Pole Weapon

[Louis]

A pole weapon (or pole-arm) is a large two-handed edged weapon, usually in the form of a long metal or wood pole a bit taller than a person, with an axe-like head. Polearms are the least common of all melee weapons. Sometimes a polearm will have a spear-like point or mace-like protrusions, but in combination so as to not qualify as a spear and too long a handle to be a mace. Polearms generally attack very slowly, but cause large amounts of damage on a hit.

They varied in size between 5 and 16 feet in length ( Jousting Lances could reach as long as 20 feet but these were non combat).-

Pole-arms were common weapon on medieval European battlefields because they could be fabricated from agricultural implements. Their range and impact force made them effective weapons against armored warriors on horseback, because they could penetrate armor. The Renaissance saw a plethora of different varieties. Pole-arms in modern times are largely constrained to ceremonial military units such as the Papal Swiss Guard or Yeomen of the Guard or traditional martial arts.

 

[Louis]

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