![]() Soldiers became more mobile and less expensive. Body armour was abolished here and there. However, as firearms were developed, the role of pikemen became less significant. In 1674, pikes played a significant role in the battle of Enzheim, when German cavalry did not dare to assault Turenne's pikemen square. Pikemen were very effective in close fight early in the 17th century, they were used both in attacks and for defence purposes. Pikemen were armed with pikes with a wooden shaft of 5.2-5.8 m (17-19 ft) and swords. It could protect from arrows, pistol bullets fired from more than 3-4 m (10-14 ft), and even musket bullets fired from large distances. The total armour weight was about 20 kg (45 lb). A pikeman's armour comprised an iron helm, a cuirass with knee-long leg-guards, narrow elbow-long shoulder-guards, and gauntlets with large cuffs. Pikemen were virtually the last infantry force of European regular armies which was equipped with cuirasses. On average, pikemen constituted about 30% of the infantry during the Thirty Years War. Therefore pikemen squads were added to musketeer detachments in order to defend them from cavalry charges in open space. Firing fuse muskets was a very slow process, while the fire was far from being accurate or effective.
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