So I'm playing HRE and just trying out completely different army makeups. Decided to smack Denmark early and waltz up to arhus to engage one of there stacks. I've got maybe 2 spear militia, 2 p archers, my general, and 6-7 mailed knights against 10-11 merc spearman and there general.

Line up the cavalry against there mercs, charge, and I don't think I've seen so many troops fall so quick, ever. A few seconds after the charge hit a typical spear unit went from 150 troops to maybe about 65-70, sometimes as low as 50 followed by almost immediate route.

I wasn't up against prime units or anything but daaammnnnn!! When a charge works, it works. Anyone found good countermeasures to this?? Spearmen really don't seem to stop cavalry for anything.

I've become accustomed to the same unit makeup for ages now - line of heavy spears backed by archers and cav for the flanking. Now, I'm thinking of putting the cav in the center for a swift blowout and a few spears 'on the side' to engage whatever cav the AI uses.