MTW Trouble against shock troops

[caravel]

There is no good way to 'hold' infantry units like Vikings especially considering the vikings' AP attack and good morale. Trying to hold them with spears will almost always be disastrous, because those are exactly the type of units that they are designed to beat. I prefer to concentrate my missile fire on such units.

[The Stranger]

yeah that will help against the early unarmoured units but it has no use to fire at varangians unless you have crossbows or arbalasters...CATAPULTS will do a good job though

[Major Robert Dump]

When the width of the spear unit exceeds the width of the attacking unit by several columns or more, I take my unit off of hold formation and put them on engage at will so they close in around the attacking unit. Otherwise, you have a viking wedge that is fighting 1/4 of your army in the front middle while the other 3/4 stand around and wait their turn. Make them work, hit them back. You will take higher casulaties in most cases, but you will collect more heads as well.

[Mithrandir]

yeah that will help against the early unarmoured units but it has no use to fire at varangians unless you have crossbows or arbalasters...CATAPULTS will do a good job though

Varangian guards aren't shock troops, so they don't belong in this topic.
In my multiplayer games I always let loose my v3 or v4 militia sergs upon them. The armour piercing ability does the trick.