Pike Postures - Charge for Horsesp

	This is a posture developed for keeping Horse away from the pike division. The evidence suggests that this was primarily practised on the drill field and not on the battlefield, the charge being used instead. This is the first posture on the way to the final posture. After driving the pike into the ground you step out in front of it.
	Next you lean forward and take the pike in your keft hand and get your sword in your right hand ready to draw it.
	Once the sword is drawn you hold it in front of you ready to finish off any unfortunate trooper that gets thrown from his horse and alnds in front of you. You also rest your left arm on your left knee. You also keep your face down so that the helmet deflects any pistol bullets fired at you (pike armour is supposed to be pistol proof).
	This is the view that the cavalry sees, although imagine it three to four ranks deep and maybe sixteen files wide with musketeers standing behind ready to fire and it might be closer.
	And when it is all over you need to put your sword back. The drill is to stand up and lock the pike vertically betweeen your knee, hip and the inside of your elbow. you then move the scabbard to the point of the swaord blade and push it in. Once you've done that you go back to the order.

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last update 19:38 27 Aug 01