Maces

Hey I just saw a new picture on gamespot and there is cavalry with maces. Now we'll be compensated even if they dont have axemen (well partially) but I never heard of... nm it just sounds stupid...

The impression I have (not from detailed study) is that the use of maces on horseback was quite common beginning the middle of the period, as armour grew heavier and more elaborate.

maces were a lot in the period; i would like to see head choped by maces

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Pride and Honour

william the conquerer's bother Bishop Otho famously used a mace at the battle of Hastings, IIRC something to do with not wanting to spill blood as a priest. Smashing skulls was evidently OK.

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Oderint dum metuant

Quote Originally posted by Yama:
maces were a lot in the period; i would like to see head choped by maces

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I have NEVER seen pepper spray behead a chap! GAH! Mace! LOL

i could see one or two guys use maces, but imagine how ridiculous the idea of a unit of 500 men all armed with maces is.

But that makes you wonder: What are their weaknesses? Will the be innefective against Pikemen or units with Spears? or Swords?

arrows?

This is the thing i don't get with MTW. The knights of old followed their general yes but thy were not organised into units and/or groups. They simply all bundled together and charged at one specific point. So all the men aroundone knght could be sporting a sword, while he is sporting a mace. This is one historical inaccuracy knights were noble men. They fought for their general and him alone, not for a sargeant who led them around like a regiment.

Just thought i'd point this out!

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Grand Master of
The Knights Templar
"non nobis Domine non nobis sed Nomine tuo da gloriam"

I think folks get too wrapped around the axle about weapon strengths and weaknesses. All of these various medieval melee weapons were about bashing or in the case of pikes and spears, stabbing. If you got smacked good by a mace, a hammer, a flail, an axe or a sword what do you think the difference would be between them? Armor may save your life or limb but my guess is you're hurt pretty badly for at least the rest of the day regardless of the weapon that hit you.

The real difference would be the use of one or two hands, a two handed blow being potentially more powerful. To be sensible the melee weapons would come in three types of effectiveness: single handed (allowing a shield), two handed, and long two handed (pikes, bills, halberds, etc). Anything more is splitting hairs.