For what it's worth, I am not entirely sure that the AI actually handles changes from column to block formation for pike and other pole-arm capable units - obviously this has a bigger impact in Renaissance and essentially none in Sever Years War (where I am pretty sure Gary didn't have anything set up to be able to block).
As those units are generally the heavy hitters in Renaissance, it can make playing the AI impractical at best, and impossible in a lot of situations; when I was testing it, I did a lot of solo hotseat playing both sides, just like the good old days before computers where if you lived out in the country it was the most efficient (and basically ... only) way to play any wargames. Also fwiw, I learned a lot more about the system/game engine that way (I guess this was basically due to channeling the boardgame days).
