I really like the structure of matt's videos. Introductory statement, often listing the main points, then elaborating on each point, giving evidence and reasoning behind them, then a final summation to quickly restate everything. It's the standard way of writing scholarly papers and does a great job of effectively delivering information, even on complex topics.
Well said. I would like to add that as cool as matt's usual wall of weapons place is, i would like to see more like this video. Show us how its used, swing some blades!
I wonder how much of it's because of feedback/criticism he gets in the comments. I actually left a comment in the previous video discussing the two weapons about certain aspects he actually got wrong. I'm wondering if enough people did this to make him realize there was stuff he didn't know, explain, or was wrong about. I just started this video, though, so I can't say too much about it. 😅
Great Video! As a Canadian with lacrosse and hockey as our national sports, we have extensive experience finding ways to offend one another with 4 to 6 foot sticks while wearing various types of padded kevlar and plastic armour. It is amazing how much damage can be inflicted by the simple cross-check, spearing or slashing attack between atheletes. Horrifying to think what some 70's hockey enforcers could have done with a poleaxe!!
The RUclips fencer Dequitem points out that one advantage that a two-handed sword affords in an anti-armor scenario is that the blade point is thin and flexible enough to potentially slip underneath plate and thrust into the arming doublet beneath, especially in the area where the pauldron overlaps the arm. It's not enough of an advantage to seriously consider the two handed sword over the halberd or pollaxe in an anti-armor scenario, but enough that there's techniques available for the wielder of the sword to use.
yeah its easy imagine that if he first threw the defense posture off slightly on an enemy, and then followed up with an overhead slash with all of his power it would probably cut straight through any defensive attempt. Not to say that it can cut through armor or swords, but the power behind that large an axe would likely not be stopped too easily.
OTOH, armor plates have rolled edges specifically to prevent points sliding off of them like that. A flexible spatulate point is also far more likely than the rigid awl-like points of proper anti-armor blades to get stuck before it reaches anything important.
I love the detailed explanations, and demonstrating the techniques with actual weapons against a target! While I greatly enjoy the videos where you just talk, this makes it so much easier to visualize.
I'm not a HEMA expert but I've seen some poleaxe sparring and it's almost never clean enough where anyone gets strikes at full range in. It's more of a wrestling match in close until someone falls down. 🤣
Although wrestling is an important part of it, do remember that in HEMA or reenactment you cant really hit full force even with a blunt poleaxe to the head… brain damage and concussions are not fun…. Which in turn makes poleaxe sparring more of a grappling match…not to say that it cant turn to grappling otherwise but it is an important reason for it.
Can you do a video discussing using large, battlefield weapons non-lethally? Like a halberd or poleaxe used by town guards, or a montante for bodyguards? Or even using a sword while it is in its scabbard to non-lethally smack someone.
I really appreciate this style of video, and the content is great! I use a pollax in SCA combat quite a bit, and agree with your key points, and would just add "yes, and more". I find they lend themselves to much closer in fighting than most people expect, particularly against opponents with sword and shield (who try to rush you down) or great swords (who you want to rush down). Partially that might be my preference for very in close fighting, but the ability to seamlessly go from middle distance to up close and from multiple angles and lines of attack is wonderful and tends to throw off a lot of opponents who have certain expectations of what your measure or range of effectiveness will be. I find it really makes up for the disadvantage of using a 6' weapon instead of a 7' pole arm, or a somewhat more nimble long sword.
At 3:45 we get a lovely shot of Smugsy Easton. Matt looks very pleased with himself when he catches that thin post right on the tip of the spike. And rightly so! Good shot sir.
People who have plate harness have said to me that you're more top-heavy in harness, so those pushing and hooking moves can be more effective against armored opponents than you might first intuit.
Matt, your back yard (or "garden" as you British say😂) is looking so nice! I didn't remember you having trees so large! It's very nice and verdant in general.
thats quite stadard for british garden, we do use word yard, but thats usually for when its bleak, like concrete/tarmac, especially industrial or has things stored in it, train yards etc. most people dont have just grass and nothing else, if its got plants...its a garden
With the Poleaxe at closer combat, you can also choke up towards the axe head, couch the shaft under your armpit. We call that Short-shafting. It's incredibly versatile and more maneuverable than you would think. Against any sword, whenever my opponent swings their pummel at me, I catch the pummel and "draw" the sword from their hands.
Perfect timing, I regularly train with a Zweihander and recently purchased a Pollaxe; which had a strange resemblence between the two while half swording the greatsword.
An observation, the disc guard on the polearm makes crosschecks more offensive. A video on those disc type guards on polearms would be interesting. The awl pike would be a good subject for a video too. And great info in this one. 😀
I remember seeing someone talking about the halberd, and by extension the poleaxe, how the blade being completely flat makes it worse for striking as most axes have a slight curve so the pressure in the chopping if concentrated on the center as you chop. But the halberd have straight blades, or sometimes moon-shaped blades, that are not good for striking. Also, the spike makes the swinging motion worse. The idea was that you put a bunch of people in formation with a halberd, they would poke forward with the spike, and if they missed, they would try to swing upwards, chop down with the blade and pull the enemy out of formation, where your buddies could them poke the enemy on the ground safely.
The only issue I can see hooking and pulling forward with the poleaxe is that it inevitably brings your opponents blade closer whilst you can only parry with the staff, which is a nightmare at close range.
I would argue, that an pulled or pushed opponent doesn't bring the precision whilst beeing pushed or pulled, to find a gap in ur armor with his swords tip and exploit it. I mean.... The guy is stumbling back-/forwards. But yeah, axes are great offense weapons but you should have a functioning defense when using them. Swords have more defensive capabilities. But the poleaxe is used in armored fighting, so Our armor shall be our defense.
I have no experience with this but a lot with striking sports and the hook was what I saw first. I would assume that stepping outside is an option though Matt stepped directly back here. Circling to the outside or inside depending on the opportunity. Circling to the outside while backing up with a hook in the shoulder seems pretty brutal but I would have to test that shit to actually figure it out. Wish I had some of these toys at home lolol. When it comes to controlling space where your feet are is typically the first thing but in a group melee or something, yeah, no experience with that lolol.
You know, I think I'd like to see something like this with explanation and demonstration of how warhammers were used. Because those heads are a bit more massive than even the halberd. So I imagine the employment must be a little more kinetic. Also, missing a shot is going to inevitably be a lot bigger problem. Right?
I still wonder if the long blade of the berdiche / bardachie ax was supposed to solve the problem of hitting the target accurately? Or maybe there was another reason?
So, when you're just too up close and personal with the opponent to be comfortable, remember that slide your hands up and down your shaft is still an option.
Often the damage done to an armoured enemy by a top-heavy weapon is not so much to the man himself, but to the joints that hold the pieces of his armour together. Bash with a hammer for a while, then use the blade into the newly created gaps.
Hi Matt. You touched on it a bit here, but do we know how techniques would be used in large melees or on the battlefield, and how that might differ from "irregular" combat (I.e. with more space, perhaps an amush of a retinue or similar) or single combat such as tournament fighting? How much do the historical sources talk about these things. there are a few things that I would imagine would be important differences between single combat and a battle First is perhaps training techniques for raised or semi-professional troops who didn't have the length of training more professional warriors might have and thus benefit from a perhaps simpler, easier set of techniques the second is obviously space, in a large combat I would expect (though perhaps I am wrong!) that there would be much less space, both to manouver but also between you and your comrades. I would imagine, especially with longer weapons, this limits significantly how one would fight The final one is, were there techniques designed to enhance battle efficiency over lethality - perhaps to maintain formation if infantry were to be used as a holding force, for example, or to conserve stamina. I would also imagine that there was a difference in weapons used in bodyguarding or single combat those better for battle? thanks
I would greatly enjoy a video showing technique on how best to avoid the unarmed individual who is trying to quickly close the distance, if, in the event, I miss my first strike with my blunt force weapon. So the older bloke who misses the strike against a younger, and athletic attacker. What dodge, strike do I perform.
I noticed on the victims at the Battle of Gothenburg some showed their wounds were made by dented swords. I was just thinking when you were comparing the Poleaxe with the 2hd Sword. I was wanting to ask would the Poleaxe last the length of a battle as a dented sword is still very affective but a Poleaxe with a broken shaft isn’t so affective
Not a weapons expert, but a carpenter; a shaft of that thickness in an ash or oak is going to be a incredibly durable object, even when compared to a steel sword blade.
@@mel.3687 LOL. I did. I also said "in comparison"; he's also mentioned (as have other historians and re-enactors) that swords also broke in battle, quite frequently.
Wooden Mop handle with a small inset at one end with a broken off tip of a US Civil war period triangular bayonet wrapped to the shaft with 3 rolls of medical tape sits just inside my bedroom door. Opposite side has a seven-foot-long tree branch with the bark peeled off. Both are Not quite as good as a quarter staff but good enough to help force an intruder out of my bedroom.
As much as I love halberds and poleaxes, I wouldn't want to be the one in half armour wielding such a weapon while going up against someone with a longer and nimbler spear... However, I do believe that in the era of pike and shot spears mostly fell out of favour (except for officers with partisans). Thus, halberdiers might go up against pikemen or Doppelsöldner with their two-handed weapons... What are your thoughts about these matchups and what do we know about these units forming tactical units?
If I had to pick one melee weapon, it would be the pollaxe with halberd a close second. I love Great Swords but, like you say, they are not as effective against armor. That said, against less/no armored opponents, the Great Sword's superior nimbleness and other advantages may give it an edge (pun intended). Hmm, adding a blunt edge to the middle of the pollaxe might prove effective. I think it could be done without interfering with grip - and it would help with edge alignment where that matters for a pollaxe.
@@GameJournal0101 it's depends on type of armor. On mail it would be very efective, on late medival plate not so much as it made to protect you from this type of wepons
Hey Matt I often see knights and men at arms with long hair in manuscript illustrations and art, I need your expert knowledge on how they manage their luscious locks in such close fitting helms. In my personal experience its a bit of a tangle and a hassle.
Hi Matt, I wanted to ask you. If you're fighting in full plate armour and you could choose between a Montante and a Longsword, which one would you consider better for this scenario. In times past I would've guessed the Montante, since my logic told me the bigger mass would mean higher percussive force (not great, but way better thant a regular longsword, maybe enough to give the opponent a concussion or hurt their hands/arms), and the greater lenght would mean you could have more surface to lock/trap oponents at close range to bring them down, OR thrust into an open visor from afar, not mentioning they seem better suited to counter polearms. But the more I learn about their structure, the more I wonder if my initial evaluation was right. They're indeed too flexible and floppy, meaning the force they generate gets disipated and would result in way less percussive force than their mass would suggest. The same floppiness and their broader tips means it would be harder for them to penetrate through gaps, plus with their massive size I reckon it would be a pain in the ass to manouvre at close range or in the floor. The more i think about it, the more attractive the longsword becomes as an option, stiffer, narrower point and easier to manouvre at grappling range. Whats your take on this? Which one would you prefer on a duel in full armour? does the extra mass and reach justify it's more cumbersome nature at grappling range?.Thanks in advance.
One thing I've wondered about, also with the video from last week (about the disadvantage of axes having shorter blades): Don't you potentially open yourself up more to your opponent's attacks when you are swinging with an axe? An axe has more power when hitting its target, but in order to get that power I presumably must also swing more? Is that wrong? And when I swing the axe more, isn't there more time in which I might not be protected by my own weapon (granted, with a smaller axe, I could potentially have a shield). And with this video right now, when you demonstrate swinging short of target, there is a moment in which you need to recover (the longer/heavier the weapon, I imagine it takes longer), which also seems like a vulnerable time. I wonder whether you could speak to that at some point. Would love to hear your expertise on that.
i noticed that you have about 35inches of range with the halberd, fairly short, even if it's powerful and quick with the long leverage(kinda like an katana, which is also front heavy, but with an long grip, so it's quick from the leverage), and also the lack of hand protection, also just having an disk guard, which is also both0 solved with hand armor, but i'll be worried about someone grabbing the shaft when you try to push someone with the middle. and yea, i won't want to use the zweihander on armor, since it'll roll, or flatten the edge, since the steel is soft, like 30-40 hrc historically? and it would be an pain to resharpen it, but is it possible to firmly attach an sheath on? that way it's easier to grab the sheath, and it's stiffer.
I feel that a hit with the shaft of a pollaxe on an unarmored opponent would still do significant damage. I imagine it would be similar to getting hit with a club. Likely not immediately debilitating but depending on the force, and where it hits, it might make getting a fight ending hit in nearly guaranteed. If I'm not overestimating the damage a hit with the shaft would do (I imagine it would essentially break whichever bone it hit), the two handed sword might not actually have that big of an advantage in that regard.
It is not quite. The additional weight and lower fulcrum reduce the speed and leverage, massively reducing the impact energy and the shape reduces the concentration. While getting hit with the shaft is still not great, it is far less dangerous than the sharp edge of a greatsword.
Half Swording always seems to be more dangerous for the user than the opponent! Any blade sharp enough to be any use for cutting is the last thing you want to be gripping/ sliding through your hands (even if gloved)?
When using proper technique the sword never slides in your hand, and the edge never actually touches your hand most of the time. Instead of actually grabbing onto the blade, you use a pinching action with your palm and fingers so that you have a tight grip and won’t get cut. You can do it with a more conventional grip where you touch the edge though, as long as your hand doesn’t slide
The training and the "sport" was one against one. But in battle, do people fight in polearm formations ? When there is two groups facing each other, and everybody trying to hit, you must have a good idea of that is the correct distance. Because in a formation, the last thing you want, is people moving.
Looking at the video I immediately start wondering how long (and assuming wearing armor as well) a warrior could fight with a halberd, with a two-handed sword, with a spear+shield and sword+shield. What is the most tiring?
_Very_ broadly speaking, the greatsword, depending on how it is used. There were two primary methods of fighting with it-like a spear for single-target combat and the whirling form for multi-target combat. The latter involves a lot of active movement with a long, heavy lever held far away from your body. Weapons held further out expend more energy much like heavier weapons expend more than lighter.
It always surprises me how little force to use a pointed weapon to pierce a person, you could basically lean on it let alone actually thrust. We are very squishy class builds lol.
When I think guards used to have these as weapons it seems like they must have been in bigger, at least 10 people gangs so that they can fight as a team when needed. I don't think they would have been in the usual 2 member teams we see them in movies. Idk.
Can you go over how common having weapons in a peasant household was? What kind of weapons did most common people have? (who not lords, retainers, mercenaries).
I've often wondered why spadone quillons weren't more spiky. I'm not expecting the 'mordhau' to come up that often in combat, but in closing, having basically two rondel daggers to at least irritate, at most kill, the opponent at very close range with great leverage seems like an obvious advantage
They sometimes were. However, besides being more of a pain (literally) to transport, that also means making the lugs more fragile, and their primary purpose is for binding and winding, not as a close-range back-up.
i suspect one reason is same as why the butt end of spears aren't often pointy, formation fighting. in a melee you might end up hitting your buddies with the butt end as you flail that shaft around, having a spiky bit in the back might end that's usually pointed at your buddies is probably not worth the risk.
@@wytfish4855 Was my thought too at first but what about dueling weapons? And with all the techniques that are putting the axe head back and forth it seems to be a peculiar weapon for formation fighting one way or another. But thinking about it the mediocre length (and as far as I know in medieval art they are often shown relatively short) might be even quite optimal for tightly packed battlefield use. And maybe more spiky dueling pollaxes do exist that I am not aware of right now.
one of the hardest things for me is just the idea that basically every single thing youve said in this video is like this is just something people did to not die like idk its just so easy to watch this type of stuff and forget that yea no this is just how to kill people
War is an Art and Science and reflects the journey of civilization and development progress. 1) Ancient Indian Martial Art (Sa-na-tan original name of Hindus). ruclips.net/video/qUeB-RlRX9o/видео.htmlfeature=shared 2) few weapons ruclips.net/video/B_cX1SwiC1Y/видео.htmlfeature=shared
I really like the structure of matt's videos. Introductory statement, often listing the main points, then elaborating on each point, giving evidence and reasoning behind them, then a final summation to quickly restate everything. It's the standard way of writing scholarly papers and does a great job of effectively delivering information, even on complex topics.
It's as if he's a trained professional...
it's as if he's some kind of scholarly gladiator
Or a gladiatorial scholar.
Well said.
I would like to add that as cool as matt's usual wall of weapons place is, i would like to see more like this video. Show us how its used, swing some blades!
I wonder how much of it's because of feedback/criticism he gets in the comments.
I actually left a comment in the previous video discussing the two weapons about certain aspects he actually got wrong. I'm wondering if enough people did this to make him realize there was stuff he didn't know, explain, or was wrong about.
I just started this video, though, so I can't say too much about it. 😅
Great Video! As a Canadian with lacrosse and hockey as our national sports, we have extensive experience finding ways to offend one another with 4 to 6 foot sticks while wearing various types of padded kevlar and plastic armour.
It is amazing how much damage can be inflicted by the simple cross-check, spearing or slashing attack between atheletes.
Horrifying to think what some 70's hockey enforcers could have done with a poleaxe!!
As a fiction writer looking to understand more realistic techniques, this style of video is EXTREMELY helpful! Thank you!
Hell yeah! I'd also HIGHLY recommend the channel "dequitem"; he does constant live-action armored duels in historical style and technique
@@royrieder2113 He mostly just gets pulled into wrestling matches that he loses because his sparring partner is half ogre.
You’ll love the Virtual Fechtschule channel
I think Shadiversity has videos specifically for animation reference, Skallagrim is good for this too
I love this channel lol
Indeed it is easier to grip and swing around a rigid shaft than a floppy one.
If its ridged for longer than 4 hours see a doctor mate...
@@derigel7662 that's why you should never wander the brazilian forest alone
The RUclips fencer Dequitem points out that one advantage that a two-handed sword affords in an anti-armor scenario is that the blade point is thin and flexible enough to potentially slip underneath plate and thrust into the arming doublet beneath, especially in the area where the pauldron overlaps the arm. It's not enough of an advantage to seriously consider the two handed sword over the halberd or pollaxe in an anti-armor scenario, but enough that there's techniques available for the wielder of the sword to use.
yeah its easy imagine that if he first threw the defense posture off slightly on an enemy, and then followed up with an overhead slash with all of his power it would probably cut straight through any defensive attempt. Not to say that it can cut through armor or swords, but the power behind that large an axe would likely not be stopped too easily.
OTOH, armor plates have rolled edges specifically to prevent points sliding off of them like that. A flexible spatulate point is also far more likely than the rigid awl-like points of proper anti-armor blades to get stuck before it reaches anything important.
I love the detailed explanations, and demonstrating the techniques with actual weapons against a target!
While I greatly enjoy the videos where you just talk, this makes it so much easier to visualize.
Moral of the story: a *STRONG STURDY SHAFT* is better than a *LIMP FLOPPY* one!
Yes, and you have to have size AND technique 😁
If only I had understood this sooner!
I too am not mentally mature enough to watch these videos sometimes lmao
I'm not a HEMA expert but I've seen some poleaxe sparring and it's almost never clean enough where anyone gets strikes at full range in. It's more of a wrestling match in close until someone falls down. 🤣
In all of the full contact tournaments I've seen, 9/10 times it is indeed a wrestling match, with a a few strikes here and there.
Although wrestling is an important part of it, do remember that in HEMA or reenactment you cant really hit full force even with a blunt poleaxe to the head… brain damage and concussions are not fun…. Which in turn makes poleaxe sparring more of a grappling match…not to say that it cant turn to grappling otherwise but it is an important reason for it.
Thank you for including the extra context of the effectiveness against armour at the very end.
Can you do a video discussing using large, battlefield weapons non-lethally? Like a halberd or poleaxe used by town guards, or a montante for bodyguards? Or even using a sword while it is in its scabbard to non-lethally smack someone.
If you're using a single-edged blade without a false edge, you could also strike them with the spine of the blade.
I really appreciate this style of video, and the content is great! I use a pollax in SCA combat quite a bit, and agree with your key points, and would just add "yes, and more". I find they lend themselves to much closer in fighting than most people expect, particularly against opponents with sword and shield (who try to rush you down) or great swords (who you want to rush down). Partially that might be my preference for very in close fighting, but the ability to seamlessly go from middle distance to up close and from multiple angles and lines of attack is wonderful and tends to throw off a lot of opponents who have certain expectations of what your measure or range of effectiveness will be. I find it really makes up for the disadvantage of using a 6' weapon instead of a 7' pole arm, or a somewhat more nimble long sword.
At 3:45 we get a lovely shot of Smugsy Easton.
Matt looks very pleased with himself when he catches that thin post right on the tip of the spike.
And rightly so! Good shot sir.
Love it. Also it would be great to see more zweihander content Matt!
People who have plate harness have said to me that you're more top-heavy in harness, so those pushing and hooking moves can be more effective against armored opponents than you might first intuit.
I love that slip shot where you pull your blow short and stick them with the 2nd intention.
I love these videos so much, they directly inform so many of my game mechanics when working as a designer!
Excellent video! I love the poleaxe techniques!
Your accuracy with the spike is insane.
Matt, your back yard (or "garden" as you British say😂) is looking so nice! I didn't remember you having trees so large! It's very nice and verdant in general.
That's the first thing that jumped out to me as well, the great big moss covered trees. It looks like a really lovely place to live.
thats quite stadard for british garden, we do use word yard, but thats usually for when its bleak, like concrete/tarmac, especially industrial or has things stored in it, train yards etc. most people dont have just grass and nothing else, if its got plants...its a garden
Verdant is such a good word
With the Poleaxe at closer combat, you can also choke up towards the axe head, couch the shaft under your armpit. We call that Short-shafting. It's incredibly versatile and more maneuverable than you would think.
Against any sword, whenever my opponent swings their pummel at me, I catch the pummel and "draw" the sword from their hands.
Excellent video, I really appreciate the depth you went into. Thank you!
Thanks, Matt. This was fantastic, I'd love to see more like this.
Perfect timing, I regularly train with a Zweihander and recently purchased a Pollaxe; which had a strange resemblence between the two while half swording the greatsword.
Love this video Matt. Hope to see more like this.
An observation, the disc guard on the polearm makes crosschecks more offensive.
A video on those disc type guards on polearms would be interesting.
The awl pike would be a good subject for a video too.
And great info in this one. 😀
Matt's proficiency with historic weaponry is... alluring.
Thanks for this channel. You kick arse.
I love the informational videos when you sit in your study, but I get really excited when I see you outside in front of a target 😂
I remember seeing someone talking about the halberd, and by extension the poleaxe, how the blade being completely flat makes it worse for striking as most axes have a slight curve so the pressure in the chopping if concentrated on the center as you chop. But the halberd have straight blades, or sometimes moon-shaped blades, that are not good for striking. Also, the spike makes the swinging motion worse.
The idea was that you put a bunch of people in formation with a halberd, they would poke forward with the spike, and if they missed, they would try to swing upwards, chop down with the blade and pull the enemy out of formation, where your buddies could them poke the enemy on the ground safely.
That would be Lindybiege. I watched his video on it just yesterday. Halberds specifically, for the most part, but definitely overlap.
The only issue I can see hooking and pulling forward with the poleaxe is that it inevitably brings your opponents blade closer whilst you can only parry with the staff, which is a nightmare at close range.
I would argue, that an pulled or pushed opponent doesn't bring the precision whilst beeing pushed or pulled, to find a gap in ur armor with his swords tip and exploit it. I mean.... The guy is stumbling back-/forwards. But yeah, axes are great offense weapons but you should have a functioning defense when using them. Swords have more defensive capabilities. But the poleaxe is used in armored fighting, so Our armor shall be our defense.
I have no experience with this but a lot with striking sports and the hook was what I saw first. I would assume that stepping outside is an option though Matt stepped directly back here. Circling to the outside or inside depending on the opportunity. Circling to the outside while backing up with a hook in the shoulder seems pretty brutal but I would have to test that shit to actually figure it out. Wish I had some of these toys at home lolol.
When it comes to controlling space where your feet are is typically the first thing but in a group melee or something, yeah, no experience with that lolol.
Great content. Nicely done like always☺️
You know, I think I'd like to see something like this with explanation and demonstration of how warhammers were used. Because those heads are a bit more massive than even the halberd.
So I imagine the employment must be a little more kinetic. Also, missing a shot is going to inevitably be a lot bigger problem. Right?
The Halberd is brutally good
I still wonder if the long blade of the berdiche / bardachie ax was supposed to solve the problem of hitting the target accurately? Or maybe there was another reason?
Björn Rüther has a whole video on the bardiche: ruclips.net/video/vqxQJ7nZZRI/видео.htmlsi=zVcokdf8uZeALXUL
So, when you're just too up close and personal with the opponent to be comfortable, remember that slide your hands up and down your shaft is still an option.
RUclips did not let me know this vid existed. At all. I would've watched it.
Random browsing the channel's video list manually and I came across it.
Can we ask Tod to do some armor tests with the pole-arm and the big sword? Smack some gambesson and mail on a dummy to see if it cleaves?
19:02 We do love a long, stiff shaft.
18:53, another peak Matt moment
Often the damage done to an armoured enemy by a top-heavy weapon is not so much to the man himself, but to the joints that hold the pieces of his armour together. Bash with a hammer for a while, then use the blade into the newly created gaps.
I love your videos
Thanks for the video
Hi Matt. You touched on it a bit here, but do we know how techniques would be used in large melees or on the battlefield, and how that might differ from "irregular" combat (I.e. with more space, perhaps an amush of a retinue or similar) or single combat such as tournament fighting? How much do the historical sources talk about these things.
there are a few things that I would imagine would be important differences between single combat and a battle
First is perhaps training techniques for raised or semi-professional troops who didn't have the length of training more professional warriors might have and thus benefit from a perhaps simpler, easier set of techniques
the second is obviously space, in a large combat I would expect (though perhaps I am wrong!) that there would be much less space, both to manouver but also between you and your comrades. I would imagine, especially with longer weapons, this limits significantly how one would fight
The final one is, were there techniques designed to enhance battle efficiency over lethality - perhaps to maintain formation if infantry were to be used as a holding force, for example, or to conserve stamina.
I would also imagine that there was a difference in weapons used in bodyguarding or single combat those better for battle?
thanks
I would greatly enjoy a video showing technique on how best to avoid the unarmed individual who is trying to quickly close the distance, if, in the event, I miss my first strike with my blunt force weapon.
So the older bloke who misses the strike against a younger, and athletic attacker. What dodge, strike do I perform.
I noticed on the victims at the Battle of Gothenburg some showed their wounds were made by dented swords. I was just thinking when you were comparing the Poleaxe with the 2hd Sword. I was wanting to ask would the Poleaxe last the length of a battle as a dented sword is still very affective but a Poleaxe with a broken shaft isn’t so affective
Not a weapons expert, but a carpenter; a shaft of that thickness in an ash or oak is going to be a incredibly durable object, even when compared to a steel sword blade.
@@dappergentgames7596 Next time listen to the entire clip before replying as the man said the poleaxe tends to break in battle
@@mel.3687 LOL. I did. I also said "in comparison"; he's also mentioned (as have other historians and re-enactors) that swords also broke in battle, quite frequently.
@@dappergentgames7596 So you would of heard him also suggesting that Poleaxes tended to break when used in combat
Big two handed weapons in medieval combat ? Now you are talking with lenguage
16:45 we almost lost Matt
Matt has very understanding neighbours.
Good play
Wooden Mop handle with a small inset at one end with a broken off tip of a US Civil war period triangular bayonet wrapped to the shaft with 3 rolls of medical tape sits just inside my bedroom door. Opposite side has a seven-foot-long tree branch with the bark peeled off. Both are Not quite as good as a quarter staff but good enough to help force an intruder out of my bedroom.
Any chance you and Dequitem will have an armoured duel in the future?
As much as I love halberds and poleaxes, I wouldn't want to be the one in half armour wielding such a weapon while going up against someone with a longer and nimbler spear...
However, I do believe that in the era of pike and shot spears mostly fell out of favour (except for officers with partisans). Thus, halberdiers might go up against pikemen or Doppelsöldner with their two-handed weapons...
What are your thoughts about these matchups and what do we know about these units forming tactical units?
Just one question. Would you not cut your hands on the sword shifting your grib to the blade?
If I had to pick one melee weapon, it would be the pollaxe with halberd a close second. I love Great Swords but, like you say, they are not as effective against armor. That said, against less/no armored opponents, the Great Sword's superior nimbleness and other advantages may give it an edge (pun intended). Hmm, adding a blunt edge to the middle of the pollaxe might prove effective. I think it could be done without interfering with grip - and it would help with edge alignment where that matters for a pollaxe.
We need to see two guys with this exact sword and poleaxe sparring.
I’d like to see with and without restrictive armor also and how effective the flat hammer side is against actual armor. Curious af.
@@GameJournal0101 it's depends on type of armor. On mail it would be very efective, on late medival plate not so much as it made to protect you from this type of wepons
Great video matt =D did you ever tried a hip high pollaxe? Im really tempted to shorten mine
13:10 i call it an Ultra Great Sword
Hey Matt I often see knights and men at arms with long hair in manuscript illustrations and art, I need your expert knowledge on how they manage their luscious locks in such close fitting helms. In my personal experience its a bit of a tangle and a hassle.
Hi Matt, I wanted to ask you. If you're fighting in full plate armour and you could choose between a Montante and a Longsword, which one would you consider better for this scenario. In times past I would've guessed the Montante, since my logic told me the bigger mass would mean higher percussive force (not great, but way better thant a regular longsword, maybe enough to give the opponent a concussion or hurt their hands/arms), and the greater lenght would mean you could have more surface to lock/trap oponents at close range to bring them down, OR thrust into an open visor from afar, not mentioning they seem better suited to counter polearms.
But the more I learn about their structure, the more I wonder if my initial evaluation was right. They're indeed too flexible and floppy, meaning the force they generate gets disipated and would result in way less percussive force than their mass would suggest. The same floppiness and their broader tips means it would be harder for them to penetrate through gaps, plus with their massive size I reckon it would be a pain in the ass to manouvre at close range or in the floor. The more i think about it, the more attractive the longsword becomes as an option, stiffer, narrower point and easier to manouvre at grappling range.
Whats your take on this? Which one would you prefer on a duel in full armour? does the extra mass and reach justify it's more cumbersome nature at grappling range?.Thanks in advance.
I used a lot of these techniques in my military bayonet training
One thing I've wondered about, also with the video from last week (about the disadvantage of axes having shorter blades): Don't you potentially open yourself up more to your opponent's attacks when you are swinging with an axe? An axe has more power when hitting its target, but in order to get that power I presumably must also swing more? Is that wrong? And when I swing the axe more, isn't there more time in which I might not be protected by my own weapon (granted, with a smaller axe, I could potentially have a shield). And with this video right now, when you demonstrate swinging short of target, there is a moment in which you need to recover (the longer/heavier the weapon, I imagine it takes longer), which also seems like a vulnerable time. I wonder whether you could speak to that at some point. Would love to hear your expertise on that.
This is one of the reasons people wore armor. Specifically plate armor. Poleaxes were typically used when both sides were wearing armor.
Always good to have a good stiff shaft in your hand.😂
i noticed that you have about 35inches of range with the halberd, fairly short, even if it's powerful and quick with the long leverage(kinda like an katana, which is also front heavy, but with an long grip, so it's quick from the leverage), and also the lack of hand protection, also just having an disk guard, which is also both0 solved with hand armor, but i'll be worried about someone grabbing the shaft when you try to push someone with the middle. and yea, i won't want to use the zweihander on armor, since it'll roll, or flatten the edge, since the steel is soft, like 30-40 hrc historically? and it would be an pain to resharpen it, but is it possible to firmly attach an sheath on? that way it's easier to grab the sheath, and it's stiffer.
Anyone know who makes the poleaxe demonstrated here?
enjoyed this video
Matt, would you consider playing KCD2 on early release and reviewing its combat mechanics!? I bet they'd be really keen to get you on board!
Very interesting - how far down the Zweihander were they usually properly sharpened? It goes through me a little, thinking of gripping a razor edge!
Well a edge wont bite if you can get a good hold on it. Risky but can be done.
I feel that a hit with the shaft of a pollaxe on an unarmored opponent would still do significant damage. I imagine it would be similar to getting hit with a club. Likely not immediately debilitating but depending on the force, and where it hits, it might make getting a fight ending hit in nearly guaranteed.
If I'm not overestimating the damage a hit with the shaft would do (I imagine it would essentially break whichever bone it hit), the two handed sword might not actually have that big of an advantage in that regard.
It is not quite. The additional weight and lower fulcrum reduce the speed and leverage, massively reducing the impact energy and the shape reduces the concentration. While getting hit with the shaft is still not great, it is far less dangerous than the sharp edge of a greatsword.
Half Swording always seems to be more dangerous for the user than the opponent! Any blade sharp enough to be any use for cutting is the last thing you want to be gripping/ sliding through your hands (even if gloved)?
When using proper technique the sword never slides in your hand, and the edge never actually touches your hand most of the time. Instead of actually grabbing onto the blade, you use a pinching action with your palm and fingers so that you have a tight grip and won’t get cut. You can do it with a more conventional grip where you touch the edge though, as long as your hand doesn’t slide
The training and the "sport" was one against one. But in battle, do people fight in polearm formations ?
When there is two groups facing each other, and everybody trying to hit, you must have a good idea of that is the correct distance. Because in a formation, the last thing you want, is people moving.
Im playing Chivalry 2 atm and this is good info :P
Looking at the video I immediately start wondering how long (and assuming wearing armor as well) a warrior could fight with a halberd, with a two-handed sword, with a spear+shield and sword+shield. What is the most tiring?
_Very_ broadly speaking, the greatsword, depending on how it is used. There were two primary methods of fighting with it-like a spear for single-target combat and the whirling form for multi-target combat. The latter involves a lot of active movement with a long, heavy lever held far away from your body. Weapons held further out expend more energy much like heavier weapons expend more than lighter.
Thx
It always surprises me how little force to use a pointed weapon to pierce a person, you could basically lean on it let alone actually thrust. We are very squishy class builds lol.
Good weapons i also love it
When I think guards used to have these as weapons it seems like they must have been in bigger, at least 10 people gangs so that they can fight as a team when needed.
I don't think they would have been in the usual 2 member teams we see them in movies.
Idk.
Can you go over how common having weapons in a peasant household was? What kind of weapons did most common people have? (who not lords, retainers, mercenaries).
Sooooo: Pollaxe (again) wins, bcs pollaxe always wins! :)
Oh… how many discussions with Rondel about its benefits and harms😅
I've often wondered why spadone quillons weren't more spiky. I'm not expecting the 'mordhau' to come up that often in combat, but in closing, having basically two rondel daggers to at least irritate, at most kill, the opponent at very close range with great leverage seems like an obvious advantage
Because you have to carry it around. And that would be realy dangerous if it was that spikey
They sometimes were. However, besides being more of a pain (literally) to transport, that also means making the lugs more fragile, and their primary purpose is for binding and winding, not as a close-range back-up.
This needs another buff in chivalry 2. It should be the best weapon
Even if you have just a short edge, you can always readjust. However, there is no getting that montene. Swinging again
Cool shirt! I love Alice In Chains 👍
I often wonder why the pollaxe butt isn't more spiky and dangerous as much as it seems to be used.
i suspect one reason is same as why the butt end of spears aren't often pointy, formation fighting. in a melee you might end up hitting your buddies with the butt end as you flail that shaft around, having a spiky bit in the back might end that's usually pointed at your buddies is probably not worth the risk.
@@wytfish4855 Was my thought too at first but what about dueling weapons? And with all the techniques that are putting the axe head back and forth it seems to be a peculiar weapon for formation fighting one way or another. But thinking about it the mediocre length (and as far as I know in medieval art they are often shown relatively short) might be even quite optimal for tightly packed battlefield use.
And maybe more spiky dueling pollaxes do exist that I am not aware of right now.
Poleaxe looks like a meat tenderizer with the hammer side and a spit as the point 😮
What a wonderful alice in chains shirt there sir
So, don't strike with the shaft...strike with the head at the end of the shaft... Got it!
Digging that Alice In Chains shirt!
i love you matt please respond
the Russian Bardiche was invented to solve the problem of the short edge length on battle axes
The bardiche originated in Austria.
It reminds me of the bo in karate.
Meanwhile, in America. We have the same thoughts about a sliding lever on our Henry's.
Viking axe/dane axe evolved into lochaber axe/bardiche/halberd a small sharp axe edges problem is solved!
one of the hardest things for me is just the idea that basically every single thing youve said in this video is like this is just something people did to not die like idk its just so easy to watch this type of stuff and forget that yea no this is just how to kill people
I think that attack of an Axe will attack anybody else?❤⚔🛡🇬🇧
👍
Close range is best range
Idk man, they don't call me the Head Master for no reason...
War is an Art and Science and reflects the journey of civilization and development progress.
1) Ancient Indian Martial Art (Sa-na-tan original name of Hindus).
ruclips.net/video/qUeB-RlRX9o/видео.htmlfeature=shared
2) few weapons
ruclips.net/video/B_cX1SwiC1Y/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Like Ping Pong....Practice!
Kapak pisau palu tombak jadi satu dalam satu gagang panjang , saya ingin memiliki senjata itu.