In the early era I pump out mostly militia sargeants for frontal assaults, with any fast cavalry available, to chase down the archers and attack rear. I have mostly given up on spear types.



Quote Originally Posted by Kommodus
However, I recently found a very nice tactic for Catholic armies, which has proven very effective and fun to use. The core of the army is polearm troops, particularly halberdiers and their variations. This core is augmented by the best cavalry available and enough arbalesters to win a missile duel. After maneuvering for position, the attack commences with an infantry advance, with cavalry to flank and take out enemy missile troops. Halberdiers have low morale, but as long as you keep them from being isolated or flanked, they can beat just about anything in a head-on fight and take very few casualties in the process, including elite heavy cavalry, which would otherwise be a problem. The only weakness this type of army has is fighting in the desert. Other than that, it can take on any army you throw at it, even the pesky Mongols.
Once the high era comes, halberds+arbs are the shit. I place the halberds in a line close behind the arbs. It works this way: if they don't want to engage halberds, they get shot up by arbs. If they attack the arbs, the halberds charge and I have never seen them lose a frontal engagement with any reasonable commander.