Probably the most competitive role on the battlefield, pike is a great de-stresser and is suitable for adults of all genders who like a physical challenge.
A pike is an 18-feet long pole made of wood that would have had a metal spike at the end, though for safety reasons ours do not. Pike fighting is an easy skill to pick up and gives you a great sense of being part of a team, with an extraordinary adrenaline rush when you send your opponents crashing to the ground!
Our pike block is well regarded in the Sealed Knot, its members fight well together and always look forward to welcoming new members into their ranks.
Fighting as a pikeman
For safety, our pikes are not sharp, but they are handled in the same way. Our pike block is made up of anything from nine to 20 pikemen, usually arranged in rows of three. An officer stands outside the block and issues orders.
We fight in one of two ways: The Charge, where pikes are levelled at the enemy and we advance towards them to push them back, and Pike Push, our usual way of fighting and is pike at its most competitive – we raise our pikes and move into formation, not unlike a rugby scrum, and then drive forward in an effort to push our opponents over or split their block apart.
As well as being very tiring and physically demanding work, pike pushing can take a lot of skill. But being a member of the block gives a real sense of being part of a team and an extraordinary adrenaline rush.
The kit you’ll need to get started
In your first season, the regiment will be able to lend you your uniform of red soldier’s coat, breeches, and woollen stockings to make sure you’re not shelling out on kit before you’ve had a go.
To take part in pike, you’ll also need a helmet known as a morion as well as a pair of thick leather gloves, both of which you can borrow from our supplies.
One thing you will need is a sturdy pair of boots – preferably brown and without steel toecaps and obvious trademarks. Depending on your shoe size, a member of the regiment may have spare authentic footwear that they can lend you for a muster.
FAQ
Do I have to bring my own pike with me?
No, pikes are supplied by the regiment and brought to events. You will be expected to ‘book in’ a few days before an event so we know how many to take.
It looks a bit dangerous
Fighting pike is no more dangerous than contact sports such as rugby and injuries are rare. You will receive full training before taking to the field.
I don’t think I’m fit enough to do pike
Don’t worry, although pike fighting can be hard work it’s tremendously rewarding and the cooperation and weight of the team carry you through every push. If you ever feel the need to sit out a push you’ll be looked after by the block’s watercarriers, who are always on hand.
The History of the Pike
The infantry of the English Civil War consisted of pikemen and musketeers.
A pike was a wooden pole between 15 and 18 feet long, made of ash about 1¾ inches thick. It had a steel head with two metal strips about two feet long running down the shaft of the pike supposedly to prevent the head being cut off. Its name comes from the French piquer, meaning ‘pierce’. Although the pike evolved in the Middle Ages, 17th Century pike blocks more closely resembled Ancient Greek phalanxes. The pikeman would also be armed with a sword and (in theory) steel ‘back and breast’ armour with tassets – which protected the groin and thighs – a gorget around his neck, and a helmet.
It was considered to be a more noble and traditional weapon than the musket, a weapon for gentlemen that needed strength, skill, and training to master though as the wars dragged on the quality of soldiers declined as more and more needed to be forced to serve in the armies. Pike blocks could consist of up to 200 men and would form up in the centre of the line of battle; they could either protect musketeers from cavalry attack or be used as huge offensive infantry formations that would edge towards each other, their pikes levelled at ‘the charge’ before engaging in ‘push of pike’, where they would try and break the enemy’s formation.
At the beginning of the English Civil Wars, armies would have roughly one pikeman for every two musketeers. By the 1650s, this was closer to one to four or five and, as muskets became more effective and use of the bayonette became widespread, the pike become obsolete and the regular use of pikes ended with the beginning of the 18th Century.
