Superior pikes charger lancers - and become Fragmented

[vakarr]

Hi, I was playing a FOG Empires battle where the defenders had two Palace Guard units that were superior pikes with a general attached. I shot at them with one or two slinger units every turn for about five turns without every disrupting them - but by keeping supporting units facing them from different directions, I kept the enemy from charging anything with them. Finally, on the last turn, one of these units charged a superior heavy cavalry (lancer) unit - and much to my surprise, fragmented themselves! How often am I likely to see this happen again? I mean they had lost their rear rank but Superior pikes with general charges cavalry without general, with nothing behind their flank except light infantry? https://youtu.be/kSSf0uxqAHk?t=65

[MikeC_81]

If I understand what you are saying, Pikes charged Lancers? Pikes get 0 PoA vs lancers when attacking without the 4th rank

[vakarr]

Really? That is interesting! Same if the lancers charge the pikes?

[MikeC_81]

No, infantry gets full impact PoA if defending the charge vs shock cavalry. They get nothing if they are attacking.

[rbodleyscott]

In short, pikes are not supposed to be charging lancers. If they do, they lose their normal non-depth Pike POA, and the lancers get their 100 POA for lancers (which is cancelled if they charge stationary steady pikes)

With a full fourth rank the pikes will go from a net +200 POA when receiving a charge, to a net 0 POA if they charge.

Without a fourth rank, the pikes will go from a net +100 POA when receiving a charge, to a net -100 POA if they charge.

[vakarr]

Wow! Thanks for that, I had to read the explanation twice but that is really interesting, explains why the AI was reluctant to charge the lancers. In my previous game I had a town militia unit (raw hoplites) vs lancers. The lancers sat facing the hoplites without charging them despite being superior vs raw. The hint text suggested that it was a bad idea for me to charge the lancers so it was a stand-off until I shot at the lancers from behind and caused them to be disrupted (there was a forest directly behind the lancers so they wouldn't retreat). The militia was then able to charge the lancers and fragment them.