Summary

Elite Imperial Pikemen (Imperial Pike Guards) are a Heroic Era Tier 4 polearm infantry unit unlocked for 15 000 Honour in the Melee Infantry tree. Renowned for their unbreakable formation, heavy armour, and potent “Advance” order, they excel as a vanguard against cavalry and elite infantry.

Acquisition & In-Game Description

Elite Imperial Pikemen are unlocked from the Melee Infantry unit tree for 15 000 Honour (or via up to 20× Imperial Pike Guard’s Signaculum) and cap at level 24
They boast heavy armour and an unyielding warrior spirit, making them difficult to stop without overwhelming firepower; however, their weighty gear reduces manoeuvrability and leaves them open to flanking and ranged harassments

Unit Traits

  • Relentless: Maintains formation under pressure; advancing deals heavy damage along the path
  • Swamp: +26 % damage vs. cavalry and slows attacked cavalry by 60 % for 2 s
  • Heavy Armour: Wears thick armour, greatly reducing incoming melee damage
  • Insulated: Takes reduced damage when ablaze and is difficult to ignite
  • Sluggish: Slow to change direction and build up speed

Formations

  • Column (New): Spreads out to reduce incoming ranged fire—a must when under artillery or archer volleys
  • Line (Staggered): Two staggered rows ideal for advancing and triggering Stand Firm automatically
  • Schiltron: Circular all-round defence; excellent for holding a point but vulnerable to artillery bombardment

Unit Orders

  1. Stand Firm (Base CD 3 s): Automatically or manually brace to gain extra damage vs. cavalry and charging infantry
  2. Advance (CD 50 s): Rush to a point, knocking down enemies and stacking a 2 % per-hit damage increase (max 16
  3. Loyal Strike (Instant after Advance): Unleashes an all-out follow-up attack; damage scales with damage dealt during Advance

Veterancy Paths & Docs

Mastery & Honour Tree

Mastery Scrolls further augment their advance and defence:

  • Iron Spear (×10 Uncommon, lvl 12 & 14): +80 piercing damage
  • Half Plate Armour (×20 Uncommon, lvl 14 & 16): +60 piercing defence
  • Unending Loyalty (×10 Rare, lvl 18): Grants Loyal Strike with Advance and −2 s CD per kill
  • Anti-Cavalry Defence (×40 Uncommon, lvl 18): +800 Advance damage vs. cavalry
  • Resistance & Awe-Inspiring (lvl 20 & 24): Reduces melee dmg under Advance and grants CC immunity after hits

Honour Tree upgrades can emphasize cooldown reduction, piercing AP, or further survivability to match your veterancy build

Tactics & Counters

  • Vanguard Spearhead: Use Column into narrow gaps, trigger Advance to break lines, then switch to Schiltron to hold ground
  • Anti-Cavalry Anchor: Stand Firm + Swamp trait punishes heavy cavalry; pair with ranged support to finish fleeing riders
  • Choke-Point Defence: Form a Line or Schiltron at chokepoints; their heavy armour and Reflexes vet perk soak ranged damage while allies flank
  • Weaknesses: Extremely vulnerable to prolonged artillery, gunfire, and fast flanking infantry; use Dispersed before advancing to mitigate ranged death sentences

By leveraging their unparalleled formation discipline, potent Advance order, and layered veterancy/mastery enhancements