The axe is mightier than the sword. Easier to handle too.
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TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 day agoThis.
The mace is your back up to the back up to the primary.
Primary weapon is going to be a pole axe or a pole arm or some other kind of pole weapon. The sword is your back up to this for when fighting closes quarters. And, in the case that a sword breaks or otherwise becomes unusable, then you reach back and grab that big stick of iron.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 23 hours ago
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
But with much smaller cutting surface. And I’m counting a dane axe as a pole weapon.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 19 hours ago
Yeah, less danger of cutting yourself short of the handle. Also, easier to block a sword with it.
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
But in a martial context, the simply didn’t experience wide spread adoption.
Ranged weapons > pole weapons > sword and shield > whatever else you’ve got
EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 1 day ago
I believe a mace will perform better than a sword against an armored opponent, or at least against some types of armor, so it might just be “back up to the primary” in some cases.
/not a medieval weapon expert, so take as you will
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
No that’s generally not the case. A sword is still going to be more effective against armor than a mace. Even a fully armored soldier has plenty of gaps to go for.
Maces were never as widely adopted as swords, even during to height of armor adoption.
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 21 hours ago
yeah, turns out it’s really hard to defend against someone swinging a big heavy piece of metal at the side of your head. Best case it really really really fucking hurts and makes it basically impossible to even keep standing, worst case you die instantly in a shower of gore.