Swords look cooler. Almost no one used a sword on the battle field throughout history. Everyone used pole arms of some sort. But swords seem cool, so get much more attention.
The only downside is that it’s not good for slashing (unless you count some variants, like halberds, as spears), but the extra range makes it usually better for 1-on-1
You can bonk them on the head with the haft too. Every part of the spear is dangerous. If you are trying to get in under a good spear user it is so scary. They are so dangerous you can’t really practice with them at full speed.
Worth pointing out that long sticks in general are pretty OP. Low cost, low skill floor, high skill ceiling, lightweight, works well one on one and works well in a formation. It’s only downside is the inability to cut, but that’s why you end up with a spear and not just a staff. Spear gets all the glory but the staff does most of the heavy lifting in that relationship.
Most of the pull arm weapons eventually devolved into halberd type pulling and slicing weapons. They were used primarily to remove mounted troops from the tops of horses, while slicing off their limbs.
There were lots of variations of halberds, pole axes and the English Bill.
There is a great book on the matter. Weapons in international encyclopedia from 5000 BC to 2000 AD.
Poleaxes were certainly used for more than yanking people off horses—they were the knightly weapon of choice for a couple centuries at least. I’d hardly call it a “devolution” of the spear.
Slashing is overrated. They’re less likely to connect because they’re slower and easier to see (it’s easier for humans to detect movements across your vision than movement directly toward you). They also have less effect since the force is spread out over a larger area. Yes, you can generate huge forces in a swing if you really wind up and hit with just the right part of the weapon or tool but that haymaker is never going to connect against an opponent who’s still awake.
The big advantage of slashing is that it’s easier. It’s the simple dumb response when you had someone a heavy thing. It also often works better than just using your fist or dropping the weapon all together but it’s generally not the best way to use a weapon.
And yes, there are exceptions. Slashing with knives and one handed sticks can be extremely effective. But even with those, stabbing tends to be at least as effective and all these effects are exasperated with larger weapons. Just take a metal bar the size of big sword and swing it at a tree. Then see how many times you could poke that tree in the same time.
U r joking, the people’s weapon is the > scythe. I remember hearing in history class about how it was used in a war/revolution no, it wasnt the marxist one after putting the blade in vertical position, and that it was so effective that for a time it became the national flag.
And yeah, also the communist have it now im talking about the marxist one.
An agricultural scythe would likely be a terrible weapon. It is designed for slicing though grass and brush, close to the ground, often with the snath shaped ergonomically to better facilitate this. Also, Austrian scythes in particular after curved three-dimensionally in an asymmetrical manner. Using it as a polearm would be incredibly awkward (D&D really does the scythe dirty) and there is not a good way to mount the blades vertcally in either main branch of European scythe, without modifying the part of the blade that attaches to the snath. But then, you have what amounts to a primitive halberd with a more fragile blade.
Now, if you mean sickle, I can definitely see more agreement there, though a pike or spear would be easier for most to use as a weapon as the motions used to harvest grain with a sickle are quite different from those that would be needed in combat.
You’re correct, but as an FYI to anyone reading, they are the same family. It’s like the square rectangle thing. A scythe is just a type of sickle. Hay sickle is a scythe.
So it’s a totally natural thing to be confused about.
Polearms in general were ubiquitous throughout history. Pretty much anyone can pick one up and get the general idea of poke the enemy with the sharp end and use the length to keep them away.
Look man, why don’t we talk about spears across cultures?
It’s a weapon of the people and FAR more useful.
Swordsman: Noooooo!! You can’t just poke me from all the way over there! No fair!!
Pikeman: Haha 20 foot pole go brrrr
I keep a pitchfork handy as a wall decoration but I live in an apartment. It is my reminder of the need to fight back in the class war.
I live in a house in San Diego. I have a pitchfork, easiest way to spread mulch.
The crossbow is for defense.
I wonder if a repeating crossbow counts as an automatic weapon for the purposes of law.
I’m pretty sure repeating crossbows are illegal in my state, and all crossbows are illegal for hunting unless you’re disabled.
Kaladin?
The Church of the Survivor?
BRIDGE
SIXFOUR!Four 😂
Hahaha oops. I don’t know where six came from. 😂
Crossbows. We need more crossbows.
Chinese automatic crossbow go brrrr
I’m pretty sure the automatic crossbow was just a party trick and never actually deployed in battle.
Swords look cooler. Almost no one used a sword on the battle field throughout history. Everyone used pole arms of some sort. But swords seem cool, so get much more attention.
The Japanese used katanas as their daily carry weapon of choice. In fact, samurai would carry two swords with them!
However they had a very low crime rate. Ironic.
But not on the battlefield, they’d use naginata or something like it for that.
Another naginata
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Crime is bound to be low when the consequence is death, and shame to your entire family for the rest of their lives.
For many it was very much ceremonial and status symbol to carry them though and the wakisashi was more or less never used at all.
The only downside is that it’s not good for slashing (unless you count some variants, like halberds, as spears), but the extra range makes it usually better for 1-on-1
You can definitely slash with most spears, there’s just less surface area to cut with compared to a sword.
You can bonk them on the head with the haft too. Every part of the spear is dangerous. If you are trying to get in under a good spear user it is so scary. They are so dangerous you can’t really practice with them at full speed.
Worth pointing out that long sticks in general are pretty OP. Low cost, low skill floor, high skill ceiling, lightweight, works well one on one and works well in a formation. It’s only downside is the inability to cut, but that’s why you end up with a spear and not just a staff. Spear gets all the glory but the staff does most of the heavy lifting in that relationship.
That’s why the smartest Ninja Turtle chose one as his weapon.
It’s the only turtle that you can beat the SNES game with too because of said weapon
Breath of the Wild gave me a strong appreciation for spears.
Most of the pull arm weapons eventually devolved into halberd type pulling and slicing weapons. They were used primarily to remove mounted troops from the tops of horses, while slicing off their limbs.
There were lots of variations of halberds, pole axes and the English Bill.
There is a great book on the matter. Weapons in international encyclopedia from 5000 BC to 2000 AD.
Poleaxes were certainly used for more than yanking people off horses—they were the knightly weapon of choice for a couple centuries at least. I’d hardly call it a “devolution” of the spear.
I would even say the weapon of choice for men-at-arms in general, not just knights.
Yeah I meant to say evolved, but you know autocorrect…
Slashing is overrated. They’re less likely to connect because they’re slower and easier to see (it’s easier for humans to detect movements across your vision than movement directly toward you). They also have less effect since the force is spread out over a larger area. Yes, you can generate huge forces in a swing if you really wind up and hit with just the right part of the weapon or tool but that haymaker is never going to connect against an opponent who’s still awake.
The big advantage of slashing is that it’s easier. It’s the simple dumb response when you had someone a heavy thing. It also often works better than just using your fist or dropping the weapon all together but it’s generally not the best way to use a weapon.
And yes, there are exceptions. Slashing with knives and one handed sticks can be extremely effective. But even with those, stabbing tends to be at least as effective and all these effects are exasperated with larger weapons. Just take a metal bar the size of big sword and swing it at a tree. Then see how many times you could poke that tree in the same time.
Not to mention that they are usually better in many against many as well.
U r joking, the people’s weapon is the > scythe. I remember hearing in history class about how it was used in a war/revolution
no, it wasnt the marxist oneafter putting the blade in vertical position, and that it was so effective that for a time it became the national flag.And yeah, also the communist have it
now im talking about the marxist one.An agricultural scythe would likely be a terrible weapon. It is designed for slicing though grass and brush, close to the ground, often with the snath shaped ergonomically to better facilitate this. Also, Austrian scythes in particular after curved three-dimensionally in an asymmetrical manner. Using it as a polearm would be incredibly awkward (D&D really does the scythe dirty) and there is not a good way to mount the blades vertcally in either main branch of European scythe, without modifying the part of the blade that attaches to the snath. But then, you have what amounts to a primitive halberd with a more fragile blade.
Now, if you mean sickle, I can definitely see more agreement there, though a pike or spear would be easier for most to use as a weapon as the motions used to harvest grain with a sickle are quite different from those that would be needed in combat.
You’re correct, but as an FYI to anyone reading, they are the same family. It’s like the square rectangle thing. A scythe is just a type of sickle. Hay sickle is a scythe.
So it’s a totally natural thing to be confused about.
Polearms in general were ubiquitous throughout history. Pretty much anyone can pick one up and get the general idea of poke the enemy with the sharp end and use the length to keep them away.