Yari Samurai were trained to wield their Spears as single combat capable warriors. Unlike the Ashigaru who were only given the cheap stuff, the Samurai spearmen were considerably more valuable since they came from wealthier families, or were of higher caliber in the martial arts departments.
The Yari that the samurai use is also a better weapon by far. Usually the staff was 6 to 10 feet long, and on the end was fashioned a finely crafted sword blade that measured between 12" to 36" in length. Roughly the size of a Wakazashi, or short sword. Some unit commanders opted for the shorter spear-like blades (6-12") or they employed longer versions that resembled sword blades in every sense. These spears were finely crafted like Katana, and were prize catches for the peasants and Ronin soldiers after a battle that left the losing side's army on the run.
The armor of the Yari Samurai was finely made as well. They wore several different fashions of armor, depending on who they served. Many wore Hara-ate (full frontal armor made of metal and bamboo tightly sewn together that covered the chest, abdomen, and thighs) along with a Hanburi or Kabuto ( full coverage helmets). Look at the picture above for a good representation of these items.
Along with these essential pieces they may have also worn Kote (arm pieces), Sune-ate (leg pieces), and perhaps even small Sode (shoulder plates that protected the front shoulder and chest). All of this armor weighed them down a bit, so they did move slower than the Ashigaru, but at the same time this made them stronger men who could endure more punishment. The added armor also lessened the chances of these valuable men going down from an arrow shot or even a stray bullet.
Yari Samurai are the worst enemy of cavalry. Use them to corral and destroy the enemies cavalry at every opportunity. Do not let them get surrounded in the process though! Two Yari or Heavy Cavalry units can take them down if one ties up the Yari Samurai's spears in one direction while the other attacks from the opposite.
Yari Samurai are a good all around unit. They are more than capable at defending and they can be just as good at attacking if used right. In order to get the most out of them you need to be willing to sacrifice them as much as you would your Yari Ashigaru. The greatness of them truly shines through when you employ them in the worst of situations and just let them stand there holding a position.
Units that attempt to attack them when they are holding their lines and holding a position must overcome the defensive bonus that these units receive for their stalwart joining of arms. The Yari's are more than capable of holding off even 2-3 other units at a time when they are attacked head on while holding. While you tie up the attackers on the Yari's lines, you can send units around or through the Yari Samurai lines to flank and attack these fools!
Keep them In Close Formation for best results.
What's even better is that they can hold the attackers in the spot while your Archers and Muskets shoot through the Yari's lines and totally demoralize the attackers. When the Yari start to lose their cool, or you see that their defensive bonus is just not enough, you will need to send them on the offensive, in which case you need to tell them to Engage at Will and then unselect the Hold Position command, then they can be freed up to join in on the offensive against the attackers. Sometimes that's not even necessary.
These samurai with spears will often form the main component of your armies. Their spears, armor, and defensive rating make them highly effective against enemy cavalry. They also make an excellent defensive screen for your weaker melee units such as archers. Use them to absorb enemy charges or arrow attacks while your archers safely rain death down on your foes from behind the samurai shield. Yari Samurai also come in very handy when you are on the defensive - they can be quite difficult to knock out of a good defensive position.
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