Tip: Something pikemen are good for

[gauch0]

Last night I hit on a good use for pikemen. When defending, I deployed my artillery along my main line. I had one unit of pikemen in the stack (Great Britain, fighting vs. the Huron), so I put them in their wall formation and lined them up directly behind the artillery, between the deployed guns and the limbers. They fit nicely in this spot, and the pikes were right at the backs of the artillerymen.

I noticed that the Huron lancers never once charged the artillery units that had the pikes behind them.

[Sheogorath]

I've noticed that as well. The AI seems determined to avoid melee with my pikers (even with units besides cavalry). I'm gonna start including a few units in my armies for arty defense.

One battle, the AI actually didn't rush into melee, but got into a gun duel with my arty. I wiped the floor with them. Grapeshot is nasty stuff :P

[Skott]

I've done this but found that I get more use out of a lineman unit. Sure they make take casualties if I have to move them up to defend the cannons from cavalry or another line unit that attacks but they have far more uses than a unit just standing back playing a 'what if' unit that doesnt get used much if at all. IMO pike men are just way too obsolete for this game. Just how I feel though. Others may disagree.

[Megas Methuselah]

I dunno Skott. I've won plenty of online battles with archers, pikemen, swordsmen, and elephants. It's sort of like playing RTW all over again. Very easy to break through the enemy's line.

[Kobal2fr]

I found pikemen to be absolutely fantastic at XPing horse archers. They'll just sit there in a nice square while you kill 10s of them with each volley :]

[MikeV]

Last night I hit on a good use for pikemen. When defending, I deployed my artillery along my main line. I had one unit of pikemen in the stack (Great Britain, fighting vs. the Huron), so I put them in their wall formation and lined them up directly behind the artillery, between the deployed guns and the limbers. They fit nicely in this spot, and the pikes were right at the backs of the artillerymen.

I noticed that the Huron lancers never once charged the artillery units that had the pikes behind them.
That's a good use tactically. On the strat map, I use them to garrison ports.

[Slaists]

That's a good use tactically. On the strat map, I use them to garrison ports.

How do you train them? In my French campaign, I have a few to start, but do not seem to be able to train more anywhere on the map.

[PseRamesses]

How do you train them? In my French campaign, I have a few to start, but do not seem to be able to train more anywhere on the map.

In the lowest level of gov.building, magistrate I think its called.

[al Roumi]

How do you train them? In my French campaign, I have a few to start, but do not seem to be able to train more anywhere on the map.

i think only the most basic governor buildings allow the recuitment of pikemen. It's a kind of forced obsolescence in that progress prevents you from recruiting "out-moded" units.

other than the ai avoiding them, i don't find them to be so useful tactically.

[Daevyll]

I've found it useful to keep one unit in Fortresses. I put them in square formation right on the flag in the center.

This is quite useful, since any infantry coming over the wall 'open' the gate for their cavalry mates, who then capture the center.
Which leaves you with the option of either relocating units to the center which could have been defendng the wall, or trying to shift enemy units within the 1:30 after capturing. I've lost a few battles due to this.

With the pikemen in square formation, enemy cav doesnt stand a chance of capturing the flag, allowing at the very least a lot more time for you to pull men back from the walls to reinforce the centre.

[Slaists]

i think only the most basic governor buildings allow the recuitment of pikemen. It's a kind of forced obsolescence in that progress prevents you from recruiting "out-moded" units.

other than the ai avoiding them, i don't find them to be so useful tactically.

They are alright as melee troops at the beginning of the game while higher level of bayonetts are not available.