User blog comment:Emptylord/Blogs/Sid Meier's Civilization: Runeterra/@comment-25057891-20160102101627/@comment-3974211-20160102141543

Pikeman upgrades into Lancer, which requires Horses. They're different chains of units. The alternative would be to give Demacia a unique unit(s) that replace Swordsmen that can not-required iron.