Quote Originally Posted by katank
This thread is deviating significantly from the original spear vs. sword debate.

Anyhow, the pike phalanx can be seen as perhaps the first example of a truly successful massed formation. Later iterations include Spain's tercio pike and shot and then Napoleon's famous attacking column. These formations are extremely powerful against enemies by sheer power of being able to punch through enemy lines.
You should take a look at another John Keegan work on Waterloo, where he suggests the real reason why Napoleon used the column was simply because he was usually on the offensive and the column is the best suited for manuevering at speed across broken ground. That the revolutionary fervor of the French armies often overwhelmed less resolute opponents cannot be denied, but the column is hardly an ideal attacking formation in and of itself. More determined opposition like the British could simply shoot the head off the attacking columns.

There, now this thread is completely off topic.