- For other uses, see Pikeman.
Swedish Pikemen are the pike infantry of the Kingdom of Sweden in Mount&Blade: With Fire & Sword. Hence their name, these infantrymen carry pikes, a long polearm which they use with two hands, and are especially deadly against cavalry but vulnerable to musket fire.
The Swedish Pikeman, the German Pikeman, and the German Infantry Pikeman are the most reliable as heavy pikemen units, while the New Order Spearman, the Marksman Spearman, and the Polish Pikeman tend to be more fragile as light pikemen units. Militia Pikeman units, armed with shorter Simple Pikes, tend to be less useful.
There is a second version of the Swedish Pikeman in Multiplayer Captain modes, equipped with worse armor and a sword instead of a pike.
Tactics[]
Pikemen are likely one of the most important units in the game. They wield pikes, the longest melee weapon available, and it is specifically developed to stop enemy shock cavalry. Awlpikes existed in Warband but, especially in With Fire & Sword, horses will immediately stop with the slightest poke from a pike.
Pikemen's main job is to protect vulnerable Musketeers from enemy cavalry, so they are best utilized in a line formation, either behind the Musketeers (or any ranged units) or in front of them if the terrain is adequate. When ordered to hold a position, some Pikemen will automatically crouch, and so they form a hedgehog-like formation. If invested in large numbers, it is almost impossible for the enemy AI cavalry to "slip through" the line. Similarly, it is not advised for the mounted player to even attempt going through the enemy Pikemen.
In sieges, Pikemen units switch their pikes with swords, with Western European heavy pikemen using broadswords, Eastern European light pikemen using sabers, and Militia Pikemen using thrusting swords. With more protection, Western European heavy pikemen are more reliable at defending and besieging fortifications, while Militia Pikemen are the least reliable.
Stats and Equipment[]
| Swedish Pikeman - Default Stats and Equipment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Troops of the Swedes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Village Recruits |  Town Militiaman
| |
| Garrison Militia | Swedish Militia Pikeman (veteran)
|
 Militia Musketeer (veteran)
|
| Regular Infantry | Town Militiaman Swedish Pikeman (veteran) Musketeer (veteran)
| |
| Guard Infantry | Swordsman (veteran) Lifeguard (veteran)
| |
| Regular Cavalry |  Swedish Dragoon (veteran)
| |
| Heavy Cavalry | Cuirassier (veteran) Cuirassier Spearman (veteran)
| |
| Personal Guard Cavalry | Swedish Reiter (veteran)
| |
| Camp Mercenaries (between Siegevold and Weissenstein) |
European Mercenary Infantryman (recruit) • (experienced) • (veteran) • (elite) European Mercenary Rifleman (recruit) • (experienced) • (veteran) • (elite) European Mercenary Cavalryman (recruit) • (experienced) • (veteran) • (elite)
| |
| Regional Mercenaries (Koenigsberg • Riga) |
Finnish Harquebusier (veteran)
| |
| Regional Mercenaries (Narva • Allenstein Castle) |
German Pikeman (veteran) Reiter (veteran)
| |
| National Mercenaries | Scottish Swordsman (veteran) Scottish Pikeman (veteran) Scottish Musketeer (veteran)
| |