Pike and Shot is a turn-based wargame set in an era of devastating wars between Protestants and Catholics, King and Parliament, Turks and Christians, Habsburg emperors and French kings. Backbone unit of most armies being a combined Pike and Shot formation that has evolved from huge 2000 men pike squares by adding the shot and making them smaller.

Main focus of the game is on battles which are challenging and chaotic. Player choices for each unit are seemingly simple: move, shoot or charge into melee. Charging removes control from the player: melee continues until one side breaks and is automatically pursued. Automatic pursuit can be bad or good: pursuers can run into the thick of the enemy and expose their flanks, wander off for several turns until control is regained or they can chain charge and rout a big chunk of enemy battle line.

Units have a momentum: turning takes time and can expose flanks, ZOC and priority target rules drastically reduce options when close to the enemy and charge takes all control from the player as unit tries to hammer its way through the enemy lines. Main attack directions must be well planned as opportunity to disengage vanishes rapidly.

AI is very good. Historical battles have a great variety: offensive, defensive, unit types evolving from Swiss pike squares to Swedish salvo, from Gendarmes to Cromwellian horse. Completing all 40 historical battles in the original version took me over 100 hours.

New campaign aspect seems to be a great addition: not too complex (majority of the time is still spent fighting battles) but still offering some real choices. Random battle generator used in campaign and skirmishes is pretty good.

Basics are learnable from the tutorial battles but these will leave some important things unclear: ZOC and priority charge target rules, cohesion effects of artillery fire, interactions between terrain and different unit types etc. Reading the pdf manual is recommended.

Pike and Shot is a turn-based wargame set in an era of devastating wars between Protestants and Catholics, King and Parliament, Turks and Christians, Habsburg emperors and French kings. Backbone unit of most armies being a combined Pike and Shot formation that has evolved from huge 2000 men pike squares by adding the shot and making them smaller. Main focus of the game is on battles which are challenging and chaotic. Player choices for each unit are seemingly simple: move, shoot or charge into melee. Charging removes control from the player: melee continues until one side breaks and is automatically pursued. Automatic pursuit can be bad or good: pursuers can run into the thick of the enemy and expose their flanks, wander off for several turns until control is regained or they can chain charge and rout a big chunk of enemy battle line. Units have a momentum: turning takes time and can expose flanks, ZOC and priority target rules drastically reduce options when close to the enemy and charge takes all control from the player as unit tries to hammer its way through the enemy lines. Main attack directions must be well planned as opportunity to disengage vanishes rapidly. AI is very good. Historical battles have a great variety: offensive, defensive, unit types evolving from Swiss pike squares to Swedish salvo, from Gendarmes to Cromwellian horse. Completing all 40 historical battles in the original version took me over 100 hours. New campaign aspect seems to be a great addition: not too complex (majority of the time is still spent fighting battles) but still offering some real choices. Random battle generator used in campaign and skirmishes is pretty good. Basics are learnable from the tutorial battles but these will leave some important things unclear: ZOC and priority charge target rules, cohesion effects of artillery fire, interactions between terrain and different unit types etc. Reading the pdf manual is recommended.