches during a siege as they are better at melee.

    Even when using these tactics, I use the pikemen as fodder. So, I don't hesitate to have them assault an artillery battery that may get a few rounds of shot through their ranks. They are expendable...
    The law spoke too softly to be heard amidst the din of arms.
    -Plutarch

  6. #6
    Stívarđr Reynitré's Avatar Domesticus
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Here and There
    Posts
    2,097

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Cannon fodder.

    If I need to move a unit to cover or we are particularly outnumbered and in need of taking up a more sustainable position I will often throw a pike unit at the aggressors and have my infantry move asap.

    They prove little more than a distraction most of the time, but since that is the desired outcome that's fine...however, playing the game under "realistic" moral and ethical codes means I'm often racked with pangs of guilt for hours after...lol

  7. #7

    Default Re: Pikemen

    use them as cheap garrison in cities to keep public order.... and to fill in holes in your army

  8. #8

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by Reshad View Post
    use them as cheap garrison in cities to keep public order.... and to fill in holes in your army
    dont use pikemen unless you're in the first few turns, disband em and recruit militia, simple as that. Research the bayonets and you're done.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by xX_iCeD_Xx View Post
    dont use pikemen unless you're in the first few turns, disband em and recruit militia, simple as that. Research the bayonets and you're done.
    But one unit of pikemen will crush two units of militia in melee... If the pikemen are experienced, then they can easily beat two units of line infantry in melee... This makes them particularly useful in sieges when someone is assaulting a breach or climbing the walls. The pikemen will crush assaulting troops... which makes them useful for garrisoning cities.
    The law spoke too softly to be heard amidst the din of arms.
    -Plutarch

  10. #10

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Great for sieges, and melee charges. They are also good to back line infantry in danger of being charged by 2 units of curassier

    Quote Originally Posted by Condottiere 40K View Post
    If you ever lived next to a volcano, the fact that you had nothing to do with your neighbour failing to properly throw in his virgin daughter to appease the local deity doesn't stop the lava from engulfing your home.

  11. #11

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Pike men are great against unsupported cavalry units raiding through a region. I also pop them in a port or town close to a border with a faction I have poor relations with. The AI seldom will attack that location and will go around, if there is another way. Can force some interesting battle sets that way.
    "The trouble with facts is that there are so many of them." - Samuel McChord Crothers

  12. #12
    razr19's Avatar Civis
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Vancover island, BC, Canada
    Posts
    108

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Hmm finnaly wonderful ideas on what to do with the things. Though it would be wonderful if I could play Empire. As there is a graphics issue with Nvidia Drivers when you install the latest update. So far the only fix is to role back but that then gives Shogun 2 graphics issues
    ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδαhčn oîda hóti oudčn oîda
    I know, that I know nothing
    - Socrates

  13. #13

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by razr19 View Post
    Hmm finnaly wonderful ideas on what to do with the things. Though it would be wonderful if I could play Empire. As there is a graphics issue with Nvidia Drivers when you install the latest update. So far the only fix is to role back but that then gives Shogun 2 graphics issues
    I'm not having any issues with the drivers, you should look into that issue...

  14. #14
    razr19's Avatar Civis
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Vancover island, BC, Canada
    Posts
    108

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by BigG View Post
    I'm not having any issues with the drivers, you should look into that issue...

    I have heard of others with the issue too. I'm using a GeForce 9600 GSO BTW
    ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδαhčn oîda hóti oudčn oîda
    I know, that I know nothing
    - Socrates

  15. #15
    MortenJessen's Avatar Campidoctor
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Denmark
    Posts
    1,841

    Default Re: Pikemen

    The use of pikemen??? Get rid of them to save money, that is what to do with them. Utter waste of good pixels.
    M. Jessen

  16. #16
    Geronimo2006's Avatar TAR Local Moderator
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    7,405

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by razr19 View Post
    Since Empire: Total War or should I say Total War: Empire (as the name is bieng switched) came out I never understood what to do with Pikemen. Mine rarley get used, they get cut down by bullets, Cavalry are too smart to charge them, they get destroyed by other mele troops Ex Bashi Bazooks. When they charge they don't use their Pikes. Whats the deal with them? How do I use them effectivly. The only time they have been of use was in my Swedish campaign when they and a unit of line infantry fended of a half stack of rebal millita, the pikes only acting as cannon fodder while the line infantry nailed the rebals.


    The point is how do you use your Pikemen?
    There's a mod here that fixes the pikeman animation so that they do use their pikes. I find them very useful in a siege for protecting breaches in the walls and against cavalry charges.
    Colonialism 1600AD - 2016 Modding Awards for "Compilations and Overhauls".



    Core i7 2600 @ 3.4ghz - NVIDIA GTX950 2GB

    Colonialism 1600 AD blog

  17. #17

    Default Re: Pikemen

    Quote Originally Posted by pbwu1f View Post
    Here's 2 ways I use mine. Garrison and back up for my artillery. I usually keep them behind my artillery and if I suspect a cavalry charge I stop firing and move them in front with pike formation. I mean, they are slow moving and don't even use the pike to fight. Somehow for some reason I still have 1 unit of them in my army.
    Odd. Mine uses the pike to fight and charge most of the times, and thats not even for cavalry.

  18. #18
    Sharpe's Company's Avatar Campidoctor
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Stoke-on-Trent
    Posts
    1,717

    Default Re: Pikemen

    I like pikemen, although only because it gives us a taste of the 17th century.

    It's a shame if you ask me, that there was no real expansion for ETW, I would of loved a Pike and Shot era expanision, instead we got some lame north american experience.
    Last edited by Sharpe's Company; July 19, 2011 at 01:22 PM.
    Justice 4 Charlene
    #MoggMania
    #No2EU

  19. #19
    -Joker-'s Avatar Semisalis
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    England, Essex
    Posts
    487

    Default Re: Pikemen

    The only real use I get out of them is putting a unit in my ports to stop ships raiding them and would never deploy them on the battlefield

  20. #20

    Default Re: Pikemen

    I go through at the very start and disband all pikemen. In Empire, I avoid any and all melee fighting. Though I am a turtle player; I'll find some spaces for cover, have the center of my army there, and a couple of oddball gunners on the sides to wrap any charging units in a crescent of fire. (ie, a U shape to give gunfire on 3 sides.)

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •