Pike

Pikes require two hands to use. Otherwise the rules for pikes are the same as those for spears with the following exceptions. A pike-armed model can Support a friend Engaged in close combat by being in base contact with another pike-armed model that is already doing so (note they must both be pikes; neither can be a spear), so two pike-armed models can Support one comrade. Just as with a spear-armed model, this creates an exception to the ordinary Fight rules, in that the bearer does not need to be in base contact with an enemy model. Due to the fact that a pike requires the use of two hands to use effectively, a model armed with a pike that is also equipped with a shield, bow or crossbow suffers a -1 penalty to its Duel rolls. As models with pikes can effectively fight in battlelines three models deep, it can be very easy for them to trap their own models as only one model may Back Away, not two. This is a serious hazard of supporting in such depth.