Slitherine

From looking at the various Italian wars lists, I am wondering witch to go with armored or unarmored pike? What has been peoples experiences in games? Would you go with one or the other depending on if it is in period or out of period.

I've run the early ECW Parliamentarians with armour but found it made little difference. Usually, the Royalist Poodle-loving Commander made sure his unarmoured BGs hit so that my pikes were fighting his shot...so no armour bonus.

But in the early period with the big pike blocks it may well make a difference there Blathers.

I say give it a whirl and see how it works for you. Arquebus does not have much range so you don't have to worry too much about getting shot at from far out, and if you can hit a cheap unarmoured unit it will give an advantage. If it does not work out too well for you try to save some points and take the armour off. Experience is the best gauge of whether something is worth the points or not.

I have used both both armoured, unarmoured and a mix of both in my Swiss.

If you want your army to be a bit wider, go unarmoured.

If your opponent will have loads of artillery or muskets it is a very fine choice.

If you plan to use the pike as strike troops I would go armoured.

If you plan to use them as a pivot, go unarmoured.