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<blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 6310758" data-attributes="member: 19675">Start from basic principles: if you can't teleport, how do you break a standard 100 man, 10 per side pike square?&nbsp; How was it done in the RW?&nbsp; If all you have is various forms of infantry, the answer is, &quot;with many casualties.&quot;&nbsp; Your soldiers will have to work their way through each row of pike points until they reach the outermost rows.&nbsp; And ideally, you do it from more than one side of the square- that minimizes the ability of those who are not directly engaged being able to support those who are.&nbsp; Its bloody work getting in, but once that first row is breached, the pike square starts to lose cohesion.&nbsp; But who is skilled &amp; brave &amp; lucky enough to work through those 3 layers?None of this is in any way a &quot;high-percentage option&quot;, but the alternative is letting the pike square continue unopposed.It's that brutal reality that let the pike square define the battlefield for as long as it did.The eladrin infantry could start from the same tactical starting point- with multiple soldiers braving attacks from that outermost layer of spearpoints, from at least 2 sides.&nbsp; (IOW, once engaged, the only move action taken is the blink.) But instead of having to work through the successive layers of pikes, those eladrin at the front teleport over the third rank.&nbsp; That bumps the probability of success in breaking the square WAY up....unless it's the job of the eladrin on the second or third row- those at -5' or -10'- to be the square breakers.&nbsp; The tactic starts the same, but instead of the front row blinking in, the front row provides cover, fending off the pikes via their weapons or shields.&nbsp; Even though the attack isn't at the 3rd rank of pikemen, the pike square is still in trouble- there are armed warriors within its defensive perimeter, and even more outside it.BTW, still don't know if 4Ed pikes are 16'.&nbsp; Anybody know?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dannyalcatraz, post: 6310758, member: 19675"] Start from basic principles: if you can't teleport, how do you break a standard 100 man, 10 per side pike square? How was it done in the RW? If all you have is various forms of infantry, the answer is, "with many casualties." Your soldiers will have to work their way through each row of pike points until they reach the outermost rows. And ideally, you do it from more than one side of the square- that minimizes the ability of those who are not directly engaged being able to support those who are. Its bloody work getting in, but once that first row is breached, the pike square starts to lose cohesion. But who is skilled & brave & lucky enough to work through those 3 layers? None of this is in any way a "high-percentage option", but the alternative is letting the pike square continue unopposed. It's that brutal reality that let the pike square define the battlefield for as long as it did. The eladrin infantry could start from the same tactical starting point- with multiple soldiers braving attacks from that outermost layer of spearpoints, from at least 2 sides. (IOW, once engaged, the only move action taken is the blink.) But instead of having to work through the successive layers of pikes, those eladrin at the front teleport over the third rank. That bumps the probability of success in breaking the square WAY up. ...unless it's the job of the eladrin on the second or third row- those at -5' or -10'- to be the square breakers. The tactic starts the same, but instead of the front row blinking in, the front row provides cover, fending off the pikes via their weapons or shields. Even though the attack isn't at the 3rd rank of pikemen, the pike square is still in trouble- there are armed warriors within its defensive perimeter, and even more outside it. BTW, still don't know if 4Ed pikes are 16'. Anybody know? [/QUOTE]

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