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If a Swordsmen closes against a spear any guard, pin or charge used for a staff can also be used with most any polearm or spear. Choking both hands up on the spear point is an additional 6th option to the 5 I believe you mentioned matt, but a dagger is often preferable in the close! Why wouldn't any spear men keep a dagger or even a simple knife on them so preparation option? A lot of the fellow enthusiast I know always thought me odd as I never really bothered with swords for English long staff & knifes are my preference if armed. Staff work also translates to rifle & bayonet which is a pointy boom stick while a spear is a pointy stick. Any stick or knife has uncalculatable tool uses beyond a weapon, but a sword is really just a weapon with a ceremonial authority attached. If I can best 3 Hema sword users with a spear in sparing more often than not as I'm familiar a spear but don't practice 1/2 as much as they do, then it shows how the design is innately greater. Mind nothing is going to beat a nuke except maybe biological warfare or something!
Technique #6: This is frowned upon in sparring, but is a perfectly valid situational tactic. If you should find your spear deflected low and your opponent charging, stick the spear between their legs and trip them. Even if they just stumble this should give plenty of time to disengage and stab them.
@@andrewszigeti2174 Yep, that is a very useful specific staff pin. Even if you can't get between the legs to trip have you ever slammed the blunt end of a spear or staff into an opponent shin or knee. Even in full armour or practice gear people collapse or jump up & down from the shear discomfort. Like stubbing your toe but multiple times worse. Turn the spear & drop plunge it into their leg. Me my mates as a lad really had no restraint. dislocated a couple of their knees on occasion but they said not to hold back so? You get what you ask for!
It really is that simple, though. If you are using point fighting, you won't ever win. These pretend taps wouldn't stop an actual adrenaline fight to the death. You would have to really get a lethal blow.
Umm, if it is was that simple then town guards wouldn’t have bet unsarmored and given spears, partisans and halberds for duty weapons. You overestimate the ease you can do damage to unarmored person with a cut and underestimated with a thrust. Hell, in SCA cut and thrust, if you walk into a duel with safety spear, your opponent can plead to the judge to have you disqualified from dueling for using a nonstandard weapon. Even further, sword smiths probably though when creating the rapier, let’s see if I can create a spear which I can wear on my hip.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour Yes, it that simple. However the execution of that plan is a lot trickier than it is made out to be by those puerile cliches. (And, yes, thrusts win duels. Happened all throughout history. Cuts can win too, but if you get 7" of blade in your gut, you have lost.)
"Oh no! it's a level 3 spearman!" "So? why does that matter?" "He has learned the ability /backstep/ we can no longer close the distance" "Truly he is a master of combat"
Against a single spearman it's about binding then grabbing or entangling the haft of the spear, using a cloak or armour to pin it under your arms makes it easier but it depends how quick the spearman is and whether they can see what you're trying to do 🙂
One thing I've learned from this, is how hard it is to see the spear and the direction your opponent is attacking when being in line with it. Always thought since being a spectator, that it's a big weapon and easy to see. Boy was I wrong
A guy with a spear, and who knows how to use it, is a very difficult opponent to defeat. Your best shot is to have the archers deal with them. Second best is to get your own spear and make it longer than the other guy's.
@@hazzardalsohazzard2624 this worked well for a young Ned Stark at the Tower of Joy in Game of Thrones. Fictional event yes but the principle can be employed by modern militaries also.
Or maybe get a big shield. As a spearman, I can assure you that a shield changes the game. Very few people are stupid enough to attack a spearman without one.
It's interesting how spears were likely the first real weapons that humans devised. Yet they never went away for thousands of years. I guess they are just that good. Most people can pick one up and use it effectively; although being proficient with one is a different story. Fantastic demonstration!
I always think of the spear in the context of a formation, from the Sumerian spear squares to Greek phalanx to Swiss pike squares, Spanish Tercios etc etc. Used together with hundreds of other soldiers, I imagine the spear's advantages improve by many multiples.
@@hemaccabe4292 I imagine what J M means is a weapon that was specifically crafted as such. Both a rock and a club are things you can just pick up, but a spear is not just any old stick. It has to be long, straight sturdy, at the very least, and then sharpened on one end, which is a deliberate thing to do. Then someone figured out you harden that tip a a little with fire, or tie a sharp bit of a rock to it for an even better point...lo! The arms race has begun! I think Sean's onto something too, though I think it was probably organized hunts of megafauna that brought about the rudiments of fighting in formation. IIRC, our ancestors would hunt mammoths by chasing them off cliffs. That would require a fair bit of coordination between the hunters.
Amusingly, one of the most important advancements in the history of gunpowder warfare was the ability to make rifles and muskets into makeshift spears (the bayonet).
Lovely video. Not sure if you're familiar with Chinese spear, but the fundamental spear form in chen (oldest style) taiji includes all these actions very closely. Very interesting to hear your take on these moments!
I have translations of two different spear manuals (I think early - mid Ming era) and while being vastly different from each other (south and north seem to even grip differently) they still contained these actions (circular disengage was the first defensive thing mentioned)
Japanese spear forms from Jujutsu are along the same lines too, next to the Yumi bow the Yari spear was the primary battlefield weapon throughout the Sengoku period. Made learning HEMA a few years ago a little easier for me 🙂
All humans are very similar in the way we have hands and legs and our joints and muscles work the same way. As such all martial arts, armed and unarmed, tend to include similar tecniques...
There's also a very underrated technique I call "Run away!" Like you mentioned, the initial charge and initial retreat are typically no too different in speed. All we need is to build a little bit of distance to re-engage. I often tell my fellow Spear folks not to be afraid to just run. All we really need are 2 to 4 steps to have enough distance to re-engage. When we pull back our Spear, some Chinese forms have some emphasis on rotating our body to draw it back quicker and that also makes it conducive to retreat a few steps.
In the napleonic era, most line infantry just run away when the opposing formation bayonet charges them. To the point where there's less than 10 guys dying to bayonets every battle.
An additional note I'd add is that typically the spear is not the ONLY weapon the spear user will have. A dagger or short sword will often be a back up. In cases where the tip manages to be knocked badly off line or hooked in such a way that the point drives into the ground and the user is rushed at, they can retain one hand on the shaft to manipulate the grounded weapon as a shield whilst drawing their backup weapon, closing out their opponent's line of attack with the shaft of the spear and landing a blow from beneath it.
If you can't back up because of the spearmen behind you, then you'll just have to trust them to take out the infantry that are trying to close the distance. I think it was the Kings and Generals channel that mentioned one(or some) of the roman Generals that also assumed they would be able to simply hack the spear heads off in the middle of battle. The Romans still won in the end, but they found that behind one flank of spears was another. Kind of hard to close the distance when there are as many supporting spearmen guarding their front ranks.
if there's a fellow spearman behind you then there is a chance they're pointing their spear towards your opponent too. I'm worried about the guy in back when you rotate the spear to the blunt end.
@@satadenai9182 if you even have to, but in a formation, you my only have to concentrate on poking the guy in front of you. You may not have to worry about special maneuvers until the ranks break.
Finally someone made a video about spear defense. All these techniques seem obvious to me but I'm also trained in quarter staff so knowing to use the whole weapon comes with the training. Extra Spear tip: when doing circle parrying, you have two hands to rotate with. Two circles that can move in different sizes and speed. Combine this with the Slide and leveraging power with two hands, you tip speed and power become Alot more Varied.
If someone grabs your spear, why would sliding your spear back release their grip? Unless you have lube on your hands your grip isn't going to move or extremely physically at a disadvantage?
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour a bit confused. There a miscommunication here. I didn't say anything about the swordsmen grabbing the spear. Or are you ask what the spear can do if the spear is grabbed?
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour even if you have stabbed to the end of your range you will have a leverage advantage and an already secure grip when the swordsman attempts to grab your spear on the pointy end. It sounds simple in theory, but grabbing a spear while someone stabs you is pretty hard.
Incredibly frustrating when someone with shied and sword/axe just uses the shield to get inside and take you out, I eventually started engaging a shield and sword/axe by holding my spear vertically, tip down, defensively in my left hand and use my seax in my right hand, still got taken out but not as quickly haha
I too have tried this and it helped a bit but still I fail. I attribute this to my low skill level so seeing another having the same difficulty made me feel like less of a scrub😊
I also started using my longknife in my back hand, which allows me to quickly drop the spear and attack with a short arm. However, it sort of discounts using a polearm in the first place. I feel like I should just use an axe with a shield instead.
@@LokiLaughs2 yeah absolutely and I've made that work really really well, there was one guy in particular who I loved working with cos we were on the same wave length, but in one on one is where the oriblem arises
A stick is a simple cloud to give you reach and leverage. A staff is a longer club, that increases both range and lovage over the club, a spear is a staff with a more dangerous point added to the staff. They all evolved to increase the ability to cause damage. Thank you for an excellent video.
We would absolutely love the video on use of a sword against spear. I also would like to see a video about daggers in medieval combat in armor. I know that daggers were used both in ice-pick grip and in "conventional" grip, and i have a question: considering how daggers were worn, how do you act to get this "conventional" grip? Do you just grab it the other way around? If so, is it a comfortable thing to do? Or you switch it in hand? Why would you prefer one grip over another anyway? I have no experience in hema or knive fighting, but this question boggles my mind for some time, so i would love to know the answer. Cheers and thanks for great video, as always
Based on some of Tod's workshop videos, how the dagger is worn varies massively based on what it's meant to be used for an who is wearing it. Like just some average person carrying a dagger as a utility tool that can obviously be used for defense as well, it could be hung loose and relatively easy to draw either way. If it's meant for a specific use, in combat or out, it'd be set to draw in the way meant to be used. Either way, you can often draw a dagger either way from most positions, it's just much more difficult in the "wrong" position, to the point that drawing it "correctly" and then switching it could be easier.
@@patrickdix772 as far as i know rondell daggers were very often worn on the right side with hilt upwards (at least it seems like a custom for 14th-15th senturies, but i haven't studied the subject so i may be wrong), and it looks like the only way you can comfortably grab it quickly is the ice-pick grip, and switching it in gauntlets in the fight looks tricky as well. But anyway you get a solid point there, so thanks a lot for your answer
This was an absolute treat, Matt! Please do more spear-related videos, but it would also be awesome if you could do some videos addressing sword & buckler. Was it also a knightly art, or was it purely a martial system for civilians? Please! 🙏 Thank you!
Drop it, run in and use their knife/dagger whilst the opponent is unbalanced by suddenly bearing the weight of the spear in one hand. At least that's what has worked for me in reenactment fights. Often the knife is held in the rear hand too, so the rear hand is holding a knife (pickaxe grip) and the spear shaft
Thank you for making this video. It's heartening to see someone who actually fights with spear and sword giving the rundown to these armchair warriors who think combat is a giant game of rock/paper/scissors where if you get your opponent in the wrong spot, it's all over, a bit of healthy advice.
I'd be really interested in you doing the same kind of analysis for sword and shield vs spear and shield. Intuitively spear and shield (even using a smaller spear better suited for one hand) strikes me as really quite cumbersome in comparison with a spear by itself
With the size spear Matt is using it would indeed be quite cumbersome. Spears intended for single-hand use were probably much, much lighter, though - Sean Manning has some stats here: www.bookandsword.com/talks/get-to-the-point-what-questions-should-we-ask-about-a-spear/ 3/4-7/8" shafts and 5.5oz heads....very few commercially available spears are that light. I'm actually in the middle of making a spearhead right now that will hopefully come close to those specs to replace/supplement my windlass behemoth. Here is one of the best posts on spear-and-shield I've seen thus far, for your entertainment: hirdmenn.blogspot.com/2021/09/understanding-spear-and-overarm-grip.html
@@123elnat I'm aware spears for one handed use wouldn't be this large as I tried to imply in my comment. I suppose that they seem very limiting to me as your hands needs to ideally be close to the centre of mass (limiting the overall reach drastically) so that your wrist can comfortably redirect the weapon. From all of the depictions I can think of, the practical reach of most one handed spears seems to also be achievable by a sword (or it's close), and if the hand is further back of the shaft, they probably become really quite cumbersome in the hand so if the spear is knocked aside, you'd struggle to redirect it. It seems to me that sword and shield vs spear and shield is in favour of the swordsman, which is interesting considering the strength of two handed spears vs swords. Thanks for the last link - it's quite interesting!
@@tommeakin1732 It depends how the shield & spear man fights. There's a good discussion video from the Hellenic Studies Society (if I recall the name correctly) on YT where the reenactor in full hoplite gear) shows how they worked out the best methods of spear & shield fighting - the shield held out, not flat but with the arm extended and the spear resting on the shield edge, using it as a guide. He said that a spear is a light, accurate and deadly weapon - blocking the thrust with a sword is a difficult (and dangerous) occupation as the spearman can thrust and withdraw at great speed, even aiming for eye holes in armour with accuracy.
Those innuendos are really obvious at this point. They are funny, (the "where to put your shaft" was A+) but I would prefer if we went back to when I didn't know if you noticed what you said. That was so fucking hilarious.
In one on one combat I always found moving to the flank was very useful, particularly if you used the leverage advantage you have to push their weapon out of the way (or maybe just keep it where it is while you move to the flank.) It was particularly effective with a more flexible staff. You could get a bit of a whip effect going.
I would love for you to do the sword's POV type video! Those are the same fundamentals of closing when fighting with a shorter weapon or a taller opponent, so I'd love to see you teach them!
I have to say, I was skeptical at first (even though it's obvious that it must have happened, or spears wouldn't have been nearly as famous), but I'm pretty convinced that these techniques would be effective. Espeically a combination of them, as you said. And one important thing too is that they are not at all complicated. Though, part of what I wonder is how this works in the (literal) front lines. Like, what if there's a ton of people behind you? Edit: I stopped @10:30 to say this. The answer to that was literally the next thing you were about to say 😂😂
If there's a ton of other spearmen behind you and the swordman charges, he may be stabbed by your mates. If the swordman gets inside the spearman range by deflecting the point with a shield or a sword, perhaps he is now open to other attacks. There was a video with two guys with polearms (one behind and slightly on the side of the other), and this looked quite difficult to attack with a shorter weapon, as neutralizing one polearm makes you a target for the other.
Very nice. Ive watched the homeguard and cermonial guard do their free combat and most often the spear, polearm guy wins. As the old adage goes "a man with a spear or a quarterstaff will nearly always beat the lad with the sword"
I feel like I have come full circle. I started watching your videos back in 2013 for info on historical spear use. Seen almost every video since. But now I have figured out how to use comments, haha! Love your videos!
This video definitely does a good job at illustrating why polearms were so prevalent on the battlefield. And also illustrates the importance of having a shield.
Any time I hear that "oh just get past the tip" advice I'm left thinking that that person imagines the world like a videogame where once you understand the pattern the opponent will just gladly accept defeat.(looking at you, Artorias of the Abyss)
dude you are braver than I with this sliding actions WITHOUT gloves - a few wacks onto the shaft and you are set up for some killer splinters deep in the palms - YOUCHY!!!
Honestly it's the swordsmen who need advice in this situation, because finding and maintaining a bind with a sword against a spear is significantly harder than disengaging
One of the easiest ways is grab the spear with your other hand. Also realize I said “easiest” as this is not easy. This helps take away 4 of the 5 defenses he offers but you have to be careful of timing, if you miss you die. Second you’re one hand against two, if he chooses to strike at you with the shaft, generally, he will either jerk you off balance or pull the spear from your grasp.
With the sword of one hand, deflect the spear in a direction other than towards you and grab the axis of your opponent's weapon to drive your sword into the chest or neck.
Years ago I had a friend who had essentially no martial arts training with weapons he'd only had taekwondo. We made a blunt practice spear of sorts and I had a stage combat sword in buckler so we decided to spar. When I previously sparred against people using spear they generally did not retreat well and I could get to them but my friend was exceptionally good about backing up 😂 It was so very frustrating because I almost never could get to this guy. Even binding with the sword or buckler made no discernible difference because as fast as I could advance he could retreat faster. Despite his lack of training it really opened my eyes to how tricky it can be as a swordsman going up against a spearman
Always be conscious of your boundaries or sidelines. And keep pressing them all the way there. They cannot retreat forever. And once they run out of real estate, the length of their weapon could become a liability.
@@mwfmtnman that's what I often do would. But as soon as my foot would move he'd start retreating. Very seldom could I get close. He didn't to advance when thrusting he would keep distance & slip to thrust.
@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 hmm, we're you using just a sword or sword and shield. Because with the shield it becomes far easier to do. Another thing, you want to block the spear up or across their body. Keeps the from bringing the tip to bare, then all you have to worry about is being hit with the haft. With single sword, it becomes a bit trickier but essentially the same. If you can get contact with the haft past the tip with your sword and hints, you have him. Push it up and across their body and stick to them like clue. Lucky for me, I have long legs and good burst speed so Spearman didn't often get away from me.
@@mwfmtnman I had an arming swords with a 30 inch blade & a 12 inch circular buckler. As for blocking the spear across him...never could. If i managed to bind he would retreat. So if I tried to get the spear he would either retreat & stab me in the chest or disengage, spin the spear & try to hit me in the gut with the spear's butt. This I usually could prevent either voiding or with the buckler. But as he could retreat slightly faster than I could advance any forward movement from me meant he was quickly out of my range of attack. We didn't have enough safety equipment to allow for strikes to the hands or projectiles, like a thrown buckler, which if allowed may have made a difference.
I am a big polearm user in the group of friends I do LARP combat with, and I particularly use the shaft sliding and circular motion -> counter thrust techniques and I recently had a friend describe trying to close distance against me as being like running into a wall of points. Not to say I don't still lose some times, especially when faced with an opponent with a huge shield. For my part I almost always only commit to charging down the polearm user if I have grabbed the shaft with my free hand and thereby stopped their ability to counter attack. Otherwise I try to play just out of distance waiting for an opportunity to cross bind -> grab.
I love to see spear stuff...I'm very into asian martial arts styles of Bo staff and naginata fighting so I get excited seeing you utilize the butt end and flip that sucker around and mash with it rather than just pokey pokey with the tip...great stuff...
I really like rotation and step into the charge using the shaft of the spear to knock the swordsman on their backside. I have found it very effective over the years.
Indeed, I would very much like to hear the advice for the swordsman in a fight against a competent spearman, especially if they are actively engaged in all of these, which are clearly intended for both offence and defense.
As someone else mentioned the Chinese Spear, sure it’s choreographed, but in Shanghai Noon, seeing Jackie Cham using a spear against a sword shows just how effective it can be.
The Circular Motion! *" Hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the Mudshark in your mythology, here it goes now: the Circular Motion!"* - Frank Zappa 🤣
When fighting a spearman remember to utilize your parries and counters. Hold your block button, and just before the enemies weapon strikes, match their attack with theirs. It’ll knock them off balance and allow you to nail a hit. Your right trigger is a horizontal slash, your left bumper is a vertical slash, and your right bumper is a forward stab. And always remember to watch your stamina bar. This works exactly the same in real life.
Also, a huge factor is your teammates in a formation battle, a swordsman would be less inclined to charge you when your buddies also have spears and can poke him at any moment. A good comparison is to a hedgehog, many spikes close together make a formidable tool.
Never overextend your jab. You can't parry a spear when it is extended to the smallest needed extent, but also you can't penetrate a foe with a spear if you don't apply enough force. So it's a cool median where you take into account the skill of the swordsman, the quality of their armour, their position, and so on.
This is a great video discussing a fascinating topic that Robert Jordan brought up in his famous Wheel of Time books. (WoT is currently a show on Netflix :) Jordan used his story to tell us several times that a simple farmer with a quarterstaff and little training can easily keep a skilled swordsman at bay indefinitely and pretty much whip his ass with little debate. Granted his characters lived in a magical world of plot armor but I always wondered how well that advice stacks up. I'm not surprised Robert Jordan knew what he was talking about here; he went to West Point and war was a central part of the WoT books. RIP Robert Jordan, what a story
Every time I hear someone talk about binding a spear with a sword my first question is "and how are you going to hold it in that bind for long enough to take advantage of it?" A lot of people don't have any idea how a spear is actually used in combat and seem to think a spearman will just hang the point of his weapon out there and not move it back and forward.
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If a Swordsmen closes against a spear any guard, pin or charge used for a staff can also be used with most any polearm or spear.
Choking both hands up on the spear point is an additional 6th option to the 5 I believe you mentioned matt, but a dagger is often preferable in the close!
Why wouldn't any spear men keep a dagger or even a simple knife on them so preparation option?
A lot of the fellow enthusiast I know always thought me odd as I never really bothered with swords for English long staff & knifes are my preference if armed.
Staff work also translates to rifle & bayonet which is a pointy boom stick while a spear is a pointy stick.
Any stick or knife has uncalculatable tool uses beyond a weapon, but a sword is really just a weapon with a ceremonial authority attached.
If I can best 3 Hema sword users with a spear in sparing more often than not as I'm familiar a spear but don't practice 1/2 as much as they do, then it shows how the design is innately greater.
Mind nothing is going to beat a nuke except maybe biological warfare or something!
mobile games are a plague, dont play anything on your phone but chess
Technique #6: This is frowned upon in sparring, but is a perfectly valid situational tactic. If you should find your spear deflected low and your opponent charging, stick the spear between their legs and trip them. Even if they just stumble this should give plenty of time to disengage and stab them.
@@andrewszigeti2174 Yep, that is a very useful specific staff pin.
Even if you can't get between the legs to trip have you ever slammed the blunt end of a spear or staff into an opponent shin or knee.
Even in full armour or practice gear people collapse or jump up & down from the shear discomfort.
Like stubbing your toe but multiple times worse.
Turn the spear & drop plunge it into their leg.
Me my mates as a lad really had no restraint.
dislocated a couple of their knees on occasion but they said not to hold back so?
You get what you ask for!
As a White Water and Surf Kayaker. These movements are very familiar to paddle handling skills... LOL
"Just parry the spear and close to distance" is the polearm equivalent of "Stick them with the pointy end".
It really is that simple, though. If you are using point fighting, you won't ever win. These pretend taps wouldn't stop an actual adrenaline fight to the death. You would have to really get a lethal blow.
Umm, if it is was that simple then town guards wouldn’t have bet unsarmored and given spears, partisans and halberds for duty weapons. You overestimate the ease you can do damage to unarmored person with a cut and underestimated with a thrust. Hell, in SCA cut and thrust, if you walk into a duel with safety spear, your opponent can plead to the judge to have you disqualified from dueling for using a nonstandard weapon. Even further, sword smiths probably though when creating the rapier, let’s see if I can create a spear which I can wear on my hip.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour Yes, it that simple. However the execution of that plan is a lot trickier than it is made out to be by those puerile cliches.
(And, yes, thrusts win duels. Happened all throughout history. Cuts can win too, but if you get 7" of blade in your gut, you have lost.)
To be fair, "stick them with the pointy end" seems to be the main tactic a spearman uses against a swordsman.
@@dutch6857 Ah, well, I sorry for my pitifull detection of humor.
"Oh no! it's a level 3 spearman!"
"So? why does that matter?"
"He has learned the ability /backstep/ we can no longer close the distance"
"Truly he is a master of combat"
I’d love to see the swordsman’s tactics in this case but it would be better to have a partner to demonstrate with.
And with no point fighting, because it's not reality.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour but thats no fun
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour no blood, no proof!
Against a single spearman it's about binding then grabbing or entangling the haft of the spear, using a cloak or armour to pin it under your arms makes it easier but it depends how quick the spearman is and whether they can see what you're trying to do 🙂
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour in 2022 it's also not reality to fight sword vs spear. It's gun vs unarmed innocent civilians (in America)
One thing I've learned from this, is how hard it is to see the spear and the direction your opponent is attacking when being in line with it. Always thought since being a spectator, that it's a big weapon and easy to see. Boy was I wrong
It's like judging distance with sabres. Is curved spear the ultimate weapon? Lol
What gets me is the sheer heft of the thing means if the Swordsman survives long enough he can kill the pole arm user by sheer exhaustion alone.
Especially if the spear user deliberately points it at their opponent's eyes and uses slip-thrusts.
Perfect example is in Toy Story, before Andy's party, when the toys are watching kids come in with the presents for Andy.
I meant curved spear ehhh
A guy with a spear, and who knows how to use it, is a very difficult opponent to defeat. Your best shot is to have the archers deal with them. Second best is to get your own spear and make it longer than the other guy's.
I think your second best shot is have your mate go round the back of them.
@@hazzardalsohazzard2624 this worked well for a young Ned Stark at the Tower of Joy in Game of Thrones. Fictional event yes but the principle can be employed by modern militaries also.
3rd best bet is to get people with Zweihänders and distract them while you rush in to kill the spear man
Wait until it’s the era of pike & shot. You see that spearman/pikeman? Have someone grab an arquebus to deal with him.
Or maybe get a big shield. As a spearman, I can assure you that a shield changes the game. Very few people are stupid enough to attack a spearman without one.
It's interesting how spears were likely the first real weapons that humans devised. Yet they never went away for thousands of years. I guess they are just that good. Most people can pick one up and use it effectively; although being proficient with one is a different story. Fantastic demonstration!
I would imagine the first weapon would have been a rock followed eventually by the club.
I always think of the spear in the context of a formation, from the Sumerian spear squares to Greek phalanx to Swiss pike squares, Spanish Tercios etc etc. Used together with hundreds of other soldiers, I imagine the spear's advantages improve by many multiples.
@@hemaccabe4292 I imagine what J M means is a weapon that was specifically crafted as such. Both a rock and a club are things you can just pick up, but a spear is not just any old stick. It has to be long, straight sturdy, at the very least, and then sharpened on one end, which is a deliberate thing to do. Then someone figured out you harden that tip a a little with fire, or tie a sharp bit of a rock to it for an even better point...lo! The arms race has begun!
I think Sean's onto something too, though I think it was probably organized hunts of megafauna that brought about the rudiments of fighting in formation. IIRC, our ancestors would hunt mammoths by chasing them off cliffs. That would require a fair bit of coordination between the hunters.
@@iDEATH I would imagine the first crafted weapon would have been a club with a sharp bit imbedded in it. Still, you make well thought out points JPP.
Amusingly, one of the most important advancements in the history of gunpowder warfare was the ability to make rifles and muskets into makeshift spears (the bayonet).
1) thrust, thrust
2) go home
3) drink beer
Lovely video. Not sure if you're familiar with Chinese spear, but the fundamental spear form in chen (oldest style) taiji includes all these actions very closely. Very interesting to hear your take on these moments!
I have translations of two different spear manuals (I think early - mid Ming era) and while being vastly different from each other (south and north seem to even grip differently) they still contained these actions (circular disengage was the first defensive thing mentioned)
Japanese spear forms from Jujutsu are along the same lines too, next to the Yumi bow the Yari spear was the primary battlefield weapon throughout the Sengoku period.
Made learning HEMA a few years ago a little easier for me 🙂
All humans are very similar in the way we have hands and legs and our joints and muscles work the same way. As such all martial arts, armed and unarmed, tend to include similar tecniques...
@@Sk0lzky any links to compare?
Why bother, they got the technology and use from Romans and Greeks.
There's also a very underrated technique I call "Run away!"
Like you mentioned, the initial charge and initial retreat are typically no too different in speed.
All we need is to build a little bit of distance to re-engage. I often tell my fellow Spear folks not to be afraid to just run. All we really need are 2 to 4 steps to have enough distance to re-engage.
When we pull back our Spear, some Chinese forms have some emphasis on rotating our body to draw it back quicker and that also makes it conducive to retreat a few steps.
Or the Brave Sir Robin manouvre "run away run away"
In the napleonic era, most line infantry just run away when the opposing formation bayonet charges them. To the point where there's less than 10 guys dying to bayonets every battle.
You certainly don't want your opponent to come inside... your range.
Don’t worry, you can always retreat or slide the shaft.
If that doesn't work you can spin it in a circular motion.
@@aaftiyoDkcdicurak Right, just take Matt’s advice, circle around and attack the next opening.
@@leopoldbloom4835 And if all those suggestions didn't work, don't forget that you can also use the other side.
@@Kiwi9552 penetrating them before they penetrate you also sounds like a good plan. Don't let them slide their sword on your shaft in the first place.
"Incidentally, I'm sure quite a few of you would love to slide the shaft"
Damn, got called out by Scholagladiatoria today :D
You'll go blind.
An additional note I'd add is that typically the spear is not the ONLY weapon the spear user will have. A dagger or short sword will often be a back up. In cases where the tip manages to be knocked badly off line or hooked in such a way that the point drives into the ground and the user is rushed at, they can retain one hand on the shaft to manipulate the grounded weapon as a shield whilst drawing their backup weapon, closing out their opponent's line of attack with the shaft of the spear and landing a blow from beneath it.
not to mention alot of polearms often have two pointy ends so you can just flip it around if it breaks
you should make some "slide the shaft" merch
If you can't back up because of the spearmen behind you, then you'll just have to trust them to take out the infantry that are trying to close the distance.
I think it was the Kings and Generals channel that mentioned one(or some) of the roman Generals that also assumed they would be able to simply hack the spear heads off in the middle of battle. The Romans still won in the end, but they found that behind one flank of spears was another. Kind of hard to close the distance when there are as many supporting spearmen guarding their front ranks.
if there's a fellow spearman behind you then there is a chance they're pointing their spear towards your opponent too. I'm worried about the guy in back when you rotate the spear to the blunt end.
@@satadenai9182 if you even have to, but in a formation, you my only have to concentrate on poking the guy in front of you. You may not have to worry about special maneuvers until the ranks break.
This makes "move #6" - let the person behind you stab them.
Finally someone made a video about spear defense. All these techniques seem obvious to me but I'm also trained in quarter staff so knowing to use the whole weapon comes with the training.
Extra Spear tip: when doing circle parrying, you have two hands to rotate with. Two circles that can move in different sizes and speed. Combine this with the Slide and leveraging power with two hands, you tip speed and power become Alot more Varied.
If someone grabs your spear, why would sliding your spear back release their grip? Unless you have lube on your hands your grip isn't going to move or extremely physically at a disadvantage?
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour a bit confused. There a miscommunication here. I didn't say anything about the swordsmen grabbing the spear. Or are you ask what the spear can do if the spear is grabbed?
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour even if you have stabbed to the end of your range you will have a leverage advantage and an already secure grip when the swordsman attempts to grab your spear on the pointy end.
It sounds simple in theory, but grabbing a spear while someone stabs you is pretty hard.
For extra points, use that circular parry motion to smack the guy on the lead hand!
@@scottmacgregor3444 yeah, sometimes you don't always need the spear point stabbing. Some times a smack the hands with a big stick works as well.
Yes, I would really like to see the swordsman video on how to engage a spearman.
Incredibly frustrating when someone with shied and sword/axe just uses the shield to get inside and take you out, I eventually started engaging a shield and sword/axe by holding my spear vertically, tip down, defensively in my left hand and use my seax in my right hand, still got taken out but not as quickly haha
I too have tried this and it helped a bit but still I fail. I attribute this to my low skill level so seeing another having the same difficulty made me feel like less of a scrub😊
I also started using my longknife in my back hand, which allows me to quickly drop the spear and attack with a short arm. However, it sort of discounts using a polearm in the first place. I feel like I should just use an axe with a shield instead.
In formations as soon as the swordsman or ax man starts to close the guy 5 feet to your left or right can stab him from the side.
@@LokiLaughs2 yeah absolutely and I've made that work really really well, there was one guy in particular who I loved working with cos we were on the same wave length, but in one on one is where the oriblem arises
A stick is a simple cloud to give you reach and leverage. A staff is a longer club, that increases both range and lovage over the club, a spear is a staff with a more dangerous point added to the staff. They all evolved to increase the ability to cause damage. Thank you for an excellent video.
We would absolutely love the video on use of a sword against spear. I also would like to see a video about daggers in medieval combat in armor. I know that daggers were used both in ice-pick grip and in "conventional" grip, and i have a question: considering how daggers were worn, how do you act to get this "conventional" grip? Do you just grab it the other way around? If so, is it a comfortable thing to do? Or you switch it in hand? Why would you prefer one grip over another anyway? I have no experience in hema or knive fighting, but this question boggles my mind for some time, so i would love to know the answer. Cheers and thanks for great video, as always
Based on some of Tod's workshop videos, how the dagger is worn varies massively based on what it's meant to be used for an who is wearing it. Like just some average person carrying a dagger as a utility tool that can obviously be used for defense as well, it could be hung loose and relatively easy to draw either way. If it's meant for a specific use, in combat or out, it'd be set to draw in the way meant to be used.
Either way, you can often draw a dagger either way from most positions, it's just much more difficult in the "wrong" position, to the point that drawing it "correctly" and then switching it could be easier.
@@patrickdix772 as far as i know rondell daggers were very often worn on the right side with hilt upwards (at least it seems like a custom for 14th-15th senturies, but i haven't studied the subject so i may be wrong), and it looks like the only way you can comfortably grab it quickly is the ice-pick grip, and switching it in gauntlets in the fight looks tricky as well. But anyway you get a solid point there, so thanks a lot for your answer
Yes, I would definitely like to see the swordsman's options.
now I know what to do when someone has binded with my shaft and came inside my range! thank you scholagradiatoria!
This was an absolute treat, Matt! Please do more spear-related videos, but it would also be awesome if you could do some videos addressing sword & buckler. Was it also a knightly art, or was it purely a martial system for civilians? Please! 🙏 Thank you!
what would a spearman do when their shaft is grabbed
Drop it, run in and use their knife/dagger whilst the opponent is unbalanced by suddenly bearing the weight of the spear in one hand.
At least that's what has worked for me in reenactment fights. Often the knife is held in the rear hand too, so the rear hand is holding a knife (pickaxe grip) and the spear shaft
Enjoy the ride.
@@johnsmithe4656 I guess i was not the only weird thinker here.
Thank you for making this video. It's heartening to see someone who actually fights with spear and sword giving the rundown to these armchair warriors who think combat is a giant game of rock/paper/scissors where if you get your opponent in the wrong spot, it's all over, a bit of healthy advice.
more spear! more polearms! more swords! you know just generally more of the things you do
I'd be really interested in you doing the same kind of analysis for sword and shield vs spear and shield. Intuitively spear and shield (even using a smaller spear better suited for one hand) strikes me as really quite cumbersome in comparison with a spear by itself
With the size spear Matt is using it would indeed be quite cumbersome. Spears intended for single-hand use were probably much, much lighter, though - Sean Manning has some stats here: www.bookandsword.com/talks/get-to-the-point-what-questions-should-we-ask-about-a-spear/
3/4-7/8" shafts and 5.5oz heads....very few commercially available spears are that light. I'm actually in the middle of making a spearhead right now that will hopefully come close to those specs to replace/supplement my windlass behemoth.
Here is one of the best posts on spear-and-shield I've seen thus far, for your entertainment: hirdmenn.blogspot.com/2021/09/understanding-spear-and-overarm-grip.html
@@123elnat I'm aware spears for one handed use wouldn't be this large as I tried to imply in my comment. I suppose that they seem very limiting to me as your hands needs to ideally be close to the centre of mass (limiting the overall reach drastically) so that your wrist can comfortably redirect the weapon. From all of the depictions I can think of, the practical reach of most one handed spears seems to also be achievable by a sword (or it's close), and if the hand is further back of the shaft, they probably become really quite cumbersome in the hand so if the spear is knocked aside, you'd struggle to redirect it.
It seems to me that sword and shield vs spear and shield is in favour of the swordsman, which is interesting considering the strength of two handed spears vs swords.
Thanks for the last link - it's quite interesting!
@@tommeakin1732 It depends how the shield & spear man fights. There's a good discussion video from the Hellenic Studies Society (if I recall the name correctly) on YT where the reenactor in full hoplite gear) shows how they worked out the best methods of spear & shield fighting - the shield held out, not flat but with the arm extended and the spear resting on the shield edge, using it as a guide. He said that a spear is a light, accurate and deadly weapon - blocking the thrust with a sword is a difficult (and dangerous) occupation as the spearman can thrust and withdraw at great speed, even aiming for eye holes in armour with accuracy.
Those innuendos are really obvious at this point. They are funny, (the "where to put your shaft" was A+) but I would prefer if we went back to when I didn't know if you noticed what you said. That was so fucking hilarious.
AGREE! Better when he doesn't point it out but keeps going like it's totally normal.
In one on one combat I always found moving to the flank was very useful, particularly if you used the leverage advantage you have to push their weapon out of the way (or maybe just keep it where it is while you move to the flank.) It was particularly effective with a more flexible staff. You could get a bit of a whip effect going.
The spear is the king of weapons for a reason.
On the battle field
I would love for you to do the sword's POV type video! Those are the same fundamentals of closing when fighting with a shorter weapon or a taller opponent, so I'd love to see you teach them!
You Sir are my favorite 😁👍
This video makes me want to do some spear vs sword sparring.
I have to say, I was skeptical at first (even though it's obvious that it must have happened, or spears wouldn't have been nearly as famous), but I'm pretty convinced that these techniques would be effective. Espeically a combination of them, as you said. And one important thing too is that they are not at all complicated. Though, part of what I wonder is how this works in the (literal) front lines. Like, what if there's a ton of people behind you?
Edit: I stopped @10:30 to say this. The answer to that was literally the next thing you were about to say 😂😂
A single spearman might not be dangerous, but imagine a whole formation of them
If there's a ton of other spearmen behind you and the swordman charges, he may be stabbed by your mates. If the swordman gets inside the spearman range by deflecting the point with a shield or a sword, perhaps he is now open to other attacks.
There was a video with two guys with polearms (one behind and slightly on the side of the other), and this looked quite difficult to attack with a shorter weapon, as neutralizing one polearm makes you a target for the other.
A single spearman is dangerous, and beats swordsman 9 out of 10 times. Plenty of videos and historical texts confirming this @MyHentaiGirlNeko
Stuff the swordsman, there is already heaps for them. Give us more spear techniques.
In melee warfare, the spear is the rifle, the sword is the carbine (AK / AR) And the dagger is the pistol
Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.
So many times people forget that a spear is a quarterstaff with a more stabby tip!
I thoroughly enjoyed this demonstration! I think a video covering the Swordsman's tactics is a fantastic idea, I know I'd watch it.
You are valued Matt. Thanks for the demo.
I really appreciate that you talk about spears, I agree that they are underrated. Great Stuff
Very nice. Ive watched the homeguard and cermonial guard do their free combat and most often the spear, polearm guy wins. As the old adage goes "a man with a spear or a quarterstaff will nearly always beat the lad with the sword"
I feel like I have come full circle. I started watching your videos back in 2013 for info on historical spear use. Seen almost every video since. But now I have figured out how to use comments, haha! Love your videos!
This video definitely does a good job at illustrating why polearms were so prevalent on the battlefield. And also illustrates the importance of having a shield.
Any time I hear that "oh just get past the tip" advice I'm left thinking that that person imagines the world like a videogame where once you understand the pattern the opponent will just gladly accept defeat.(looking at you, Artorias of the Abyss)
Or that the opponent is rooted in place.
It's good to see the spear getting some love again, instead of the shaft...
😅
Thank you for the great video. Far too many people underestimate the mighty spear. Cheers.
Great video Matt. Could you do a video about the command structure of Medieval armies?
That would be good!
I don't think Matt has sufficient knowledge in that field but I bet he has friends in those fields.
@@chengkuoklee5734 d'ya hear that, matt? A challenge!
Though I knew all of these techniques through Xing Yi Spear Training I did years ago, I still loved watching this video. Thanks for sharing!
dude you are braver than I with this sliding actions WITHOUT gloves - a few wacks onto the shaft and you are set up for some killer splinters deep in the palms - YOUCHY!!!
One of the most funny things Barry Hugart wrote was "He took her swords but forgot their forests. A million people running with spears."
We all were happy to see you doing the described drills with a partner 😉 thank you much for this great video!
This video needed a partner to better demonstrate these techniques.
Sliding, circling and pulling out in the last moment seems like a good tactic!
Honestly it's the swordsmen who need advice in this situation, because finding and maintaining a bind with a sword against a spear is significantly harder than disengaging
One of the easiest ways is grab the spear with your other hand. Also realize I said “easiest” as this is not easy. This helps take away 4 of the 5 defenses he offers but you have to be careful of timing, if you miss you die. Second you’re one hand against two, if he chooses to strike at you with the shaft, generally, he will either jerk you off balance or pull the spear from your grasp.
The advice to the swordsman is bring a good sized shield with you and guard your feet.
Swordsman advice would be good. In our HEMA club we have settled on the spear being the ultimate weaponb given the simplicity and effectiveness.
I would definitely like to hear your advice for the swordsman attacking the spearman.
With the sword of one hand, deflect the spear in a direction other than towards you and grab the axis of your opponent's weapon to drive your sword into the chest or neck.
Back away and disengage
@@infinati and run
I think he mentioned something about a shield, or armor, which would decrease the available striking area for pointed attacks.
Leave it to Matt to overcomplicate the mechanism of a disengage lol. I kid my friend. Once again an excellent video
In the tai chi system I studied, nearly all of the sabre applications were against the spear and mostly involved advancing and/or grabbing the shaft
The spear rotation looks like a god way to skewer your friends in the spear line.
This is for single combat.
Thank you, very useful indeed. This gives me a frame of reference in which I can now place many combinations of movements. Grammar. Cool.
Useful information for any writer of fiction that requires the writing of these kind of fights. Love it.
Years ago I had a friend who had essentially no martial arts training with weapons he'd only had taekwondo. We made a blunt practice spear of sorts and I had a stage combat sword in buckler so we decided to spar. When I previously sparred against people using spear they generally did not retreat well and I could get to them but my friend was exceptionally good about backing up 😂
It was so very frustrating because I almost never could get to this guy. Even binding with the sword or buckler made no discernible difference because as fast as I could advance he could retreat faster.
Despite his lack of training it really opened my eyes to how tricky it can be as a swordsman going up against a spearman
Always be conscious of your boundaries or sidelines. And keep pressing them all the way there. They cannot retreat forever. And once they run out of real estate, the length of their weapon could become a liability.
Well, you were charging forward at the wrong time then. You charge them after they take a stab at ypu.
@@mwfmtnman that's what I often do would. But as soon as my foot would move he'd start retreating. Very seldom could I get close.
He didn't to advance when thrusting he would keep distance & slip to thrust.
@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 hmm, we're you using just a sword or sword and shield. Because with the shield it becomes far easier to do. Another thing, you want to block the spear up or across their body. Keeps the from bringing the tip to bare, then all you have to worry about is being hit with the haft. With single sword, it becomes a bit trickier but essentially the same. If you can get contact with the haft past the tip with your sword and hints, you have him. Push it up and across their body and stick to them like clue. Lucky for me, I have long legs and good burst speed so Spearman didn't often get away from me.
@@mwfmtnman I had an arming swords with a 30 inch blade & a 12 inch circular buckler.
As for blocking the spear across him...never could. If i managed to bind he would retreat. So if I tried to get the spear he would either retreat & stab me in the chest or disengage, spin the spear & try to hit me in the gut with the spear's butt. This I usually could prevent either voiding or with the buckler.
But as he could retreat slightly faster than I could advance any forward movement from me meant he was quickly out of my range of attack.
We didn't have enough safety equipment to allow for strikes to the hands or projectiles, like a thrown buckler, which if allowed may have made a difference.
I value you so much, Matt. I was just wondering about this situation recently.
love to hear Matt go on about his shaft
I am a big polearm user in the group of friends I do LARP combat with, and I particularly use the shaft sliding and circular motion -> counter thrust techniques and I recently had a friend describe trying to close distance against me as being like running into a wall of points. Not to say I don't still lose some times, especially when faced with an opponent with a huge shield. For my part I almost always only commit to charging down the polearm user if I have grabbed the shaft with my free hand and thereby stopped their ability to counter attack. Otherwise I try to play just out of distance waiting for an opportunity to cross bind -> grab.
YES! Thank you so much, so many people forget the spear is also a staff, and can strike very hard with blunt force.
Your videos always make me think you're writing the script for Carry on Hema!
I love to see spear stuff...I'm very into asian martial arts styles of Bo staff and naginata fighting so I get excited seeing you utilize the butt end and flip that sucker around and mash with it rather than just pokey pokey with the tip...great stuff...
I really like rotation and step into the charge using the shaft of the spear to knock the swordsman on their backside. I have found it very effective over the years.
Awesome as always. I'm saving this one to watch again later.
If the swordsman is dispensing with a shield, I imagine that a two-handed sword would provide him a better chance.
"Ah hah, a swordsman can move"
"So can a spearman"
Swordsman: [surprised pikachu]
Very useful advice. I will use this come Black Friday in the shops.
Indeed, I would very much like to hear the advice for the swordsman in a fight against a competent spearman, especially if they are actively engaged in all of these, which are clearly intended for both offence and defense.
I think this video clearly shows the total dominance of the spear over the longsword by shear force of innuendo.
The only addendum I would offer is the one I like to call "give them the shaft"; when they rush forward simply hit them with mid-shaft.
Once your enemy charges forward, if you know what you are doing, you can really get a great jam into the swordsman!
I have a Nostromo hat just like that shirt. I think ONE person in 5 years has recognized the reference.
Spears are criminally underrated in games and shows
"I'm going to call this one 'Circling the Shaft.' " ....😊
As someone else mentioned the Chinese Spear, sure it’s choreographed, but in Shanghai Noon, seeing Jackie Cham using a spear against a sword shows just how effective it can be.
Great video, Mat !!!
I always love to see Matt sliding his hands up and down his impressive hard shaft!
The Circular Motion!
*" Hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the Mudshark in your mythology, here it goes now: the Circular Motion!"* - Frank Zappa
🤣
When fighting a spearman remember to utilize your parries and counters. Hold your block button, and just before the enemies weapon strikes, match their attack with theirs. It’ll knock them off balance and allow you to nail a hit. Your right trigger is a horizontal slash, your left bumper is a vertical slash, and your right bumper is a forward stab. And always remember to watch your stamina bar. This works exactly the same in real life.
This is a joke by the way. In real life, simply equip your gun
I'd certainly be interested in the sword side of this discussion
Also, a huge factor is your teammates in a formation battle, a swordsman would be less inclined to charge you when your buddies also have spears and can poke him at any moment. A good comparison is to a hedgehog, many spikes close together make a formidable tool.
Classic spear vs. sword duel in the film Dragonslayer!
This was one of your best: Lots of thought fodder
I like turtles 🐢
Thats a dog tho
More advice in general is always nice.
Big points for the fencing conical parry shout out
Excellent. I would love to hear the swordsman perspective next.
Dirty, dirty spear fighting. Love it.
Never overextend your jab. You can't parry a spear when it is extended to the smallest needed extent, but also you can't penetrate a foe with a spear if you don't apply enough force. So it's a cool median where you take into account the skill of the swordsman, the quality of their armour, their position, and so on.
Definitely looking forward to the sword video
This is a great video discussing a fascinating topic that Robert Jordan brought up in his famous Wheel of Time books. (WoT is currently a show on Netflix :) Jordan used his story to tell us several times that a simple farmer with a quarterstaff and little training can easily keep a skilled swordsman at bay indefinitely and pretty much whip his ass with little debate. Granted his characters lived in a magical world of plot armor but I always wondered how well that advice stacks up. I'm not surprised Robert Jordan knew what he was talking about here; he went to West Point and war was a central part of the WoT books. RIP Robert Jordan, what a story
Oh yeah !!!! Slide that shaft buddy!!! Slide that shaft!!!
Every time I hear someone talk about binding a spear with a sword my first question is "and how are you going to hold it in that bind for long enough to take advantage of it?"
A lot of people don't have any idea how a spear is actually used in combat and seem to think a spearman will just hang the point of his weapon out there and not move it back and forward.
Yes, please on for the swordsman!!
How about a messer or sabre vs the spearman?