What is push of pike?

The push of pike was a military tactic used during the Renaissance era, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries. It involved soldiers carrying pikes, which were long spear-like weapons, and marching in tightly packed formations. The soldiers would advance towards the enemy while thrusting their pikes forward, creating a wall of sharp points that would be difficult for the enemy to penetrate.

The push of pike was effective because it allowed large groups of soldiers to attack together in a coordinated manner, with each soldier supporting the others. It was also a relatively safe tactic for the soldiers since they were able to keep their distance from the enemy while still being able to inflict damage.

The push of pike was widely used during the Thirty Years War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648 and was one of the deadliest conflicts in European history. However, as firearms became more common and the use of cavalry increased, the push of pike became less effective and eventually fell out of favor.