Quote Originally Posted by Kraxis
Medieval battlefield weaponry disagrees. Basically all infantry had spears, especially those in close formation.

Think about it, the swordsman don't just have to contend with your spear alone... If his own buddy is a little slow, or is a bit of a coward, he can suddenly get several spears in his face.
Also, why do you think that the most famous spearformation, the hoplite phalanx had spears and swords, but mainly focused on spears? Because spears simply are better and don't require a lot of room to use.

The idea that swords > spears comes from a simple source. The fact that those who had proper swords were often good with them. We are talking about nobles or rich citizens who had time and money to get the best equipment and training. Then in battle they would trounce basically all spearformations they faced becasue they were far more than those three levels better. To an outsider it would like like swords indeed were better.
And since that is how the game does it, then I have no problem with spears being generally beaten by swords.

In any case, the point was that spears are not disadvantaged against various farming implementations. Hence Peasants really should never haev a chance against a formed spearunit.
I see what you mean (and wholeheartedly agree that spears are sorely inadequate in M2TW), but then why would those trained and wealthy individuals choose a sword (or an axe, or a mace for that matter) over such an obviously superior spear ? Surely they would have been even better spearmen with that same amount of training, and with better spears than the rest ?