Svinfylking

The Svinfylking, Old Norse for "swine array" or "boar snout",[1] was a formation used in battle.

[5][3] The tactic was admirable for an advance against a line or even a column, but it was poor in the event of a retreat.

[3] The formation consisted of heavily armed, presumably hand-to-hand, warriors and less-armored archers grouped in a triangle formation with the warriors in the front lines protecting the archers in center or rear.

Cavalry charging a group in Svinfylking formation were frequently attacked by the outer warriors with spears, which caused complete chaos for the horses.

The Svinfylking was based on a monumental shock, and unless it broke the enemy lines immediately, its warriors would not hold long.