In Table Top Battles, I have given basic instructions as to the use of stands of Pike, both for the Ancient era and the 16th-17th Century. I thought I would expand on the original text.
SARISSA ARMED PIKEMEN.
* Pikemen are placed on a stand, and used as an independent unit.
* A stand of sarissa-armed Pikeman can only move through the face of a square not a diagonal.
* When engaging in Combat on the forward face, the stand of Pikemen is worth 4 points. However if the stand of Pikes is attacked in the flank or rear in close combat while being attacked in close Combat from the front, that stand is only worth 2 points.
* The Sarissa-armed stand cannot engage an enemy stand to its front if there is another friendly stand of any type to its front between it and the enemy stand.
THE 15th AND 16th CENTURY.
* This was the Renaissance of the Pike as an offensive weapon used en masse, particularly by the Swiss.
* Each stand of Pike operates as an independent Unit like the sarissa-armed Greeks.
* These stands can only move through the face of a square, not a diagonal.
* These stands are worth 3 points on their forward face. However, if engaged in close combat on the flank or rear while being engaged from the front, the stand is only worth 2 points.
PIKE SUPPORT FOR MUSKETS AND CROSSBOWS
THE TERCIO;
If Pikemen are in an adjacent square to a stand of muskets/crossbows, which are engaged in close combat by attacking CAVALRY; The points of the Pike stand is added to the adjacent musket stand under attack. The TERCIO must be formed as shown for stands of musketeers to claim the points of the Pike.
If a stand which is part of a TERCIO suffers a “ Move-Back”, that stand is removed from play. If the entire Tercio is involved in Close Combat and suffers a “ Move-Back”, the ENTIRE TERCIO IS REMOVED FROM PLAY.
INFANTRY COMBAT; 17th and 18th CENTURY;
* In the 17th century century, Musket armed infantry became the mainstay of European armies. Although Musketeers were not afraid to mix it with Cavalry, ( using the matchlock musket as a heavy club! ),Pikemen were still required to anchor the line and to spearhead any assaults.
All European armies had various formations integrating Pikes and Muskets. The density of these formations became more shallow as Artillery became more powerful and more mobile.
In recent times, historians have surmised that the Pikemen in English Civil War Regiments stayed together as a group rather than being dispersed among the muskets. The musketeers of a company manoeuvred around their Pikemen.This may have been the case leading into the 18th century
By the early part of the 18th century, the Pike had virtually been made redundant by the invention of the bayonet. However during the Great Northern War the Swedish Army still had one third of an Infantry Battalion as Pikes, even though bayonets were used.
The British Army had Pikes but these were carried in wagons and used as field defenseworks! having mastered the use of the flintlock.
* Pike stands are an individual unit.
* Pike stands can move through a face of a square, not a diagonal.
* The Pike stand is worth 3 points on its front face. However if a Pike stand is attacked in close combat on it flank or rear whilst being in close combat on its front face, the stand is only worth 2 points.
* If a Musket or Pike stand is in close combat with an enemy stand to its front, and, has a friendly stand of Pikemen in an adjacent square to the rear of the friendly stand in combat: the points of the Pike stand are added to the friendly stand in combat.
THE PAPERBOYS OF PETER DENNIS:
These little blocks have a smaller footprint on the table than the standard 40mm square stand. Each block has a 40mm x 15mm stand. Therefore;
* Two blocks of Infantry are allowed within a square.
* Both blocks must face in the same direction.
* If the front block suffers a “ move-back”, BOTH must be moved back.
* If the front block suffers a half or less score in firing only the front block is removed from play.
* If muskets are in the front rank and Pikes are in the second rank, this means that Pikes can be involved in a close combat.
* If the pikes are in a separate square behind the muskets ( or Pike ) the Pikes CANNOT be included in the close combat.
* If BOTH stands are involved in a close combat and suffer a “ move-back”, then BOTH stands must be moved back.
* BOTH stands are removed from play if the front block suffers a half or less score.
I hope this article helps to clarify the use of Pikes on the table.
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