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Started By
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The Pike was the standard Infantry weapon for over 1,000 years.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 4:42 pm
Posted on 9/5/25 at 4:42 pm
The lowly pointed stick - the Pike - was the standard infantry combat weapon from Before Christ until almost all the way to the year 1700 A.D.
Sure, the Imperial Roman Army didn't specialize in Pike usage, but, their enemies did, and Pike usage was used by almost every army during the 1600s A.D.
It is something to marvel at - the pointed stick lasted so long.
Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch about the military unit being trained to defend themselves against an enemy armed with fresh fruit. Eric Idle's character asks what to do if the enemy has a "pointed stick" instead of a banana.
LINK
PS It is great fun to visit the Tower of London's armory and see the collection of Pikes that they still have leaning against the wall.
Sure, the Imperial Roman Army didn't specialize in Pike usage, but, their enemies did, and Pike usage was used by almost every army during the 1600s A.D.
It is something to marvel at - the pointed stick lasted so long.
Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch about the military unit being trained to defend themselves against an enemy armed with fresh fruit. Eric Idle's character asks what to do if the enemy has a "pointed stick" instead of a banana.
LINK
PS It is great fun to visit the Tower of London's armory and see the collection of Pikes that they still have leaning against the wall.
This post was edited on 9/5/25 at 4:44 pm
14
Posted on 9/5/25 at 4:59 pm to Champagne
quote:
is great fun to visit the Tower of London's armory and see the collection of Pikes that they still have leaning against the wall.
It’s more fun to read their version of the revolutionary war in there. They act like we were a bunch of spoiled children who refused the kindness of their benevolent king. I laughed out loud several times reading some of the plaques.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 5:01 pm to Champagne
Actually the bottom end of the pillum was heavier and forged as a pike.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 5:23 pm to Champagne
Posted on 9/5/25 at 5:28 pm to Champagne
All weapons have the same basic function - poke a hole in him and he dies.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 5:32 pm to Champagne
Disease infested blankets
Posted on 9/5/25 at 5:46 pm to deltaland
quote:
All weapons have the same basic function - poke a hole in him and he dies.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:04 pm to Champagne
Soldiers on both sides used pikes in the Latin American wars of independence in the early 1800s
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:14 pm to deltaland
quote:
All weapons have the same basic function - poke a hole in him and he dies.
False: clubs, warhamers, and maces wound by blunt force. So do catapults and trebuchets.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:17 pm to Champagne
I was fascinated by halberds as a kid because they were so intricate, but that also seems to be part of their problem.
If you liked the Tower of London display, you'll be fascinated by the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. I spent five hours or so in it, the metal artwork on the cannon, muskets, and armor was amazing.
If you liked the Tower of London display, you'll be fascinated by the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. I spent five hours or so in it, the metal artwork on the cannon, muskets, and armor was amazing.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:20 pm to LemmyLives
Cannons, muskets, machine guns - ALL TO COMPLICATED.
Hulk doesn't understand. HULK PREFER PIKE.
Hulk doesn't understand. HULK PREFER PIKE.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:27 pm to Champagne
The pike was a good way to knock a fella off a horse.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 6:49 pm to Champagne
Hard to beat M16A2 in 5.56, with a M1911 in .45ACP for this old Ranger…
Posted on 9/5/25 at 7:14 pm to Champagne
quote:
It is great fun to visit the Tower of London's armory and see the collection of Pikes that they still have leaning against the wall.
I had dinner in the Tower of London one night, and I don’t recall that. I wish I had paid better attention.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 7:27 pm to Penrod
quote:
I had dinner in the Tower of London one night, and I don’t recall that
Probably put them out of sight after a Muzzie complained they made him have uncontrollable violent thoughts.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 7:32 pm to Champagne
Great thread.
Now a question I've often asked, and have brainstormed to answer...why was an effective counter to the pike not found until early modern gunpowder warfare?
It seems like something could have worked. My thought was a large number of bolo wielding horsemen. Ride close enough to throw, but out of range of the pikes, throw the bolos to tangle the pikes.
Do this enough to create a gap, and then charge in with heavy horse to break the ranks.
Honestly Pike and Shot warfare is my favorite era.
Especially the Landsknechts.
These bloody, brutal mercenaries, in the most foppish attire ever...wielding deadly pikes and halberds
Now a question I've often asked, and have brainstormed to answer...why was an effective counter to the pike not found until early modern gunpowder warfare?
It seems like something could have worked. My thought was a large number of bolo wielding horsemen. Ride close enough to throw, but out of range of the pikes, throw the bolos to tangle the pikes.
Do this enough to create a gap, and then charge in with heavy horse to break the ranks.
Honestly Pike and Shot warfare is my favorite era.
Especially the Landsknechts.
These bloody, brutal mercenaries, in the most foppish attire ever...wielding deadly pikes and halberds
Posted on 9/5/25 at 7:35 pm to BPTiger
quote:
All weapons have the same basic function - poke a hole in him and he dies.
Nukes poke holes in you. They just do it at the cellular level. You’ll have Plenty of leaky holes before it’s over with.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 8:26 pm to fr33manator
I am picking up your Frequency, brother. The Landsknechts were the shite. Can you imagine all of the young women throwing themselves at you once they see you in your puff and slash colorful outfit? Of course, there was no cure at all for venereal disease back then BUT on the other hand, those girls were CLEAN, not the Whores but I mean the regular girls.
One defense against the Landsknecht Pike was a stout band of strong men wielding the giant Two-Handed Swords. In fact, there was an actual Drill Book from the 1400s that demonstrated how armed men with Two-Handed Swords could whack down the Pike wall.
That might have worked in the 1400s but the counter to the Pike wall then and later was always Missile weapons - the Crossbow, the Archer and the Hand Cannon and regular Bombard cannons in the 1400s and then later as the 1500s and 1600s progressed the Arquebus and the Matchlock Musket developed to the point where an infantry battalion of the field was 50 percent Pike and 50 percent Matchlock Musket - or even LESS than 50 percent Pike.
Yes, very interesting times.
One defense against the Landsknecht Pike was a stout band of strong men wielding the giant Two-Handed Swords. In fact, there was an actual Drill Book from the 1400s that demonstrated how armed men with Two-Handed Swords could whack down the Pike wall.
That might have worked in the 1400s but the counter to the Pike wall then and later was always Missile weapons - the Crossbow, the Archer and the Hand Cannon and regular Bombard cannons in the 1400s and then later as the 1500s and 1600s progressed the Arquebus and the Matchlock Musket developed to the point where an infantry battalion of the field was 50 percent Pike and 50 percent Matchlock Musket - or even LESS than 50 percent Pike.
Yes, very interesting times.
Posted on 9/5/25 at 8:36 pm to fr33manator
quote:
Honestly Pike and Shot warfare is my favorite era.
Petards
Posted on 9/5/25 at 9:32 pm to Champagne
quote:
One defense against the Landsknecht Pike was a stout band of strong men wielding the giant Two-Handed Swords.
The Zweihanders...cool weapons.
The evolution of pole arms is fascinating
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