So if I understand this correctly, it was the type of cavalry in the period that enabled squares as effective - they had sabres not lances? Or would even lances be rejected? The article claims that the tight formation of the square meant that cavalry would always be locally outnumbered. This also required bayonets as the most important fighting weapon - but why didn't they use pikes instead? What made the square redundant - the use of better weaponry for the cavalry or better artillery?

/KotR