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.
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.
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
"The true followers of God are those who walk humbly on the earth who, when those without knowledge behave rudely towards them, say, 'Peace to you'."
- Qur'an, Surah 25: Ayat 63
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.
Reconquistador Great post, very informative.
I don't sruppose you could post a battle screen of your pike formation before and during battle?
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
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
"The true followers of God are those who walk humbly on the earth who, when those without knowledge behave rudely towards them, say, 'Peace to you'."
- Qur'an, Surah 25: Ayat 63
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.However, be warned that pikemen in guard mode tend to draw their swords when engaged in melee combat:
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
withCode: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
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.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
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.
Last edited by Granatenwerfer; October 08, 2016 at 01:18 PM. Reason: mistake in writing corrected
Thread moved from Medieval II: Total War General Discussion.
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 .
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
Somone stole this. I have reported him but it has been months. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=184608621