I have a new respect and admiration for Spearmen in MTW2. Sure they are pretty good at killing cavalry, but I didnt know they were able to out fight really heavy infantry.

I was playing my epic campaign against the irish (currently the Irish are beginning to fight back despite losing vast tracks of land, I have held them off but need a change of tactics to slam their mostly ranged armys) I'd been defending one particular island against several attacks when they launched a 1000 man army (almost entirely Irish Swordsman) against me.

I'd only got Town Militia spearmen and a few Spear Militia units. I numbered 500, against an almost entirely 2 handed swordsman with some artillery and a few javellineers. They sat back and bombed my walls, so I legged it and deployed my men around the breaches, 3 units facing it.

When the enemy attacked they were hit by 3 units from almost all sides. Forced back to the breach at both wall breaches, they fought hard and were slowly crawling through 1 breach. The other breach was a slaughter, and as the units in the breach that were being stabbed to death broke about 200 were killed as they tried to flee. Killing those who couldnt outpace them I turned this breach defending force and charged it into the back of the force trying to storm the other breach...

Not one of them got out.

of the 1000 men that came, 5 got out, all of these crew of the Bombard that had been shelling us. Spearmen I guess were just too quick against the slower swordsman.