The Pike Square

[Janos]

The Pike Square was a military tactic developed by the Swiss Confederacy during the 15th century for use by its infantry. It was used to devastating effect at the Battle of Nancy against Charles the Bold of Burgundy in 1477, when the Swiss defeated a smaller but more powerful armored cavalry force. The battle is generally seen as one of the turning points that established the infantry as the primary fighting arm in European warfare from the 16th century onwards..

The Burgundian Ordonnance army was a formidable combined arms force relying on close cooperation between heavily armored knights, dismounted men-at-arms, a variety of ranged troops including archers and crossbowmen, and an early form of field artillery. It was one of the most feared and most effective ground forces in 15th-century Europe, fresh from its victory in alliance with the French in the Hundred Years' War.

A pike square generally consisted of about 100 men in a 10×10 formation. While on the move, the pike would be carried vertically. However, the troops were drilled to be able to point their pike in any direction while stationary, with the men in the front of the formation kneeling to allow the men in the center or back to point their pike over their head. While stationary, the staff of the pike could be butted against the ground, giving it resistance against attack. Squares could be joined together to form a battle line. If surrounded, pikes could still be pointed in all directions. A well drilled square could literally turn on a dime, making it difficult to outmaneuver on horseback.

For more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_square

[wwagstyl]

Though i have little personal knowledge on this matter it sounds like a particularly slow-moving target for archers or other missile troops. The combined arms force should always be able to take on a force overly weighted in a certain direction, because if one arm is rendered useless, it would suggest that at least one of the other arms exploits the weakness of the "single-type" force.

[Janos]

Originally Posted by wwagstyl

Though i have little personal knowledge on this matter it sounds like a particularly slow-moving target for archers or other missile troops. The combined arms force should always be able to take on a force overly weighted in a certain direction, because if one arm is rendered useless, it would suggest that at least one of the other arms exploits the weakness of the "single-type" force.

I think that was less of a problem that you think. The Swiss were able to maneuver their pike squares rather quickly (good training). The secret is in the ability to assemble, move, and reassemble a square efficiently.

The Burgundians mixed missile troops and artillery with their squares as a counter-measure -- which would seem to indicate that there was a missile-weapon threat, but they found an answer for it.

[fatih]

Thanks for the info Jeff.

Napoleon used this tactic in Battle of Pyramids as you know. In a documentary about Napoleon, I heard that he formed 3 giant pike squares of his 90000 men. Is this true?

Regards
Fatih

[Janos]

Originally Posted by fatih

Napoleon used this tactic in Battle of Pyramids as you know. In a documentary about Napoleon, I heard that he formed 3 giant pike squares of his 90000 men. Is this true?

More or less -- the pike, of course, was long gone by Nappy's day, but forming a square was the "doctrinal solution" to minimize the effect of enemy cavalry attacks.

[Admiral]

I wonder how many of you may have studied or researched the Pike Square?

I'd be interested in some decent resources on it.

[Proconsul]

Originally Posted by Janos

The Pike Square was a military tactic developed by the Swiss Confederacy during the 15th century for use by its infantry. It was used to devastating effect at the Battle of Nancy against Charles the Bold of Burgundy in 1477, when the Swiss defeated a smaller but more powerful armored cavalry force. The battle is generally seen as one of the turning points that established the infantry as the primary fighting arm in European warfare from the 16th century onwards..

The Burgundian Ordonnance army was a formidable combined arms force relying on close cooperation between heavily armored knights, dismounted men-at-arms, a variety of ranged troops including archers and crossbowmen, and an early form of field artillery. It was one of the most feared and most effective ground forces in 15th-century Europe, fresh from its victory in alliance with the French in the Hundred Years' War.

A pike square generally consisted of about 100 men in a 10×10 formation. While on the move, the pike would be carried vertically. However, the troops were drilled to be able to point their pike in any direction while stationary, with the men in the front of the formation kneeling to allow the men in the center or back to point their pike over their head. While stationary, the staff of the pike could be butted against the ground, giving it resistance against attack. Squares could be joined together to form a battle line. If surrounded, pikes could still be pointed in all directions. A well drilled square could literally turn on a dime, making it difficult to outmaneuver on horseback.

For more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_square

Actually the battle of Nancy was the third - and last - defeat of Charles the Bold Burgundians by the Swiss. On the paper the Burgundian army was better, but in reality it was a assembly of mercenaries from different countries that weren't trained enough to work together like the well oiled machine Burgundian tactics would have required. On top of that, their moral must have been inferior to the Swiss, and Charles the Bold himself made serious mistakes.