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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Artoomis" data-source="post: 250925" data-attributes="member: 111">Small history lesson, which may or may not have anything to do with D&D.Historically, pikemen stood in formation to present a solid front of pointy things pointed right at the horses.  Horses are not entirely stupid, and would rear up and try to turn around before impaling themselves, resulting in the first rank of horses backtracking into the second, causing panic and confusion in the cavalry.On the other hand, infantry units could easily break when seeing the horses charge them - especially heavy cavalry.  Very scary.Either way it was rare to charge directly into a well-trained pike formation.  Such a move was, essentially, a rather high-stakes game of chicken.  The more effective military leaders of old used cavalry to oppose the enemy's cavalry and to attack into infantry flanks.Also historically, no one soldier could really stand up to a mounted knight - the advantage of heavy armor on a well-trained horse was too much to overcome in individual combat.  (This is considering hand-to-hand weapons only, not missle weapons.  That's a whole different discussion.)The typical tactic for foot soldier to mounted soldier combat would be to unseat the mounted combatant by any means possible.  The typical tactic for two mounted opponents would be rider to rider, with an attempt to NOT hurt the horse - trained horses were quite valuable.D&D Comments:With all that in mind, charging a pike formation in D&D would be quite deadly for the horse - it would take at least two readied attacks plus at least one attack of opportunity, perhaps more.   You can set a Halberd vs. a charge - that's 6d10 potential damage, at least.  This is realistic - you face a really good chance of getting your mount killed if you charge in against prepared pike-type weapons.  This is against only two prepared pikemen standing side-by-side.  If you add a rank behind them and charge, you are looking an another 4d10 from readied actions.This looks okay to me.  A single pikeman probably dies, multiple prepared pikemen probably kill the horse.  I see no reason to change anything.</blockquote>

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