Pikes in late medieval era - thoughts on how they should be represented in game?

[Charlie_]

I use my own home-brew rules for gaming, and as my first pike block is nearing completion and should see its first game in the new year, I've been re-thinking the rules I had originally written for pikes.

Now the pike in the 15th century is best known as the weapon of the Swiss, and they had lots of success with it. It ultimately let them build a reputation as the best infantry and generally the most feared soldiers of their era in western Europe.

The way pikes are traditionally approached in gaming terms is as a defensive weapon, in particular being useful for standing up to cavalry charges. However when you read about Swiss warfare, you're struck with the image of them using it aggressively - the Swiss pike formations steamrollered forward and swept everything out of their way. Most accounts of famous Swiss victories see them using it to attack, not to defend.

Anyway, with that in mind, what are people's thoughts on how pikes should be represented in wargaming rules for the 15th century? What role should they play, how effective should they be, and how reliable? Should success with them depend on specific battlefield situations, or should pikemen just be good all-round troops?



- I originally had written rules for them with the Swiss in mind, which essentially made all pikemen super-infantry. No non-pike infantry (with equal numbers, on equal ground) could really hope to defeat them. Also gave them multiple special rules, which would be nice to trim down into something simpler.
- I then made the decision to reserve all the good pike rules for Swiss / veteran / aggressive pike. 'Normal' pike aren't so exciting... but still have a notable advantage over other infantry.
- I am also thinking the Swiss / aggressive pike should get the best rules advantages only when used in attack, when charging.
- But I don't want all pike to be super-infantry which will auto-win against infantry with shorter polearms (bills, halberds, etc).
- I'm now thinking that perhaps 'regular' pike could have no advantage over other polearm infantry... Or a small one which can quickly be negated by outflanking / disordering them. They should still get a defensive bonus against cavalry charges though.

So i'm particularly interested on what people think the situation should be with 'regular' pike fighting against other infantry with shorter polearms, on equal ground, with equal numbers. Would the pikemen have a noticeable advantage, or not? How do other rulesets represent this match-up?

[Phillius]

I have read about and gamed the late 15th early 16th centuries a lot. The Swiss are generally the toughest infantry on the table, and probably tougher than most other types of troops as well. However, it is not the pikes as they were just as tough/successful when they used halberds earlier in the 15th century. They developed a unit of spirit that enhanced their tactics to such an extent they were almost unstoppable. Refer to the battles of Marignano and La Bicocca to see how they were eventually stopped.

The German lansknechts also used the pike in a similar manner, but I think it is safe to say they were not quite as successful. Other pike troops don't seem to have developed the same reputation, so it is safe to say Flemings, Italians, German city militia, would have used the pike in a defensive manner.

In the middle of the 1520s the government of Florence were renegotiating the employment contract with the Black Bands that had been led by Giovanni Medici previously. The leaders of the Bands were resisting the argument to increase the number of pikes they had, as they believed they were more effective as an attacking force with just arquebus and small groups of pikes. The Florentines wanted them to have more pikes because they took up more space on the battlefield and were thus defensively stronger (note: the Florentines were politicians so were probably not as expert in battlefield tactics as the officers they were negotiating with). [Ref. "The Black Bands of Giovanni" - Maurizio Arfaioli]

[Jericho]

What the Swiss pikeblocks made stand out was the fact that they are the first, since ancient times, formed infantry units. Organised, drilled and each man part of a larger whole instead of a group of individuals just thrashing away at the enemy.
It is, as I believe, the moment were all armies begin to adopt the notion that formed units are invincible so long they keep their cohesion and morale.

I don't think there was any type of infantry that could stand up to a pikeblock, apart from another pikeblock.
That's the point of it, your weapon has to be longer than the enemy's so you can kill him first. Why would a pike versus halberd fight be fair anyway?
All you could try and do was to surround them, make them stop moving and then wear them out.

Like Phillius' suggestion above of the Battle of Marignano. While the Swiss hade the speed and power to force the enemy back, so could the French cavalry. The battle was a back and forth. And always one of the two had to fall back to reform and get in the fray again.
While it seems strange that cavalry could withstand a pikeblock, think about it. The Swiss are moving forward with long heavy sticks and while they no doubt will kill many of the first line of cavalry gaps will appear in the line of pikes (broken pikes, stuck under a dead horse, or thrown to the side by the next cavalryman). Into these gaps pour in the surviving cavalry and force the gap wider and deeper (pikes pushed aside, others have to drop it to use knives and swords against the horsemen, and others have to pull up their pikes for various reasons in the melee).

While cavalry couldn't win against them and rout them like they could against other infantry, they could in fact fight them to a stand still.

While I don't know how your homebrew rules go, here's my idea;
- Units getting charged by Swiss pikemen:
The Swiss attack first and inflict possible casualties. After that the defending unit has to do a mandatory morale test, even when no casualties are made, before they could hope to fight back. (As they are so shaken by the sight of that inpenetrable hedge of pikes coming towards them) If they fail they'll have to fall back without fighting  and reform (perhaps they can even get routed?). If they succeed they can fight back normally and then the Swiss are forced to fall back to reform their pikeblock.

- Swiss getting charged by cavalry:
First make a morale test for the cavalry to see if rider and/or steed are feeling suicidal enough.
When succesful both units fight simultaneous, representing the unstoppable force and immovable object colliding.
Whatever happens, both units need to fall back to regroup. (If both survived of course)

- Swiss getting charged by infantry:
First make a morale test for the attacking infantry to see if they can stomach the oncoming onslaught.
When succesful the pikemen fight first and inflict casualties. Then the surviving infantrymen have penetrated deep enough not to be bothered by the remaining pikes and can attack & inflict casualties.
Whatever happens, both units need to fall back to regroup. (If both survived of course)

[Charlie_]

Thanks for the input both of you, interesting stuff.

However, it is not the pikes as they were just as tough/successful when they used halberds earlier in the 15th century. They developed a unit of spirit that enhanced their tactics to such an extent they were almost unstoppable. Refer to the battles of Marignano and La Bicocca to see how they were eventually stopped.

The German lansknechts also used the pike in a similar manner, but I think it is safe to say they were not quite as successful. Other pike troops don't seem to have developed the same reputation, so it is safe to say Flemings, Italians, German city militia, would have used the pike in a defensive manner.

Yes, that makes a lot of sense to me. It should be the nature of the Swiss soldiers themselves that make them stand out, not just the fact that they are armed with pikes.

That's the point of it, your weapon has to be longer than the enemy's so you can kill him first. Why would a pike versus halberd fight be fair anyway?

I'm all up for making the Swiss pike a 'super-unit' with multiple special rules if need be, but it's the less impressive, run-of-the-mill infantry with pikes that I'm pondering what to do with.
Should they fight more or less like other polearm infantry, with some added bonuses in defence (plus some easy ways to counter this by disordering/outflanking etc to balance it out)?
If you picture two lines of infantry, both of equal size, equal experience, equal levels of armour, etc, coming together... One with pikes, one with halberds and other polearms..... Which side would you want to be on?
Sure, at first the pikes would have the distinct reach advantage, and I wouldn't want to be walking into that with my halberd. But once the halberdiers HAVE managed to break their way past the pikeheads, THEY then have the huge advantage by having handier weapons up close. The pikemen either have to struggle to fight with their cumbersome pike shafts, or drop them and draw swords/knives.
When charging a pike unit, the difficulty should be managing to get close to cause damage in the first pace, whilst the pikemen don't have that worry.

With this in mind, I'm leaning towards 'regular' pike not having any attacking advantage over other infantry (though for the Swiss it can be another story). They won't do more 'damage' but will be harder to damage / shift themselves when charged. And they will halt the momentum of a cavalry charge.
'Aggressive pike' (Swiss and others of similar skill/experience) have the added advantage that they make very effective attacking troops - basically they cause more damage / roll more dice, etc when charging, until they lose a round of combat.

For a bit of context - I have lots of big infantry units with polearms, and am just finishing up my first one with pikes. They aren't Swiss. My polearm blocks look a bit harder, featuring nobles and their retinues, men-at-arms, etc... The pike look a bit more militia-like. I don't want my one pike unit to be sweeping all my heavy polearm infantry off the table every game!

[Charlie_]

double post

[jon_1066]

Pike blocks have to move slowly unless very well drilled.  So I would make the difference between plebs and specialist Swiss infantry in how quickly they can move and still keep cohesion.  Once a pike block losses its discipline it will be easily defeated.  Pike blocks therefore should be slow and cumbersome on the battlefield.  This will make them easier to outflank and also easier to simply shoot to bits.

I would therefore go with some kind of drilled rule for Swiss pike that allows them to move more quickly and still keep their good order.  Your elite troops won't be swept from the field by plebs as the pike block should have great difficulty in engaging them unless on the elites own terms.

For the actual combat give the pike a first strike advantage.  If that isn't enough to see off the opponent then they get attacked back and have a chance to see if the pike block loses cohesion.  If a pike block loses cohesion it loses the first strike rule.

[Arlequín]

What Jericho and Jon have said about drilling in bodies is the key point for me. The Swiss actually didn't have that large a proportion of pikes to polearms until the 16th Century; what they did have was discipline and cohesion.

The Flemish were massive users of pikes, but unless they were relatively static and preferably behind linear features of some form (ditches, low walls etc), they were unable to produce the same results as the Swiss.

The same would appear to be true of other armies. Individual weapon skill was important to them, yet there was no means of training men to fight as units. Cohesion could typically only be maintained by keeping still and armies that attacked rarely won.

English armies used the longbow to goad enemies to attack them, while they stood still. When the English were forced to attack they rarely did well. Despite superior numbers the Lancastrians at Towton lost because they were forced to move.

Another factor you might consider for the Swiss is their numbers. At Sempach they outnumbered the Austrians about 2:1. Grandson was apparently evens, Morat c. 25k against c. 12-20,000 Burgundians, Nancy was 8-10k Swiss and about the same again of Lorrainers etc, while the Burgundians had c. 2-8k. Few armies would not do well under such conditions.

Much is often made of the rivalry between Swiss and Landsknechts, yet the latter were scraped together in the same fashion as mercenary companies always had, but given rudimentary training they somehow managed to threaten the reputation of the 'Super-Swiss'?

The Swiss weren't supermen, nor were they any more aggressive or violent than anyone else. What they did have was drill, discipline and confidence - built by experience of victory. Once other nations pick up on this and develop their own systems, the Swiss advantage is narrowed and eventually lost.

As for pikes themselves, their advantage is reach. Like a boxer with long arns, they do well until their opponents get within their reach. Ultimately it will come down to the skill of the respective combatants with their chosen weapons; that pikemen also have several rows of guys behind them to stop people getting within their reach is quite an advantage though.

[Charlie_]

Pike blocks have to move slowly unless very well drilled.  So I would make the difference between plebs and specialist Swiss infantry in how quickly they can move and still keep cohesion.  

Ah yes, that would be a very simple solution to balancing them out.... Making them the 'regular' pike slower would pretty much force them into just defensive roles.
The simplest way of doing that with my rules would be to limit them to just moving at half pace..... (and allowing 'expert' pike units to move at full pace)... but, I'm not really keen on that for some reason.  I dunno....

The Flemish were massive users of pikes, but unless they were relatively static and preferably behind linear features of some form (ditches, low walls etc), they were unable to produce the same results as the Swiss.

Again, yes perhaps lack of manoeuvrability is the key, but I'm not quite sure yet of the details on how this would work with my rules....

Another factor you might consider for the Swiss is their numbers.

Yes, that's a very good point, and one I have been considering myself.

When I think of the famous Swiss victories I am thinking of the Burgundian Wars.... which saw vast numbers of Swiss fighting in HUGE formations. That's not the sort of warfare I'm looking to represent. My Swiss would be just a small individual mercenary company. So perhaps one little band of Swiss wouldn't have to be anything too special? (I can give them slightly better stats and certain special rules to represent them as good, experienced troops, but they don't have to be awarded any amazing game-changing rule mechanism).

I'm also thinking about how success of a certain unit / army on the tabletop doesn't have to be dictated by special rules. Surely it should be just as much as how they are fielded? Not what weapon you are armed with, but how you choose to use it....
So if I wanted a big division of 'super-Swiss' infantry, representing how we imagine them fighting in the Burgundian Wars... Well, fielding one really large unit, in a deeper formation with more ranks than opposing infantry.... my rules would lead to that unit being very successful, and able to 'steam-roller' the enemy out of the way.

The Swiss weren't supermen, nor were they any more aggressive or violent than anyone else. What they did have was drill, discipline and confidence - built by experience of victory. Once other nations pick up on this and develop their own systems, the Swiss advantage is narrowed and eventually lost.

Yes, that's the idea I get from my somewhat minimal knowledge of early 16th century warfare.... In the 15th century they were the exception, and should be represented as such on the tabletop (but as I said above, this doesn't have to be through special rules, just in how they are fielded by the player).... Whilst some years later, pretty much all pike troops fought in the same way and they don't need to stand out.