Scottish formation of closely packed footsoldiers, highly effective against cavalry. (Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, 348) A usually oval formation of several ranks of spearmen presenting a hedge of spear points to any attacker. (Wise, Terence. Medieval Warfare, 251) Related terms: Hedgehog

A schiltron or schiltrom or shiltron is a group of soldiers wielding outward-pointing pikes and/or other polearms to ward off cavalry attacks. The term does not denote any particular shape or alignment of the formation. There are two recorded Scottish instances of circular schiltrons: William Wallace's army at Falkirk, and Thomas Randolph's forces on the first day of Bannockburn.