Hi again, Mr. Cornwell.

In reading about warfare during Uhtred’s period, I wonder if anyone ever got the idea of using a formation of pikes against a viking shield wall.  It seems to me this tactic would be pretty successful.  The length of the weapons (12-18 feet) would prevent the vikings from closing. If the pike shafts were equipped with steel langettes, they would be hard to cut through, and the dense thicket of spearheads (the heads of the sixth rank pikes would extend in front of the first rank of pikemen) would make it very dangerous to try and force a way through to the men.  Do you know of this tactic ever being employed?  If not, how do you think it would have worked?

Alan Kempner