How to Employ Pikemen

**Qis** · March 31, 2010, 05:56 PM

Very very good information here, this has helped me a lot. I'm uploading a video on youtube using a Pike and Shot formation of the Spanish armies' Tercio Pikemen.

**Thracius** · March 31, 2010, 10:18 PM

Would you mind adding screenshots, it'd would make things a bit easier to understand if you show us how to do them, along side the telling us.

**Rowdytavern** · March 31, 2010, 11:35 PM

Reconquistador Great post, very informative.

I don't sruppose you could post a battle screen of your pike formation before and during battle?

**Rowdytavern** · March 31, 2010, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by Qis

Very very good information here, this has helped me a lot. I'm uploading a video on youtube using a Pike and Shot formation of the Spanish armies' Tercio Pikemen.

Qus could you post a link??

**Qis** · April 01, 2010, 01:56 AM

Originally Posted by Rowdytavern

Qus could you post a link??

Spain v.s. England

15K limit; All period; 6/2 cav limit only

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydJM6JZ2X9Y

It is bad quality because I apparently chose a bad format option when publishing it... next time I'll pick a better option

This video isn't the best battle and doesn't have the best strategy or anything, but I think it cleanly displays the power of "Pike & Shot".

I thought his information was very clear even without pictures, but I think this video of mine shows a basic and amateur attempt at the Pike & Shot

**Granatenwerfer** · October 08, 2016, 01:10 PM

Brilliant post and topic.
I play the vanilla version of Medieval II.

However, be warned that pikemen in guard mode tend to draw their swords when engaged in melee combat:

Not only Pikemen, but also Halberd Militia, draw their secondary weapon when engaged in melee combat. Both unit types have the ability to form a spear wall. When Halberd Militia (e.g. Poland) draw secondary weapons you do not see another weapon like a sword. You see the Militia handle with their long halberds, what is very poor, because the player can not see why the Halberd Militia is loosing every battle, even though the spear wall is active. IMO it is notapprehensible, why a unit being in the strong spear wall formation gives it up when engaged in melee combat. Precisely this is the strenght of this unit NOT to give up the spear wall formation, stick together like one big unit and not to diverge into single pieces.

The Halberd Milita is seen as heavy infantry - stated by the game. In fact, this unit is weaker than Spear Milita. In a custom battle with a Spear Milita against a Halberd Milita (spear wall active) the Halberd Milita looses the fight (all frontal attacks, no tactic). In a battle against a Dismounted Feudal Knights unit the Halberd Milita gets torn to pieces (also when attacked by Hussars).
This can't be. This was the reason for me not to build any unit with spear wall ability. I had the impression something is wrong with that kind of 'heavy infantry'.
I found out, that not all Halberd Milita (e.g. from The Timurids) have a secondary weapon and they fight better. Strange. I asked my why?

So I decided to modify all units with spear wall ability and long pikes feature in the export_descr_unit.txt: I replaced

Code:

stat_sec         4, 2, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, axe, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr    ap, spear_bonus_4

with

Code:

stat_sec         0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, melee_simple, blunt, none, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr    no

The result is unbelievable. Now as before the Halberd Milita looses the fight against Dismounted Feudal Knights clearly, but wins against Spear Milita and Armored Seargeants and is sometimes in the position to fend off a cavalry attack by Hussars. The Hussars suffer heavy losses, at least.

This leaves only one conclusion: all units with the ability to form a spear wall are buggy in the vanilla version of the game.
Now, slightly modified, the game makes fun again with this historically strong unit and Halberd Milita and other Pike units can be seen rightfully as heavy infantry. As intended - I'm sure.

It is a pity that this great game had so many regrettable issues, but nevertheless I would be glad if Medieval 3 would be published.

**Frunk** · October 09, 2016, 05:01 AM

Thread moved from Medieval II: Total War General Discussion.

**UndrState** · October 11, 2016, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Granatenwerfer

Brilliant post and topic.
I play the vanilla version of Medieval II.

Not only Pikemen, but also Halberd Militia, draw their secondary weapon when engaged in melee combat. Both unit types have the ability to form a spear wall. When Halberd Militia (e.g. Poland) draw secondary weapons you do not see another weapon like a sword. You see the Militia handle with their long halberds, what is very poor, because the player can not see why the Halberd Militia is loosing every battle, even though the spear wall is active. IMO it is notapprehensible, why a unit being in the strong spear wall formation gives it up when engaged in melee combat. Precisely this is the strenght of this unit NOT to give up the spear wall formation, stick together like one big unit and not to diverge into single pieces.

The Halberd Milita is seen as heavy infantry - stated by the game. In fact, this unit is weaker than Spear Milita. In a custom battle with a Spear Milita against a Halberd Milita (spear wall active) the Halberd Milita looses the fight (all frontal attacks, no tactic). In a battle against a Dismounted Feudal Knights unit the Halberd Milita gets torn to pieces (also when attacked by Hussars).
This can't be. This was the reason for me not to build any unit with spear wall ability. I had the impression something is wrong with that kind of 'heavy infantry'.
I found out, that not all Halberd Milita (e.g. from The Timurids) have a secondary weapon and they fight better. Strange. I asked my why?

So I decided to modify all units with spear wall ability and long pikes feature in the export_descr_unit.txt: I replaced

Code:

stat_sec         4, 2, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, axe, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr    ap, spear_bonus_4

with

Code:

stat_sec         0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, melee_simple, blunt, none, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr    no

The result is unbelievable. Now as before the Halberd Milita looses the fight against Dismounted Feudal Knights clearly, but wins against Spear Milita and Armored Seargeants and is sometimes in the position to fend off a cavalry attack by Hussars. The Hussars suffer heavy losses, at least.

This leaves only one conclusion: all units with the ability to form a spear wall are buggy in the vanilla version of the game.
Now, slightly modified, the game makes fun again with this historically strong unit and Halberd Milita and other Pike units can be seen rightfully as heavy infantry. As intended - I'm sure.

It is a pity that this great game had so many regrettable issues, but nevertheless I would be glad if Medieval 3 would be published.

Sir, I think you have rather squarely missed the point of the article . OP gives a thorough guide on how to employ Pikemen without the need to mod the game . By modding out the secondary weapon, you overpower the pike units as you make them much more impenetrable from the front . Pikes are a more sophisticated unit, heralding the end of the knights , but as such require more micro-management to be effective , as OP pointed out . Everyone else was already modding out the secondary weapon well before this article came out .

**KingGorilla666** · January 03, 2017, 04:39 PM

Is there a video? It is difficult to imagine all this without a visual. I have seen some pike and shot videos, but none of them are in depth on how to use them in me2

**UndrState** · January 04, 2017, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by KingGorilla666

Is there a video? It is difficult to imagine all this without a visual. I have seen some pike and shot videos, but none of them are in depth on how to use them in me2

Did you watch the video I sent you in the other thread ?

Short of that, I'd have to make one myself...