Pike: A Revolutionary Weapon In The Medieval Ages

The Pike was a revolutionary weapon in the Medieval Ages all the way up to the 18th century, they were effective against all types of infantry and were very deadly when units of pike men assembled in specific formations.
The pike consisted of a sharp spike blade mounted on the end of a wooden shaft, known as the pike staff. The pike staff could measure anywhere from 10 to 14 feet and weighed anywhere from five to ten pounds, with a mounted steel head. As the years passed the length of the pikestaff increased in order to boost efficiency. Due to the long lengths of the pike staffs, the staffs required a very particularly strong wood and a seasoned ash for the pole, which was tapered at the end to prevent sagging. The long lengths of the pike
The primary formation used by this combination of pikes and firearms was the Spanish Tercio. This formation consisted of a large square formation of pikemen with smaller, more mobile squads of riflemen moving up and down the perimeter of the square. While at the same time, men armed with swords and other versatile weapons were intermixed into the square. This combination of troops aloud for a strong all around defense that could protect against mounted and dismounted cavalry, normal enemy charges, as well as any attempt to out flank and maneuver the formation. These new improvements to pike tactics had achieved what all the other formations had failed to do, provide security for all aspects of the formation. These mixed formations quickly became the norm all across Europe, however as time went on more and more firearms were added to these formations and the expense of less pikes. As the efficiency and accuracy of firearms increased, the need for pikes decreased, and thus in the early 18th century, pikes were forever decommissioned from service, as the bayonet rose to replace