Pikemen

"Pikemen" is a 1975 film that explores the historical use of the pike, a long thrusting spear that was a primary weapon in European warfare from the Late Middle Ages through much of the early modern period. The film highlights how pikes were wielded by foot soldiers in pike square formations, a tactic famously employed by Spanish tercios, Swiss mercenaries, German Landsknecht units, and French sans-culottes. It also touches on the eventual decline of the pike with the rise of muskets equipped with bayonets. The film provides insight into the role of the pike in shaping military strategies and the evolution of infantry combat.