weapons included various forms of axes and pole arms, including spears, the lochaber axe, leith axe and jedburgh stave. highland troops often brought bows, two-handed swords (claidheamh mór) and axes. the crown took an increasing role in the supply of equipment. there were attempts to replace polearms with longer pikes of to in the later fifteenth century, in emulation of successes over mounted troops in the netherlands and switzerland, but this does not appear to have been successful until the eve of the flodden campaign in early sixteenth century. by the mid-sixteenth century the pike had emerged as the most important infantry weapon in scottish armies. modelling themselves on swiss and german infantry, scottish tactics tended to focus on rapidly engaging the enemy, particularly necessary to counter the advantage enjoyed by the english in missile power.