Pikeman (Civ5)

Pikeman
Melee unit of the Medieval Era
Introduced in Civilization V
Cost
Production	90
Production	90
Stats
Combat strength	16
Combat strength	16
Moves	2
Moves	2
Required
Technology	Civil Service
Upgrades to
Lancer
Lancer
Sipahi
Sipahi
Hakkapeliitta
Hakkapeliitta
Winged Hussar
Winged Hussar
Notes
50% bonus vs. mounted

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Game Info

Medieval Era front-line unit. Upgrades from the Spearman.

• Common abilities:
  • Bonus vs Mounted (50)

Strategy

The Pikeman is a next-generation Spearman, armed with a much longer and deadlier weapon and breastplates. It receives a bonus when fighting against mounted units, which makes it pretty much the only unit that can hope to stand up against a rampaging Knight. A Pikeman fortified in defensive terrain is a Knight's worst nightmare. Pikemen are, however, weak versus other melee units and tend to be severely damaged by siege weapons used to defend cities.

Pikemen are useful as melee units when you don't have access to Iron resources (or the technology) for the more powerful Longswordsman.

Civilopedia entry

A pikeman is a better-trained and armored spearman armed with a longer, sharper weapon. Unlike the shorter and lighter spear, a pike is almost always used two-handed. Historically pikemen were most effective against other infantry and cavalry, but as they lacked shields, they were quite vulnerable to archers.

Trivia

• This style of combat dates to Alexander the Great's father Philip II of Macedon with the introduction of the sarrisa, a spear of around 13 to 17 feet in length. After Alexander's success with this type of formation it became the backbone of many armies before being supplanted by the Roman system.
• It was revived in the Middle Ages, reaching its heyday in the 15th century. With the advent of gunpowder it evolved into combined "pike and shot" formations before being completely supplanted by purely firearm equipped units.
• The weapons that these units use are not pikes, but are instead halberds. The correct name for them would have been halberdiers, but it is likely the name Pikemen was used as a catch-all term for any medieval unit wielding polearms in order to simplify things.

Unofficial custom card

Custom homemade card featuring the Pikeman.