Correct use of Pikemen?

[WhiskeyGhost]

If you have problems with them keeping themselves, you could always place a thinly spread light infantry unit in the wall of spears. They should hold back the enemy from getting in between the pikes. It is quite hard to make them hold up in a regular melee though, even when properly managed to get around their 'shortcomings'

[Uunts - a proud Estonian rebel]

Actually, sometimes I have been using two pike regiments inside each other. Havent tried with more pike regiments inside, yet. But the thrusting damage and the time of using pikes is somewhat doubled.

[Old Geezer]

I finally got noble pikemen to work in an assault on a fortress. I had 2 untis of them attack the townne centre where the general bodyguards and some mercenary spears were having tea and crumpets whist awaiting their doom. They marched up close, lowered pikes and started poking. Soon they switched to swords so I switched spear wall off and then on. They stuck it to both the spearmen and the bodyguard. I think one unit of pikes killed as many bodyguard as they lost and those were most all killed while they had swords out. Such micromanagement is not my idea of fun and is one bug I will soon try to modify by changing the formation spacing as has been suggested on some forum.

[marrow]

Changing formation spacing to 0.8, 1.8 as suggested on shoguntotalwar does the trick. If anything it's a bit frustrating trying to fight pikes now as they're really unlikely to budge after this little change. a defo must-have for Spain, Portugal and Scotland.

[Daveybaby]

I seem to recall people modding pikemen to remove their secondary weapons (the swords) and finding they perform much better (in fact rather too well IIRC) after this.

Does anyone still do this?

[Uunts - a proud Estonian rebel]

In my opinion pikemen are the strongest defencive unit of the game, when used properly. Thats why I got tired of playing Britannia with scots.
The tactics is to get the enemy to attack you. Remember, that for pikemen, it is important to stay on a balanced ground or even on a slightly lower ground. On higher ground the enemy seems to get down to pikes so the pikes wont work very well. Some archers behind them, some melee units to protect the flanks and theres no way AI could win the battle. As for multiplayer, I dont think the wall of pikes would work, because there cant be anybody that would be stupid enough to rush into a pikewall.
As for city sieges, when you have already taken the walls and the enemy is retreated to its city centre put some pikemen inside eachother into the street and shower the enemy with arrows, until he engages you. Then just enjoy the enemy to meet their doom.
And I always play with very hard.