in terms of damage(RTW's attack-power)
I'm voting pike (imaging teh Kinetic energie of such a heavy thing)
as for the rest, i think:
axe=falcata (about)
2-h axe=hammer
overhead spear > underhead
longsword > shortsword
most effective melee weapon?
in terms of damage(RTW's attack-power)
I'm voting pike (imaging teh Kinetic energie of such a heavy thing)
as for the rest, i think:
axe=falcata (about)
2-h axe=hammer
overhead spear > underhead
longsword > shortsword
Last edited by jerby; 09-10-2005 at 16:04.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
jerby you spammer.
In terms of dammage Hamer.
If you are naget it will kill you. If you have chain mail it will still kill you. If you have full plate armour it will still kill you.
Last edited by LorDBulA; 09-10-2005 at 16:10.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Where's the option for the Dacian Falx?
RTW, 167 BC: Rome expels Greek philosophers after the Lex Fannia law is passed. This bans the effete and nasty Greek practice of 'philosophy' in favour of more manly, properly Roman pursuits that don't involve quite so much thinking.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Or the rhomphaia. My vote definitely goes to it or the falx.
"It is an error to divide people into the living and the dead: there are people who are dead-alive, and people who are alive_alive. The dead-alive also write, walk, speak, atc. But they make no mistakes; only machines make no mistakes, and they produce only dead things. The alive-alive are constantly in error, in search, in questions, in torment." - Yevgeny Zamyatin
Re: most effective melee weapon?
couldn't the same be said of axes and longswords that are end-heavy enough?Originally Posted by LorDBulA
now i'm here, and history is vindicated.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
For two handed axe yes. Not so much for the long sword (its weight is distibuted diffrently so its easy to use).
But i prefer hammer, especialy with a spike on one end (not that i am strong enough to use one)
Re: most effective melee weapon?
me, a spammer?
i'm just trying to get more life into here.
and your probably right about the hammer. I was taking formation into account. wich i shouldn't have..
but i don't think there's a lot of material-defense against a hammer, or 2-h-axe. both have a lot of mass- with a lot of downward power. i think thebest defense would be: don't get hit, or your screwed.
but i guess this is pointless because all weapons are effective in theri own way:
-falcata's aren't as damaging as a hammer. but are more versatile/faster
-shortsword will do the least damage but are the fastest/cheapest and much easier in use
-hammers and axes..just to heavy to stop with any armor
-pikes: sheer mass for force...completly useless outside formation
-spear: less powerfull than pike but easier to use. even outside formation.
-stick: ..never mind.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
I especialy like this weapon (i dont know its english name)
http://www.man.poznan.pl/~ritter/Html/nadziak.html
The ultimate answer for Plate armour (if we talk about melee weapons).
Re: most effective melee weapon?
i btw guess the romphia goes along with the Kopis. or long-sword..so will teh falx...
can anybody btw tell e the difference between the falx and rhomphia?
Re: most effective melee weapon?
And what about the "gladius hispaniensis" ? Strange that the most deadly weapon of antiquity isn't represented in this poll.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
i guess that it is in this category strait-shortsword. If jerby would like to make evry weapon ever made avaible in pool it would be a very long list.
What about Halabards this was very nice weapon.
Last edited by LorDBulA; 09-10-2005 at 16:37.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
The rhomphaia is basically a longer, heavier version of the falx. More or less.
Cogita tute
Re: most effective melee weapon?
halbards were rannaissance weapons i believe.
Aymar, what the difference between the Gladius hispanis and teh Falcata
(or was teh gladius hispanis a short-sword like the roman gladius?)
Last edited by jerby; 09-10-2005 at 16:48.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
isn't that just a plain ol' warhammer? most warhammers had a blunt side and a pick side (for piercing armor).
but about longswords, what about big two-handed warswords like the claymore or those massive german swords that landesknechts used? a full swing with one of those to the side of someone's head would surely do some damage regardless of armor, right?
now i'm here, and history is vindicated.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
lol
I would say the shortsword in a thick melee cuase you have room to manouver.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
It all really depends on who's using the weapon, and how they're being used. For example, a double handed weapon which needs alot of room to maneuver with would be pretty useless against a densly packed formation amoungst their ranks. I dont think there is one single best weapon, they all have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Falcatas were shaped a little like modern Kukris, though larger. The blade is somewhat forward curved ( a little like the falx, in fact, but with a thicker, wider, shorter, blade) Thus, they were poor thrusting weapons, but very decent chopping/slashing ones. The Gladius was very well suited for thrusting, and able to chop well enough if needed. While chopping/slashing is all very well, and easier to learn/improvise, thrusting is both far more lethal in effect and more effective versus most types of armor from this period, except the heavier kataphractoi type stuff. Also, thrusting is much less energy intensive over a long period of combat, and exposes less of the attacker (especially in regards to the shield) . Finally, while this is anecdotal, puncture wounds in general are more feared by professional soldiers than lacerations, owing to the much greater mortality over time from infection/complications. Hence, why people dislike the slashing animations of gladius-weilding Romans
Iskandr
Re: most effective melee weapon?
You are totaly right but jerby adds in his first postIt all really depends on who's using the weapon, and how they're being used. For example, a double handed weapon which needs alot of room to maneuver with would be pretty useless against a densly packed formation amoungst their ranks. I dont think there is one single best weapon, they all have their own advantages and disadvantages.so we have a base to choose the best weapon (damage wise).in terms of damage
Yep it was. Are we limited only to RTW timeframe?halbards were rannaissance weapons i believe.
Yep the basic design is the same. But it is a weapon invented in XV century especialy for opening medieval cans (full plate aromur). It was small, and very effective.isn't that just a plain ol' warhammer? most warhammers had a blunt side and a pick side (for piercing armor).
Re: most effective melee weapon?
trust me. i know what a falcata is...the reason i found out about EB is because i was bitching about it in the Arena (or so)..i've been a major fan ever since
the weird thing is. some schoar says the falacata/kopis wasn't really that bad at thrusting. because of teh weight distribution the blade will "pull itself in" when enetring the body.
but i should rephrase my question: isn;t the "gladius hispanis" a regular short-sword?
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Dudes damage wise id say a 3 headed flail ( with spiked iron balls not metal rods)
Re: most effective melee weapon?
that's medieval...i'm talking about EB's time period weapons..shoudl ahve stated that..srry
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Where is the kontus or xyston? That would certaintly be the best. After that, an Iranian longsword. But bows are the best.
"But if you should fall you fall alone,
If you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home."
Grateful Dead, "Ripple"
Re: most effective melee weapon?
knew you'd say that..
count the Iranian sword as a long-sword..
and i guess i didn't take in cav-weapons designed for charge-retreat battles because i dont think of that as "melee"
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Beanfart.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Well, they are two completelly different swords
The falcata is similar in shape if not exactly in size to the greek kopis and they are both derivated from the greek machoira. All are single edged curved heavy tiped swords (almost medium length). They are in fact a kind of saber very apt to powerfull downward cutting slashes.
An original:
Two modern reproductions:
The gladius hispanniensis is a straight and wide double edged pointy short sword apt to fast stabbing movements. It can cut in both edges but it's prefered use is the stab. This one is the sword the Romans copied (and later modified but never really improved in terms of quality) to replace the leaf-shaped short sword they used earlier.
Two originals:
Replicas of Roman versions:
See the difference?
Re: most effective melee weapon?
yeah..i see it.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
OK. It is a short sword. But I thought you wold be more specific to RTW's time in the poll...yeah..i see it.
Re: most effective melee weapon?
me? specifik?
i was generalising a lot when i made it. and mainly doing this from teh top of my head.
spears were off course there. so were short-swords. somethign reminded me of teh Iranian longsword: so thats were teh longsword-option came from. I ahve a crush for the kopis/falcata, so that's there.and the rest came from troops that made a good impression on me/i remebered.
still no votes for an underhead-spear, will it even be in eb? (triarii perhaps?)
Re: most effective melee weapon?
I believe the Warhammer is also a medieval weapon
Re: most effective melee weapon?
Hammers where used in RTW timeframe but they where very rare (there is one unit on hammer armed troops in EB).
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