Pike and Shot Tactics 1590–1660

Osprey Elite #179

by Keith Roberts, Adam Hook (Illustrations)

Throughout the 17th century, large parts of Europe were depopulated during wide-ranging and savage wars of religion and dynasty involving all of the major powers. These included the Dutch-Spanish wars of independence, The Thirty Years' War and the English Civil Wars. This was the key period in the development of 'modern' infantry tactics, incorporating the use of pole-arms and muskets together, hence the popular expression 'pike and shot'. Although cavalry participated in such conflicts, it was the infantry that was the decisive arm. Such infantry tactics involved different national schools on thought and practice, tested bloodily in great battles.

Keith Roberts is a respected expert in this field, who draws on extensive knowledge of original manuals of tactics to create a revealing study of the period. This volume will be both attractive to wargamers and worthy of serious academic attention.

Genres: History, Military History, Reference, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, 17th Century, Live Action Roleplaying

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Keith Roberts is one of the most highly respected English Civil War historians. He has spent more than a decade studying the civil wars in the British Isles and has had a number of books and articles published on the subject.Stephen Walsh studied art at the North East Wales Institute. Since then he has worked mainly for the American historical board-game market, fulfilling a lifelong interest in historical subjects. His American works include the best-selling Settlers of Catan. He has also produced many pieces of artwork inspired by J R R Tolkien. He is married with two children and lives in Macclesfield.

Reviews

[Rindis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The "Pike and Shot" period that marks post-medieval warfare is one that I've never known a lot about, and so Osprey's Elite book on the subject looked like just the thing.

It actually deals with a just a portion of the period, as it's generally considered to cover from 1500 to a bit after 1700, but Keith Roberts wisely concentrated on the reforms and changes that occurred from the Dutch Revolution through the Thirty Years War. The volume also covers the English Civil War, but that just shows how existing theory was used in the ECW, especially by the Royalists, and doesn't go into the New Model Army at all. (Which is generally covered by other books anyway.)

I found a lot of the detailed breakdowns hard to follow, and had trouble sorting out the many diagrams in the book. Part of it is because I breezed through some of it without really studying them, and part of it is because several different styles of diagrams are given, with some being contemporary illustrations, or done in the style of certain contemporary diagrams, so they can be compared, and some in modern color illustrations. I've seen presentations of things like this where I didn't need to sit down and study it, so I think the diagrams could have been much better done, even though I don't know just what went wrong.

But the real meat of the book is a look at how European thinking about combat evolved and tried to bring more more flexibility and greater tactical acumen to the field through theorizing and then training their armies in smaller formations that covered more frontage with less depth and incorporated various methods of volley fire. I'd like to see something on the period immediately preceding, that shows how the Spanish tercio came to prominence, but I don't know of an Osprey tactics book (much less any other book) on the subject

[Sean Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book concentrates on the pike and shot's high era, when the number of pikes was slowly diminishing but the weapon was still important. This account was dry and mostly discussed developments in Spain, Netherlands, and Sweden and how these were used in the Dutch Revolution, Thirty Years' War, and English Civil War. Sadly, there was nothing on French developments nor tactics in the New Model Army. The volume really ends at 1645; the 1660 moniker is misleading. I also found the prose dry to the point where I had a hard time understanding the importance of certain tactical developments.

I would like to see a volume on wafare after 1660.

[Mark Luongo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Valuable as a reference but almost unreadable due to the archaic language and the confusing back & forth in the discussion of military formations. Some of the illustrations were unsuitable and needed a full page treatment.

[Monte · Rating 1 out of 5]

The short review: ambition exceeds execution in this crowded and poorly organized work that fails to make a case for its key theme, the development of a German composite style of warfare.

[Shane Kiely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative & clearly well researched with great use of archive imagery & original artwork. The nature of the material does mean it can occasionally be a little bit dry. But definitely worth a read if you’re interested in the minutiae of military history.

[Joseph Ficklen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explained the developments in military tactics in the era and helped me visualize how these tactics were used on the battlefield. A good companion for studying the 30 Years’ War and the English Civil War.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent summary of the tactical styles of the era. Lots of illustrations of battle deployments with discussion of changes over time.