Some disadvantages of polearms

[@mapagatu]

Nothing to break boredom like a video about polearm disadvantages

[@sirxander5420]

Idk, that Spear and Shield overarm vs underarm video looks at least equally fascinating

[@Soronant]

A clear disadvantage of a polearm is when you're dumb enough to give up your weapon and walk close enough to an opponent to be grabbed. A tip that blew my mind first time I heard it. Thought I'd share.

[@ReignierAvon]

Prince Oberyn never got the memo.

[@etherealhawk]

Literally just carry a dagger just in case kek, fast to draw if they get around ya :)

[@vilebeggar622]

@@etherealhawk try grabbing your dagger while your enemy is mid-swing about to hit you

[@mikhail6746]

@@vilebeggar622 there is a reason a dagger is used secondary, its better than nothing.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

I used to participate in Dagorhir a lot back in the 90s. One day a young man came to a practice and asked if he could play. The other youth said he was a jerk and I shouldn't let him participate. Well I'm not one to just leave people out, so I said OK. The only unused weapon at that point was a 7ft spear. He took that spear and went to town; even challenging me, the most experienced player. Turns out he wasn't really a jerk and he became friends with the entire group and he showed the others that they should have respected the spear more than they did.

[@ninopino12]

lol wholesome story

[@360Flare]

I personally carry a Halberd at all times with the head stuffed in my pants to not draw too much attention

[@baronprocrastination1722]

"Is that a halberd in your pants or are you just happy to see me?"

[@kathyhalton8352]

@@epitaph3358 nah it just sticks out the top

[@belfastfreethinker]

It may be out of your preferred period, but can you do a video on how Roman Legionaries were trained to deal with spear and pike. Alternatively, a discussion on how medieval were trained to deal with the above would be equally interesting.

[@MrChickennugget360]

@Hans Günther nope. not how it worked. break into the enemy formation and force the enemy to give up their spears. Thats how the Romans beat Greeks using spears. This also brings to point one other disadvantage of pollarms- they can easily get in each others way. since spears when carried one handed have a long half that risked either hiting a friendly or bumping into another spear that risks knocking your weapon in a wrong direction. also turning in different directions can be difficult in a battle where the enemy has broken into the formation can be extremely difficult since spear shafts are more likely to get in each others way when pointing in multiple directions.

[@mysticnovelbro]

FORM A MOBILE TESTUDO, CENTURION!!!!! AETERNA VICTRIX!!!!!! Usually like that

[@JernauMoratGurgeh]

Oh Oberyn Martell.

[@mysticnovelbro]

CHU REEEEIPED HURRR CHU MERRRDERRRED HURRRR CHU KEEELED HURR CHILDREN

[@mysticnovelbro]

all jokes aside, Oberyn Martell was a top notch character in the books and show.

[@benclarke5914]

2:54 demonstrates a perfect walking staff . XD i understand about operating machinery but other than that very specific and probably unlikely task, the pole-arm doesn't need to be carried as a side arm. i think point 3 can be overcome in different ways like armoured hand and or guard on the pole, i just love pole arms , great video .

[@blasty137]

As a lumberjack, I can tell that having your shaft broken in a battle/duel by a sword/axe is extremely unlikely unless it has already been very badly damaged beforehand (in which case you would have probably replaced it anyway).

[@cav89-]

Lots of close quarters fighting using historically verified hand weapons in the lumberjacking business? Im not surpised... Im a woodworker, and can also attest to that. Apparently that’s an issue in the forestry and lumber milling industry as a whole. I heard rumors that the engineered wood materials business is also getting quite bloody. All that mdf and plywood can make a man mad. Should have listened to my dad and kept my GP office. But you cant practice community/family medicine after all the fighting I went through in woodworking. Your eyes fix in your opponent’s, looking only for a queue to strike, to hopefully down your foe and live another day. You can’t heal someone with eyes like these. Not anymore. Its been 5 years since your testimony. I hope you are faring well and strong, mate! May our shafts never break!

[@DerMunger]

There is another disadvantage to long shafted weapons. Due to the fact that the shaft ist mostly regularly round it is hard to keep the blade in line, so if you are fighting in close quarters with your lead hand far up the top, it may happen that if you try to cut your opponent you the blade may slip to the flat side and the cut may not connect.

[@Cambria358]

Is this in response to the latest Game of Thrones episode? Im not going to fully recover from what i saw...

[@heymelon]

Hahah! Me neither!

[@BIIGtony]

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER! DON'T READ IF YOU HAVN'T WATCHED THE NEW GOT EPISODE! Someone should rant about how Orine got what he deserved for spinning like a madman and not being a solid fighter. That being said, it was really fancy but he was stupid. Sad really because he is an awesome charakter. Reading the books I knew what was going to happen but it was still cool to look at.

[@Cambria358]

BIIGtony SPOILER! Oberyn's entire motive was to get a confession from the mountain and prove the Tywin was responsible for the rape and murder of his sister and her children. Killing him instantly would've meant losing that evidence, the one good thing i can get out of losing one of my favorite characters is that he proved he could beat one of the most feared knights in westeros, flawlessly and that it was his motive of revenge that killed him not the mountains skill.

[@FlamswordMage]

BIIGtony MORE SPOILERS His name is Oberyn, not Orine. He died because he let it get personal, and forgot that he was fighting for Tyrion, and not himself and his sister. He obviously would've won the fight if he'd just stabbed his spear into The Mountain's neck while he was down. But no, he let his pride get in the way. He was obviously the better fighter, but he was stupid and prideful and let his guard down. That is why he lost. That is why Tyrion is going to be executed, barring some kind of deus ex machina.

[@BIIGtony]

FlamswordMage Yeah... you are right I kinda guessed at how to write him. But the whole fight was quite cliché. The mountain as the pure brute. Handling the sword with one hand, running directly into the enemy, the slow brute while Oberyn was the quick and nimble dude. Really roll play like and not realistic in any way. But... really fun to watch.

[@rncftw]

I like how you touched upon tactics about getting past the initial point being similar to tactics against a rapier... the reach of both weapons I imagine would cause considerable problems for a shorter weapon (excluding the exception of the guy with the shorter weapon having a buckler or shield perhaps?) and I know reach is reach and a considerable advantage but I was STILL surprised at how highly you rated pole weapons in your example about the intermediate to advanced swordsman... Again all very interesting, great videos I'm glad I found this channel. (and I will practice some form of HEMA when my long term shoulder injury's repair...)

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

I should like to add some other considerations to the mix. 1. All the weight is generally at one end. The most clumsy sword is a thing of balanced beauty compared to any pole arm. 2. Check your vertical space! I have successfully fouled pole arms on signs, tree limbs, wires and roof beams just by carrying them! Wielding one calls for some attention. 3. Check your six too, for the same reason as #2. 4. You always need at least one hand dedicated to carrying/holding one. A sheathed sword usually requires 0 hands.

[@DieterBuys]

I disagree with your first point. A long wooden shaft is actually fairly heavy so the weight is more distributed in a spear. Something like a halberd is a bit more front-weighted for sure but in no way would I call it clumsy. A sword might superficially seem more elegant or graceful but in battle it's about effectiveness and there is no denying that spears are effective.

[@NirrumTheMad]

How about disadvantages of larger shields like heaters and kites?

[@DodgySmalls]

Would love to see this. Obviously something like tower shields just fail in a duel scenario, but I don't know too much about medium sized shields (above bucklers).

[@DodgySmalls]

***** As far as I'm aware the only advantage of a shield that large and unwieldy is the ability to walk in formation to form a strong defense. What I mean by "duel scenario" is an open non-specific area where 2 combatants will fight for any length of time until one is defeated. In this scenario I see no advantage in having a large, heavy, and immobile piece of equipment. This is really nothing like an actual battle, and I assume the legionnaires were revered for their close quarters abilities in war situations, not in pointless street duels. I'm not really that educated on this stuff, so I could be wrong though.

[@eyegrinder94]

I would sort of agree, but I'd counter by saying that the ability to have an almost literal wall between you and your opponent is a serious advantage. I'd also add that very large shields seem to have had a place in the judicial duel scene during later times, as illustrated by Talhoffer, although judicial duels during those times seem to have had a lot of very bizarre customs.

[@gareththompson2708]

Actually a tower shield is very formidable in a one on one duel scenario. It does not just fail. The main disadvantage in combat of a large shield that I can think of might be that you will have a harder time wielding your weapon without accidentally hitting your own shield, so it might reduce how nimble you are with your primary offensive weapon. But, that is also basically the same disadvantage you are placing on your opponent. They are going to have a harder time finding strike paths that don't intercept your shield. In just about any scenario I would consider that trade off to be worthwhile and go for the larger shield. The real disadvantage of a large shield is that it is more encumbering to carry around all day if you don't know you will even need it. This brings up the advantage of bucklers (and the primary reason they became so popular) which is that you can wear them on you belt, just over your sword. If you aren't expecting to fight, but want a shield with you for a potential self-defense scenario, then a buckler is the shield for you. In general you wouldn't use a small shield on a battlefield. Unless you are an archer/gunner who needs to dedicate both hands to operating your missile weapon (no spare hands for carrying around shields) in which case you would probably want a buckler.

[@Al0011235813]

I’m not sure I agree with the first point. Sword blades can be damaged as surely as poles-you can nick the edge, chip the steel, etc. if you use the blade against armoured targets (which we know would have been the case in warfare). An improperly made sword might even shatter or snap. Also, your point about grappling goes two ways: you can grab a pole, yes-although I’ve seen some manuals showing how to grab blades, so it’s not out of the question for swords either-but you can use the pole to grapple your enemy, by tripping them up or using the leverage to disarm them. I agree with most of your other points though-polearms can’t be carried around easily, for sure!

[@Okaruwazashi]

Are there any historically documented European techniques for breaking an opponent's grip on the polearm? I do Jujutsu and I know it's possible to rotate the polearm around to apply a wrist lock, especially if the enemy has only one hand on the weapon. Might be a good technique to know when using a spear against a shorter weapon.

[@NEMOTYPE]

great video! just an observation ..when you spoke of the front hand being vulnerable to attacks i think is interesting to note that in chinese spearmanship the front hand never move with the spear as a whole..but the spear always slide forward inside the hand keeping the hand a lot safer and distant from opponent reach

[@cameronnedland410]

Do we ever see polearms with "hilts" to protect the user's hands?

[@scholagladiatoria]

+Cameron Nedland Yes, some polearms in the 15th-16th century had a disc on the shaft to protect the top hand and sometimes another one lower down for the other hand. They are most often seen on pollaxes and glaives.

[@screamingfox5666]

+Cameron Nedland some spears also had rings or little decorations that would halt a sword giving you time to maneuver the spear... But a spear for duels is very different from a battle spear.. Spears are usually made specifically to be cheap.. The spear on the video was specifically designed to be used by groups.. The idea is to the first to parry or lock an opponent weapon, and his friend to poke the same unhappy one... Javelins for an example, had their heads (blade) intentionally brittle (a hard metal that breaks easily), so you wont be giving 1000 good knifes as a gift to your foes.. There were also specialized protected gloves specific for spear using... But to really domain The Spear is stuff of Kings.. the peasant spear user just needs to know how to poke and this is simple...

[@jordan2170]

Yes. Glaives and poleaxes did have hand guards in the later years of their use.

[@SimicFishCrab]

yes, awl pikes commonly had discs

[@Galdring]

Are there any examples of sliding hand guards, though? I see from your video that it would be advantageous to be able to slide your front hand across the shaft (ehm... you know what I mean).

[@mikethefarrier]

Ive been training spear for a quite a number of years and have always found them to be incredibly effective. I like it with a forearm mounted buckler so i can use both hands as well as parry with the buckler. You are correct that an opponent CAN grab the shaft, however, there are numerous techniques for countering or even allowing them to do so. This usually involves a dagger attack or body check.

[@pablerarav9016]

One question- why is it that war-hammers and maces etc. will frequently have langets, but spears never seem to?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Pabler Arav Because it makes them too heavy - the main advantage of a spear, other than reach, is speed. If you make the spear heavy then it's easier for a person with a short weapon to bind against it and close distance.

[@pablerarav9016]

***** That question has already sort of been answered. You can hold the spear at the very end, therefore having much more reach. It's also way lighter, so you'd haver much more leverage and maneuverability. So yes. A halberd's advantage over a spear would be its superiority in an armoured fight.

[@pablerarav9016]

667Gullin You have read into it a little heavily my friend. 3 would best suit my question, as the original poster of this video refers to metal strips running along the length of a polearm as "langets." He then explained how the extra metal would significantly affect the weight of the spear, rendering the advantage of rapidly being able to strike the foot and then right up the face less effective.

[@stephenchurch1784]

+Pabler Arav Just wanted to add that with a mace or hammer, you're trying to crush someone. Speed and precision are pretty useless in crushing but weight will help out immensely. With a spear on the other hand (lances being a notable exception) the whole point is fast movement and slipping the spear tip in to a soft spot that's unprotected (in one on one combat, phalanxes etc... are a whole different story.) Weight won't help you with that and will make the weapon slower and harder to control.

[@pablerarav9016]

Stephen Church It seems the fundamental issue is that I've underestimated how much weight langets will add to a spear.

[@Fiddlevlad]

Why do I suddenly have this urge to play mount & blade while/after watching this video?

[@user-js8jh6qq4l]

Because spears really suck in M&B combat mechanics?

[@meisterproper8304]

Thirsty Weevils and you can block a Army of Spearmen all at the same Time with ohne move....

[@user-js8jh6qq4l]

Meister Proper if you stay not the exact amount of inches away froma spearman, he just can't do shit

[@meisterproper8304]

Thirsty Weevils reminds of the tournaments. All the dismounted knights stabbing each other with long sticks without making damage because they stand to close....

[@josefranciscoramirez4438]

Meister Proper well in 1257 mod spears are realistically​ OP

[@BeepingMetal]

Dude you can wear a spear easy, just have some sort of Assassins Creed spring loaded device on your arm! Then you can just retract your spear when you need it! SPEAR ARMS omfg I am such a genius and best ninja ever.

[@BlackwolfAnthony]

BeepingMetal *Pimpslaps*

[@BeepingMetal]

urbanmyths95 That sounds perfect! if you had two of them then no swordsman could touch you and you would be invincible!

[@urbanmyths95]

two spears would a stupid idea if you have a one handed spear you'd have a shield. if you have a one handed spear but don't have a shield you'd still use both hands

[@BeepingMetal]

urbanmyths95 Two spears means twice the stabbing! One spear means you can stab one person, but with two you could stab two at once! Or just spin around and no one could get near you!

[@urbanmyths95]

Have you even used a spear?

[@Robbi_]

The reach advantage beats any disadvantage....

[@Yorikoification]

Steel gauntlets would mitigate some of the problems, you would not need to worry so much about protecting your lead hand and if your opponent would ever disarm you can still use your fists as a decent weapon until you can gain enough distance to pull out your sidearm.

[@DynV]

Yoriko Arran Every-time he hinted at being grappled, I could imagine daggers on his chest ; you keep a hand on the pole-arm on the case he let go and the other quickly stabs the grappler.

[@Snow-ds2ud]

And my obsession with the spear continues.

[@rogerwilco2]

Your videos are quite nice and well made, even if it's not a topic that of much interest to me, I have watched several.

[@airnt]

bear in mind that a bajonetted firearm is really heavy (in comparison) and disallows sliding through the lead hand, largely. also the musket with bajonet is fairly long, yet still shorter than most polearms(so the hand is much more vulnerable). of course there are 15thc. polearms with hand guards (rondels) yet i always find those a nuicance. Even with a (rather short) 2 meter pollaxe against long longswords, my hand(/lower arm) rarely gets 'sniped'... I think I have hardly had it sniped at all. A lot of polearms have langets which give tensile strength and help against cutting, in fact some pollaxes have their top 1/3 encased in metal. One great advantage of the sword is in the persuit. butchery is what a sword is great at. a lance is very much a one shot weapon, even in a persuit you would be likely to lose the lance in the first target if not break it. yu wuld want a weapon that is easily drawn (a war hammer is really fiddly to draw on horseback and quite a lot shorter than a sword) and have something that will not tire you out too mcuh and give you some reach and decisive damage. the account of the distribution of dead at Pinkie Cleugh in1547 describes a zone of carnage that the persuiing cavalry did with their swords. but i do agree in principle with most of what you said. but most of those disadvantages are greatly mitigated by group tactics... hence they were so commonly the primary weapon on the battlefield. (whereas in the 'rider war'/chevauchée and other skirmishes the sword is much more prominent.)

[@codyoverton447]

This is your 4th video in the past few weeks I’ve loved I think you’ve earned my subscription

[@trentclarkson9655]

Are there any historical examples of carrying around a polearm on a long march with a leather strap such as with a rifle? Or even manuals on proper storage and maintenance in any of the treatises given the perishability of polearms?

[@mikefule330]

On a long march, I'd expect the spears and heavy items to be on the baggage train (wagons, mules, pack horses etc.). You only do a long march on a campaign, and you only do a campaign if you have logistics and a supply line.

[@jefflee3911]

As for grappling a spear. If you were to be grabbed by the spear a good thing would be to quickly release the spear and if not knocking them off balance you'll jump back to gain ground and then draw a sidearm. You could always wear a buckler on you leading hand too though it may inhibit movement a bit but in the end your main attack with a spear is to thrust in the first place.

[@jefflee3911]

***** i was talking about being the spearholder. Please read.

[@Dhomazhir]

I understand that the cutting/breaking of hafts by swords/axes/impact was a big reason why the US tam took rattan to the Battle Of The Nations and to the IMCF '14 competitions as it was cheaper, less likely to break, and wasn't as easy to cut.

[@lolipopy52]

Thank you for this video. I actually love polearms so it's nice to have this knowledge

[@MatteV2]

I really enjoy these videos! Just thought I'd let you know :p

[@Rasgonras]

We should also take into account that attacking the lead hand, even when it is armoured, the impact will hurt the right hand, and pain is also very effective at making people wary.

[@socialist-strong]

Spears are super cheap. It sucks if it breaks in battle, but if after a fight you notice it's getting chewed up, it's really easy to replace.

[@harleyme3163]

well... I'd figure the main disadvantage is the fact you'd be walking through 100's of arrows from longbows before you ever got in range to hit someone.

[@CaptainBill22]

After what I've learned about Medieval warfare, I know that swords were not commonly the main weapon of soldiers or knights on a battlefield. And it seems that only using a sword is a good way to get yourself killed. In European wars, were there ever dedicated swordsmen and if so what kind of role would they fill?

[@deepsouthredneck1]

You can't climb a siege latter with a pole arm very well.

[@LaughingOwlKiller]

Swords were secondary or tertiary weapons but their mains use (if not mistaken) was everyday wear. A knight or man-at-arms wouldn't be walking around the city with a spear or halberd. Think of it this way...The Pole-arms were like rifles and swords like pistols.

[@Banzaiactual]

Some cultures i.e.(Iceland) would resolve village debates by dedicating a champion and having them duel other village champions when the occasion arose. The sword is more of a dueling weapon. Axes and machete type weapons are more common for spear back up. You will also see swords in use by Calvary (for reach) and officers specifically naval officers( and even these are shorter and more machete like) and in the case of officers it would be more for drill.

[@CaptainBill22]

LaughingOwlKiller That was my logic regarding swords vs. polearms exactly. Bayonet fighting is based off of spear fighting forms. As far as a man -at-arms or a knight was concerned they would rather use their pole weapons first, if that fails switch to a hammer or a mace, then if you're desperate bring out your sword. Carrying a pistol in public is restricted to those with licenses or authorities is much like medieval restrictions on swords in public. My real question is more rhetorical than anything. It was to challenge a common misconception about swords and their place in history. The sword is so often romanticized and a lot more focus is given to it. It's funny how people associate a time period with a side arm rather than a main battle implement. Heck it happens today as well, when someone says "gun" the first thing people will think of is a pistol.

[@CaptainBill22]

LogicBeforeFaIth True but the main goal of someone climbing the siege ladder was to open the gates and let the rest of the army in. Shorter weapons like a sword or axe would be more common then. Sieges of a walled city or fortress were methods of last resort, it was too costly to do so. Though I seriously doubt it was known then, Sun Tzu made that point clear. It mostly came down to a waiting game, you basically starve them out.

[@mysticnovelbro]

A counter that Lindybeige probably took notes from, as I see absolutely no faults in this video.

[@dr.emmettbrown9359]

Personally made my own version of a polearm, not historically accurate whatsoever but my own take. I'm unsure of the correct name but I used peice of metal that had 3 flanges of flat bar protruding from the center, cut it down to 14 inches, sharpened all 3 so now it was a 3 bladed spear, drilled holed in a zig zag formation a couple inches apart halfway down the metal, bolted it to a shaft, sharpened the ends of the now protruding side of the bolts on the back of the shaft, to now have 1 inch long spikes acting as an anti grappling defence, and with the blade purposely mounted on one side of the shaft it naturally corrected the way the polearm was facing due to weight, sanded down the rest of the shaft to form a slight oval shape for better grip, cut some fine grooves in line with the blade so I would know exactly how to place my hands to ensure blade alignment was correct and bobs your uncle, I was sorted. Now while the 3 bladed idea does somewhat negate the cutting capabilities, due to there being more weight on the end than your usual lightweight blade design it created a more bone breaker situation rather than arm cutter. However the payoff is far better, as the stabbing capabilities were now FAR more devastating. Creating an enormous entry wound, larger than a golf ball, with 3 sided blades further creating an ugler mess for any first aid, surgery or repair. Immediate blood loss would be noticeable. This design is obviously for lightly Armoured targets due to its larger surface area for stabbing it wouldn't do well against plate or heavy chain mail. But I've loved it so far

[@MisterKisk]

Regarding the grappling, I've heard and noticed some people would hold a dagger in their rear hand in addition to gripping the spear in order to combat this to some extent. Would you say this is a viable tactic?

[@Ottuln]

I have found polearms to be extremely effective in unarmored combat, and prefer them myself in most situations. Knowing that they have disadvantages doesn't mean that those disadvantages are easily leveraged. People I have faced spear vs longsword always come with the idea of passing the point and charging. Probably 80% find a spear in their chest or abdomen within the first 2 thrusts.

[@nicolasartheau822]

You can also use the pole and follow it whith a blade rather easily to reach the hands or the whole body or head if you pass the two branches which are meant to prevent it by the way.

[@Wisecrackerist]

If you use the spear with two hands than you have no shield and rely on whatever armor you have (if any) against arrows. If you have a shield than it is much harder to control the spear one-handed and easier for the opponent to close the distance.

[@rainick]

That is why you are in a formation with many spears.

[@camwyn256]

I learned staff first. Found I was a natural with the staff. The I went to the pole-arms. Never had a problem with grappling my pole-arm, but I tend to fight with it like a staff. Try to grab the shaft and the back end swings to hit you. I fight with a pole-arm almost exactly like I fight with a staff. Just like fighting with knives is almost exactly like fighting with fists. Don't rely on the edge or point at the end of the stick. Just be aware that that side can cause more damage and (in my style) should be put in your off hand.

[@mackbolan1733]

I'm surprised you didn't mention that they are difficult to use to maximum effect in enclosed spaces, be that inside a building, narrow streets, thick foliage or a swirling melee. Their length makes them far more difficult to manoeuvre than a shorter weapon, like say a short stabbing sword, as an example.

[@septegram]

Another disadvantage I can see is that they're difficult to maneuver (manoeuvre) in complex environments like inside houses or in wooded terrain.

[@urbanmyths95]

I disagree with the point about taking down a swordsman if they have a shield. This comes from experince in battle re-enment, I found when taking on a man-at-arms if I wasn't careful I could easily be rushed. However if the man-at-arms was shieldless I could probably take them down. Also I'm probably at a disadvantage because I can't aim at the head. Thoughts anyone wanna prove me wrong.

[@camwyn256]

I prefer knives when going against a polearm. (In practice) I often beat polearm users. I often use polearms which does help in facing them.

[@theSPREDATOR]

Wouldn't a spear with a hollow metal shaft be resistant to damage by bladed weapons and just as light, if not lighter than a wooden shafted spear. I can't think of a disadvantage to using a hollow metal shaft (other than cost and potential vibration upon impact).

[@skorpikh]

As soon as you mentioned the first hand exposed I thought about "ring like" guard - you'd just attach it through the back side so it could also move with your hand. Simple way to increase your hand protection.

[@favkisnexerade]

Sometimes you need to release the spear to move hand back or something. It's hard to move the guard with hand.

[@Silversong]

I think the third reason is also why some stick fighters would try grabbing the butt end of their enemy's stick, should they not hold the stick properly. Even if you don't disarm or harm the opponent, they can't easily regain control of their weapon as you beat them at point blank range.

[@SpecOpsDoctor]

Perhaps you have a video of yourself using a spear in simulated combat where you show it’s practical use against an opponent?

[@AdrianLParker]

You mention in this video and others that you can retract the spear if someone gets very close. One of your friends who has a KZbin channel (sorry, I forget his name) had a sword versus spear video. Perhaps the people in it aren't experienced with Spears, but it seems when the sword wielder closed to melee the fellow with the spear was quickly defeated.

[@Specter_1125]

The part about getting within the reach of a spear might be significantly multiplied with pikes since they’re often too long to really choke up on without being significantly slowed by the weight sticking out behind you.

[@Spyk3y]

How much does the fighting style differ between say a winged spear and a glaive?

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

I think the main disadvantage of having pole-arms is that it's really hard to fence, I would prefer to have normal human arms one day, made of skin, flesh and bones.

[@Bazhul]

What type of polearm is used in the video? :)

[@scholagladiatoria]

Leonid Yurkovskiy A winged spear

[@Oxnate]

Thank you for this. Great information.

[@rollingthunder1043]

So, I know I'm suuuuper late to this, but can someone explain to me, in light of these points... when you would actually use a polearm/spear vs when you'd use a sidearm? Obviously you want to use a polearm whenever it would be advantageous to have a reach longer than your enemy's, which is *literally all the time*. RPGs often make a point of saying "if you get inside your enemy's guard, they're hosed", which would look like a good time to switch to your side-arm, but Matt clearly demonstrated that that isn't true - just choke up on the handle and shorten your grip, and you'll be fine. Or even just back away until they're no longer inside your guard, possibly after a swift punch in the jaw to give you a moment to do so. I'd guess a polearm would be tricky to use indoors? Unless in a building with very high ceilings and wide halls (like, for example, some of the more major hallways of a castle, or a church, not that most in the medieval period woukd want to fight in a church I guess.) And as Matt said, it's something you'd only bother carrying in hand if you were specifically expecting a fight, otherwise you'd probably leave it in your baggage for the sake of convenience. You might not even get out your polearm if you were just walking between towns, unless you KNEW you were going through an area that was badly affected by banditry

[@TheDOWfan]

game of thrones anyone?

[@pretendawatch]

Mm...Ok. I love Matt! Super informative and interesting.

[@cyborgninja5489]

My favorite weapon is the such-like.

[@panstriato2]

Maybe the chinese spear techniques that thrust with one hand at the base of the spear are a way to sidestep the vulnerable hand disavantage?

[@iainmuir6116]

Historically did people ever just drop their polearm and try switching to daggers if perhaps somebody grabbed the spear?

[@XainEisenhart]

Is the wooden shaft always necessarily a weakness the polearm must have? Why didn't anyone ever make metal shafted polearms? Would it be too heavy? You couldn't make a shaft thin/light enough to be viable? I considered just the cost effectiveness, in that it would be using a lot of metal, but wouldn't there be some who would have done so, considering it worth it to have a non-perishable polearm, since they were such effective main weapons?

[@lifelessperson1993]

Were spears ever sheathed in some form of metal, perhaps iron or steel? Would that solve the issue of the wooden shaft being chopped?

[@MtnTow]

Oh, and finally, a dying and fighting target will pretty much destroy your spear if lodged in it.

[@HurFordMeat]

Great video! Thanks!

[@NeuKrofta]

There is a reason your spear has ears on it- so its harder to grab and if someone does you can pull back on it and injure their hands or arm

[@komreed]

I fought my 6'4 brother with a polymer dagger, he had a polymer longsword, (I'm 5'10) and that difference of length (about 2 ft) caused him to beat me 3/4 times. I usually win 3/4 if we have equal length swords, I had some fencing training and he didnt, so makes sense

[@TheSecondHandShooter]

When you post your vids could you perhaps put a link in the description to where you got the item from? love all the videos you upload.

[@WheelsRCool]

Why can't the whole weapon be made out of metal, so that it cannot be cut? Would that have made the weapon too heavy? Regarding if the opponent grabs your pole weapon, you can turn the pole axe in a manner that will force the person to let go (they can also try this on you too).

[@AvengerofWarcraft]

So basically: the shaft is easy to break, it's impossible to wear it and the hands are vulnerable. Got it.

[@Connorcj1]

He specifically said it's not easily broken, but can sustain a lot of damage. You aren't very likely at all to have it cut through in battle if it's well maintained - you would simply have to get a new shaft afterwards if it took a decent amount of hits.

[@JoakimfromAnka]

Talk about different types of polearms! Glave, bill, corseque etc. :D

[@BuckandOden]

They are good for home defense, unless a knight breaks into your house.

[@Hell_O7]

Or when you're attacked from two different sides

[@Explosiv1099]

If a sharp blade can damage the shaft of the polearm... then how would someone with a polearm fare against someone with a BIG claymore... I feel like a broad swipe of the claymore would shatter the wooden shaft of the polearm if they needed to parry the claymore

[@timothyheimbach3260]

Skallagrim did a video on cutting through a wooden pole. It took about ten blows to snap it.

[@MadMargaretGaming]

Timothy Heimbach depending on the weight of the striking weapon and how much force you put behind it it takes at least three swings to weaken a shaft enough to get through it.

[@ThanksIhateyoutoo]

MadMargaretGaming on a table sure, but as he brings up in the video your arms are going to have give, and the parry will absorb much more of the shock than the haft being affixed to a solid table. Having give in your arms will absorb impact, and your parries will more often be used to turn aside an attacking blade than to outright block it. It will last. Spears can break in battle but they arent made of glass either.

[@gabemerritt3139]

While fixed. Most duels aren't going past 10 blows, and you aren't gonna cut it nearly as well if it's being wielded.

[@flufebunekilr]

So a spear is dominant over most setups (maybe not as much with a "large" shield with sword/ axe/ mace), the only thing that gets really messy is spear v. spear which is like rapier v rapier, which i mean by everyone leaves that fight either both cut up or both cut up enough were in the end the both die of blood loss like most duels back in the day, never really a clean duel when spear v spear always trading hits like you see in fencing, so what if one guy hits first, momentum has it the other guy will get stabbed as well. I hate getting cut so a fight were hits are traded is not my style

[@MrEazyE357]

Why didn't people add a strap/sling to polearms so they could carry them in their back, or did they? Seems like a good idea.

[@raffaelw.2767]

I'm really interested in how other polearms were used. Especially the glaive, because there's not much information on the internet. And I'd also like to know how good of a choice they are in a duel situation, and how effective they are against other weapons. Can they be used like a spear with the additional ability to cut? Do they have any significant advantages over spears, other polearms or swords etc? I really love the look of glaives, faulcharts and halberds - but there's not much information on these weapons (esp. Glaive) I suppose a glaive would be used almost like the very similar naginata... but that's just speculation - I don't have any experience with weapons.

[@mikefule330]

Longer pole arms such as glaives were not really for a one on one situation. They were used in formation, and often by infantry against cavalry. However, the pole axe, which was shorter, was a very effective weapon in a one one one duel on foot.

[@Captaingreenbeared]

So as someone who usually uses a bow with a pollaxe as a backup: It's really easy, I just put it on the ground, I drop my box and grab my axe when it's time to hit people ;)

[@Captaingreenbeared]

(Also, polearms become terrifying when there's fifty of them)

[@cirulis37]

Some right some wrong. It's hard to grab a spear even more so if you hold your own weapon. The only way to take a spear like that is to fully commit aka dropping your sword and shield to use both hands to grab and take your opponents weapon. Any one who has had five mins of spear know just give it a quick spin and they wont hold to it. Anyhow great video like your work.

[@matthewbromilow4763]

so if swords and maces ect. were side arms what was the most common primary weapon in the middle ages, was it a spear?

[@GallowglassAxe]

My fencing/archery friends would have what we call "nerf wars" which is kinda like a poor man's version of HEMA or LARP (without the role play). Just for fun and nothing serious. Some guys would take PVC pipes and attache foam footballs on the end to make spears. They were so good they were actually banned from play. The only way I could beat them was to grab the shaft but it wasn't easy.

[@heymelon]

Cant chop through it with one or a few hits? Unless you´re a mountain!

[@mlentzner]

I like how the spear made a dry kindling sound when it broke also. There must be better wood available in Sunspear than that!

[@AlexThomson1000]

A normal man can't explode someones face with his bare hands either... take it all with a pinch of salt I think lol.

[@GamerGarm]

mlentzner And for a fighting Prince, no less!

[@jasonslade6259]

Note that when the Mountain did break the spear shaft it was by pinning the spear against the floor/ground. That is one of the rare times that you can actually break a spear during combat, although its still not easy, especially not when your opponent is aware of this fact.

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

Jason Slade I've seen that fight, and the broken spear shaft was a true outcome there. If a weapon is pinned and held so that i becomes rigid, its chance of breakage goes way up! I have to salute the show's fight team and stunt coordinator, they know what they are doing.

[@ql1couk]

Cool video, great info

[@yungsouichi2317]

If you're facing an unarmoured oppenent, even if someone did get past the point, it's still basically a quarter-staff, isn't it?

[@bigchunk1]

If I had to go into a medieval fight I'd take a freaking spear. I would try to be lightly equipped too so I could feint step back a lot.

[@rhyzvanic3660]

+bigchunk1 I would take no chances. Full plate armour, big greatsword. Even if I'm not physically fit to wear and use those arms to their utmost efficiency, I would at least feel safe inside a suit of iron.

[@bigchunk1]

Vlad1m4ra Yeah, little is safer than a horse and full plate. Good point.

[@favkisnexerade]

+bigchunk1lol no. Full plated armor is safest tactics you can get.

[@GnarledStaff]

bigchunk1 Only if the horse is trained and likes you. Horses can get pretty big and do a lot of damage. Untrained or spooked horses can do a lot of damage to friendlies.

[@woutvermeulen4883]

i would use full plate armor and an assault rifle tbh

[@SchlrFtrRkMystc]

I would like to offer one more disadvantage to heavier pole weapons excepting a lighter spear 8 and a half feet or less. And that is lacking a shield in your offhand leaves you very vulnerable to any sort of ranged attack. In battle this includes archers, crossbowmen, and slingers, but also against thrown weapons... including improvised thrown weapons... like stones. Indeed, someone using a two handed pole weapon has few options when their opponent opts to throw something at them. I am clearly very pro shield lol. Of course this is less of an issue in heavy armor with full coverage.

[@mikefule330]

In a formal pitched battle in ancient and early mediaeval times, spears were typically used in conjunction with shields. Alternatively, they may be used without shields in a situation where ranged weapons were unlikely to be a threat. 2 handed weapons such as the Dane axe were used without shields, but in a context in which other comrades had formed a wall of shields. In late mediaeval times, 2 handed pole weapons such as poleaxes were used without shields because the user was wearing plate armour. Context!

[@Psiberzerker]

I'd also add that in close quarters, like small rooms, they're fairly useless. Out in the open field, you have the area to use footwork, and take advantage of the primary advantage (Reach) Any room that has walls closer together than the full length of your polearm is too close to really use it effectively. (Though in a long corridor, you can essentially cover it against anything but a longer polearm, or a ranged weapon. Ranged>Reach.) Even along the hypoteneuse, because only an idiot would stand in the corner, where you can stab him.

[@Psiberzerker]

On Point II: There are what I would call a Half Haft weapon, as a general class. Not many of them, but for carrying around, an Edwardian Cane with a Warhammer Head (There were such things) is about armpit height, standing up. Doesn't really get in the way much more than say a Longsword, of about the same length. There's few other examples I'd put in there, a Swiss Shepard's Ax, which was also about walking stick length. Boarding pikes, and some boarding axes were also short, and handy enough for fighting/firefighting in ships' holds. (As they were designed for it) and cabins.

[@alreadydeadal]

I would add another. Using Two handed weapons leaves your body vulnerable as you cannot wear a shield

[@midnightwolf14000]

I wouldn't say getting past the head hands you the win but I would say its a disadvantage almost all you could do is parry with the pole ofcourse you can attempt striking but when you pull back then can step to the side as they close the distance and go for a cut at your arm or shoulder? perhaps on the non-lead in this case perhaps a cutting rather then thrusting style of polearm wouldn't have this problem as much but relying on thrusts so heavily would certainly make sword range combat very difficult?

[@schwarzerritter5724]

This brings up an interesting question: I heard the flamberge is a sword specially designed for cutting off polearms. Do you know if that is true? I find it hard to believe.

[@pchwang]

+Schwarzer Ritter I think it would work if the spearpoint was trapped and the operator of the polearm has an iron grip. Otherwise you're just going to knock the it out of the way.

[@porthosthemighty4610]

Hey this is way off topic but i very much respect your opinion ...what do you think of the fight choreogrophy on the movie Dune the original? I noticed in the knife fighting scenes with Sting in the end the hero crosses his hands alot and remembered a bunkai from my sensei that utilized this for trapping hands and transfering this to joint manipulations what do you think of this?

[@l3anditor]

Couldn't find any information on google about polearm+shield usage in history. But I have seen some historical images where soldiers have halberd and shield together. Can you give some information about how real and practical such stance would be?

[@aleexx77]

+mazaisvilijs hoplites, no halberd but they used spears and shields

[@speshiled220]

wow, an in depth and articulated analysis! are you sure this is youtube?

[@chrisborgnaes227]

I've been thinking about the shape of the blade on most common halberds. Clearly it's primarily a thrust/piercing weapon. But, with the blade angled closer to the shaft at the bottom can you conceive of a pull/cutting maneuver as you bring the weapon back home? Wasn't some armor of the period more bolstered in the front? It would seem that a side/rear contact could be intended to damage the connecting bits of such armor.

[@knotten33]

I can't imagine anyone grabbing hold of a slashing polerarm though. Unless its a slash from top to bottom that you dodge. I think you should've touched abit on the difference between slashing and thrusting and it's different dis/advantages.

[@MaineRandy]

great information, thank you

[@Real_OSHA_Unsafety_Engineer]

simple dont use wood next time instead metal. Dont hang them in side instead in back. Now the disadvantages broke down to one only. Oh and poleaxe/halberd/whatever is for offensive not defensive. "Make your weakness the strongest."

[@stampedmetalsword8099]

Of course their awesome. Muhammad Ali showed us this.