Why did guards carry halberds?

See: The Martial Ethic in Early Modern Germany: Civic Duty and the Right of Arms by B. Ann Tlusty
#halberd #polearm #hema #history #shorts

[@xavierburval4128]

Love how the primary argument is just “you have the biggest stick, so no one wants to fight you”

[@ofekmizrahi3079]

Story of my life 🙃

[@juliuscaesar6660]

@@ofekmizrahi3079 Man, the amount of copium you've inahling has turned your emojis upside down

[@Gamespud94]

makes sense, I've heard a lot that most private security is just about looking scary enough that no one tries anything.

[@carsonweekly]

speak softly and carry the biggest stick

[@ofekmizrahi3079]

@@juliuscaesar6660 bro got envious over a joke 💀

[@christophernelson1334]

Dude, it makes so much sense to want them to carry an axe. I had never thought about them using it to help fight fires.

[@BlahBlah-yl2bz]

This is huge and I NEVER thought of it. I'm almost ashamed that I hadn't seen it.

[@masterimbecile]

Yeah they weren’t so much fighting fires as fighting burning buildings.

[@PANCAKEMINEZZ]

Okay but the question is did they? Its a fun thought but inherently useless if nobody actually used them for that purpose.

[@otaku2082]

@@PANCAKEMINEZZ I mean, the only source of light and warmth was fire at a time. I believe few fires could break out from time to time.

[@carsonweekly]

Are fires naturally weak to axes? Why wouldn't a sword kill one?

[@khajiitimanus7432]

In summary: Big distinguishable stick, good crowd control, also handy for emergency demolition.

[@baitposter]

Also: A walking stick you can lean on if you're standing in one spot all day. A less lethal option: you have a blunt stick at the other end. Someone you don't strictly want to kill coming at you? Poke them square in the chest, or just beat them down with the big stick.

[@c50m4]

Not to be a dick but.. are we really at the point that we need a summary of a 60 second video?

[@baitposter]

@@c50m4 Using a concise bulleted list as a mnemonic never hurt. There's a lot of information going around and through us to keep track of, now more than ever.

[@Anon_Spartan]

@@c50m4 Tiktok users now think 60 seconds is too long. It's a damn shame.

[@Isiauwuehrifi]

Also the sharp end can fuck up the local bandits

[@jeff4907]

I think another big factor is that guard duty involves a lot of standing around. If you're doing that for hours a day it's nice to have a staff you can use to help support you.

[@cyqry]

I imagine guards leaning was probably frowned upon however. I mean even the lowest grunt workers in modern society are given shit for doing so, imagine how their boss would react when someone who's supposed to be *alert* is found slacking.

[@ntfoperative9432]

@@cyqryeasy, don’t get caught

[@cyqry]

@@ntfoperative9432 With that big ol' stick that's meant to make you very visible?

[@ntfoperative9432]

@@cyqry a lot of people may see you, but that doesn’t mean one of them is your captain

[@draconian_dragons6588]

@@cyqryitd better to be at ease for being alert for hours on end than it is to be at attention and alert for hours on end

[@SovietReunionYT]

The most impactful demonstration I've seen of how useful these are for guards is one of the assassin failure cinematics in Medieval II Total War. The guards corner the assassin, and one of them just pokes him in the stomach from a safe distance, he cant do anything about it with his dagger. And that's just the universal situation in settlements - you cant carry a long weapon or a shield without immediately drawing attention from the guards, and you cant defend yourself against a halberd with any weapon you can carry concealed.

[@colec1039]

I looked up all the assassination cinematics and I couldn't find it which is it again

[@satanwithinternet2753]

Just look up medival 2 all assasin fails​@@colec1039

[@THECHEESELORD69]

And that’s why bringing a pistol back In time would be a Major advantage, you just wear a cloak and boom, you can whip out your pocket rocket without drawing attention.

[@bigmike-mg6fj]

Nah I’d roll, temporarily rendering myself invincible, through the attack and counter with magic

[@decal4707]

@@THECHEESELORD69Until you run out of ammo. Or the gun jams. Or the gun breaks. Orrrr or or or… my point is that it would be better to blend in with the crowd if you were time traveling in all aspects, including your weapon of choice. I’d pick a langesmesser or some kind of estoc

[@spregged7231]

Here we see Clark Kent demonstrating skills with a Halberd

[@fromthefire4176]

Seriously tho, he might be holding a halberd but his sense of style is by far the sharpest thing here gd

[@r.g.7200]

Actually thought he was cosplaying Harry potter😂

[@therealnickynurotic8930]

Don't make him go supes on us

[@Joshua_N-A]

Bruce: "To the contigency plan room!"

[@jeffreyherrera5069]

Lois: You're quite knowledgeable about this sort of thing, aren't you, Smallville?

[@blindoutlaw]

You can also corral a person you were trying to capture and not kill. Very effective for a guard trying to arrest someone

[@psy-fi64]

Like a mancatcher

[@RuneKatashima]

He does touch on this.

[@buddermonger2000]

​@@RuneKatashimaWell he talked about it more in the crowd control context

[@rayanderson5797]

Swing the butt end at their knees pretty hard and I'm sure they'll go down.

[@theinfamousbigslurp618]

Like that scene in Shrek 2

[@silverwings21]

Thanks for explaining that, Clark Kent.

[@farkrits]

You know, he looks pretty similar to that Superman fellow... Hm, must be imagining it, nevermind.

[@One.____]

reminds me when clark gave up his powers and became a normal person

[@ruffneck777]

​@@One.____ wdym ? Clark already is a Normal Guy

[@franciscocolorado3028]

​@@farkritsNah, Superman is strong and powerful, Clark is just a nerd farm boy

[@CubeGodd]

@@farkrits Yeah you're nuts. Different hair, the glasses, and I'm sure Clark is a scrawny weakling underneath those reporter clothes.

[@davidstreicher1103]

"In a Civic Capacity, you have the Biggest Stick" is such an iconic line I'm going to use it in regular conversation from now on.

[@Djrealfake]

You know I had always wondered why firemen use so many medieval weapons and now I know, the halberd is an indispensable tool in so many different roles during a house fire, from poking the ceiling to find hotspots to ripping a door right off the hinges.

[@misterturkturkle]

classics never go out of style.

[@lachlanhenry486]

Yeah, firefighters do still use them. Neat!

[@garbajful]

Well, we use Pikes, not halberds. Also the axe head on the thing is for chopping people not wood. There's a huge difference in the shape of an axe made for wood vs a weapon. So i call bs on this vid.

[@Candlemancer]

​@garbajful just as you can kill a person with a fire axe, an axe head optimised for combat will still do pretty well against wood. They're not using them to fell trees.

[@Djrealfake]

@@garbajful bruh.... Obviously firefighters in 2023 don't use exactly what a guy firefighting in 1300 was using, my point was that you can clearly see the heritage in the tools used today. Also I don't know about your department but mine uses pikes, axes, poll axes, and yes a modern type of halberd, granted it looks more like a long crowbar with a spike on top but again you can clearly see the heritage.

[@jacobturner1490]

Clark Kent got some eccentric hobbies these days!

[@mavairick]

Y'know, fighting villain gets exhausting, you need something to release.

[@TheDeathmail]

Well, where else do you expect him to go when Superman is around...

[@nvrndingsmmr]

Ah yes, the obligatory "This person looks like this other famous person!"comment. So glad I read this

[@FakeAssHandsomeMcGee_]

I knew he looked familiar.

[@tofu_max4420]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought this 😂

[@weakhunter13]

I've really been more interested in questions like these as of late. A ton of people like to ask how people killed with these weapons, and I find a lot less that ask how they lived with them. Can't be at war all the time

[@Derginator]

I think a obvious not stated in this video use for halberds too is you have a less lethal option. Hold the weapon upside down and it’s just a stick. Ya don’t wanna hurt the guy your trying to corral? Poke him with the stick square in the chest. He’s getting a but more aggravated or has a knife? Smack him with the stick. Most people stop when you hit them and it hurts like hell, bonus points if you don’t have to escalate it to ‘my lord I cut a drunk guys hand off in front of half the town’

[@thefish8304]

@@Derginator A lot of (not all) halberds have a metal spiked end, so this reason was probably not mentioned in the video because it’s not always applicable, also he kinda did mention that it’s a useful shoving tool

[@Snowcrab27]

​@@thefish8304you do realize that it doesn't always need to be metal spike at that end right? Just like how Halberd head doesn't always look the same right?

[@thefish8304]

@@Snowcrab27 yes and I literally mentioned that in my comment

[@Snowcrab27]

@@thefish8304 did I read it wrong? Lmao ,Pardon my English then 🤣

[@geordiebailey8648]

I never realised how narrow the blade appears when facing it. It's way subtler and more deceptive than I thought such a big weapon could be.

[@emoment1088]

It's also stupidly lighter than you would imagine looking at it, making it *incredibly* maneuverable. Perhaps most of your run-of-the-mill guards hardly know shit about using it, but someone who's truly good, with one of the best and most versatile weapons to ever exist would be rightly terrifying.

[@swissarmyknight4306]

When people pick up my Dane axe, they always remark on how much lighter and longer it is than they expected. That's almost universally true among historical weapons. Movies and games depict them as much heavier and shorter than they were.

[@oscaranderson5719]

⁠@@swissarmyknight4306I think there’s a tendency for art to exaggerate weapon characteristics to give it an interesting flavor, especially since they don’t know how they work. hopefully tho given the trend in semi-realistic shooter games we’ll see the same happen with medieval weapons.

[@swampdonkey1567]

​@@oscaranderson5719also wood(splitting) axes and some wood splitting axes are heavy and thick. This also maybe explains bowtie axes being so common in fantasy since, bowtie axes were usually for wood.

[@cgi2002]

​@@swampdonkey1567definitely but for good reason, both follow different design principles. An axe for woodcutting needs to be more durable and require less maintenance. At its core its a sharpened club for beating a tree to death, and trees are exceptional strong compared to even the most heavily armoured human A daneaxe/halbard/any waraxe is a frankly precision tool in comparison. It needs to be both light and strong, as it will be carried long distances, used in high momentum situations and the user needs the energy to keep going afterwards without a break. And while strength is important its not going to be used to beat a tree to death, people are squishing, even ones wearing full plate. You will also maintain this better, the woodcutting village pesant often doesn't have access to a toolsmith for free, the guy with a great axe likely does so repairs and maintenance are easier.

[@hellkitelord8319]

I know what all my guards in my DND campaign are going to have. Thanks for the video. It's good to know this info regardless of reason why.

[@SSJKenpachiZaraki]

We were imprisoned 2 sessions ago and my DM gave halberds to all the guards. They made those bastards unchargeable. They took my much bigger stick off me when I, the barbarian in sleep-deprived delirium, made one out of the bed frame 😠

[@Krokmaniak]

​@@SSJKenpachiZarakiSo your telling me halberds worked as advertised?

[@SSJKenpachiZaraki]

@@Krokmaniak they certainly did!! My best bet was getting skewered!!

[@MrTupimus]

It's always mixed weapons into spears into halberds, depending on how far along and wealthy the settlement is

[@BlitzkriegBryce]

If they are guards of high standing (like a king's guard) make sure to give them the polearm master + sentinel combo.

[@temp3608]

''You have the biggest stick, if it comes to violence you have a massive advantage'' True.

[@Chicky_Lumps]

Germany in WWII: (Which ironically shows why this isn't always the case, more power eventually comes at the cost of less useability and greater resource price. Which is an exchange you can't abuse ad infinitum.)

[@temp3608]

@@Chicky_Lumps Ye they were not in a great situation there. Either make small sticks and lose or make big sticks and you don't have enough or they break **cough cough** Tiger.

[@basbomb2018]

Seeing Clark Kent with a halberd is a life goal I never knew I had

[@echochildus2441]

and still don't?

[@kingimura2430]

I think he looks more like the main guy from Monster in the Closet.

[@forestfriend2773]

Get him a daily planet news paper! 😂

[@BigChicken-eg4bg]

"If it comes to violence, he has a massive advantage."

[@scottwilliams846]

I knew I'm not the only one who thinks he looks like Clark Kent

[@sethstewart6203]

Also works for standing at a post all day. Good big stick to lean on :)

[@chemistrykrang8065]

Absolutely. You can have a nice nap, or at least doze, if there's nobody around to stop you.

[@arfyego0682]

@@chemistrykrang8065 Those generic sleeping guards in media resting on their spear/halberd /do/ look pretty cozy tbf

[@Iliadic]

Ironically, leaning on things is a uniquely American thing.

[@chemistrykrang8065]

@@Iliadic eh? I assure you that as a lazy British man I too have fallen asleep leaning on a halberd in the rain.

[@Iliadic]

@@chemistrykrang8065 okay lol. I just remembered that the CIA has to actually untrain operatives to lean because it makes you stick out like a sore thumb in Europe a lot of the time.

[@RedJadeArt]

I feel like people sometimes forget looking at history just how fucking FLAMMABLE everything was

[@cattysplat]

Everything made of wood. All forms of lighting coming from flames burning wax, oil and...wood.

[@HECKproductions]

and meanwhile they think a ship covered in laquer and soaked up with salt water is gonna vaporize immediately when one speck of spark exists

[@RegalBeginner]

Is*

[@SnakebitSTI]

@@HECKproductionsIf that spark exists inside a magazine, the ship will promptly stop existing.

[@nowayjosedaniel]

Okay but dont get too carried away here. Remember, humans were always intelligent so they invented ways to make material more fire resistant. Not all wood burns easily, for example, as there are ways to treat it or add other materials to a structure. Mud, for example, doesnt catch fire Second, modern materials are also flammable and able to catch on fire. You just don't see as many massive out of control fi....oh wait nevermind we literally have firenado's now.

[@nerdreaderisreading]

I never knew Atticus Finch was this skilled at armed combat

[@twistedtachyon5877]

That dog went down in round 1, but evidently there was a solid round 2 available.

[@goatsandroses4258]

The "fire axe" comment is complete genius. I would have never thought of that, but it really makes a LOT of sense. The halberd really is a multi-tool. You could use it for everything from crowd control, to pulling down tree branches, to lifting something- like hanging a banner.

[@D.A.R.C.I.]

For Honor really hit the nail when they said it was most versatile weapon ever invented

[@pipp972]

Though admittedly that was said about Lawbringer's poleaxe, was it not?

[@professormetal4411]

​@@pipp972they call it a poleaxe, but it's a halberd, poleaxes are shorter than Lawbringers weapon. There's not much of anything For Honor gets right, the original idea was more true to historical combat, and the demo video they released many years ago looked relatively accurate to HEMA reconstructions, but corporate Ubisoft bastardized that.

[@Specter_1125]

@@professormetal4411ope. Lawbringer has a pollaxe. While generally speaking, pollaxes are shorter than halberds, there are longer examples. The way it’s built, how many of the options have a hammer opposite the axe blade, and having a butt spike, indicate it’s a pollaxe.

[@emoment1088]

​@@professormetal4411 Well, there's a few poleaxe heads for it, a few halberd heads which I gravitate to, and more than a few... Hideous monstrosities. But it is a gigantic bonk stick, even for the giant of a man that is the Lawbringer

[@choomki]

⁠lawbringer is supposedly around 6'5 which is crazy

[@fattcoke4705]

"you have the biggest stick" Well now I already know the main reason why they had these bad boys

[@ofekmizrahi3079]

Who doesn't want "alot of shaft to work with"😅

[@GewelReal]

​@@ofekmizrahi3079🤨

[@Brynnthebookworm]

Casually brandishing a giant weapon while dressed like a lawyer.

[@nagyzoli]

I would mandate this in court. The moment when the prosecution and the defender reach the personal level.. the judge goes: Gentleman you know the laws. Grab your weapon and sort your shit out,

[@Kakarunami14]

@@nagyzoliAH HELL NAH

[@sylvanstrength7520]

You just about have to be a lawyer to afford this hobby 🤣

[@kirolloshalim5417]

Wdym lawyer? he is a journalist at the daily planet

[@athos401]

"Did you know you had swords? Fiore says so, and so do I"

[@NineSeptims]

Never felt so threatened by a guy in suspenders before.

[@Dreamy1894]

I think also because they could use them as support beams, weapons and armor get very heavy but staves can rest on the ground and be used to alleviate pressure on legs as with walking sticks which is nice for long guard shifts.

[@robinswords]

I imagine many a guard spent a winter night wrapped up in a cloak leaning into their polearm

[@comet.x]

it's a spear, axe, and warpick all rolled into one! and it looks awesome

[@guypierson5754]

Also works as a billhook.

[@TheCompleteMental]

When someone makes a bad joke, you have enough haft to reach out and pull them out of frame comedically

[@nurgle-j5n]

woah good point i never thought of that

[@Eric_The_Cleric]

All while saying "no one axed"

[@shorgoth]

Damn, always liked polearms and knew they were the best historically but I never considered all those points about halberds+ guard duty but it makes so much sense.

[@The_WatchList]

Time to use a halberd in the next DnD campaign

[@wren6387]

glaives are better

[@misterturkturkle]

in 3.5ed halberds were nasty your choice of bludgeoning slashing or piercing damage did 1d10 + str and a half damage for 2h weapon +4 to hit with trip or disarm attacks cause of the hook on the back and only required martial weapon proficiency, not exotic so more than half the classes could use it without burning a feat

[@D.A.R.C.I.]

Giant fire axes. Wow that is one way to look at them

[@yourlocalreptillian1742]

I never thought id see you here

[@formlessone8246]

I kinda doubt it, actually. As noted above, these have quite thin blades, which is perfect for their intended purpose as weapons, but not for chopping wood, which is also necessary for use as a fire axe.

[@rabidsamfan]

@@formlessone8246 Think of them as firehooks more than axes. Pulling down thatch and compromised buildings to make a firebreak was a common tactic in medieval firefighting.

[@CrizzyEyes]

@@rabidsamfan That makes a lot more sense, but the stated use in the video as a "fire axe" is a last resort, at best. If you're going to run somewhere to fetch a bucket for water you might as well get a wood axe too. They're pretty common and much more effective at the stated job.

[@pixelmushroom]

​​@@CrizzyEyesa id imagine wood axes are on hand for a lot of people. They're usefull tools that easily double as weapons

[@zachlewis9751]

“If you want peace, carry a big stick” - Sun Tzu

[@WellWisdom.]

Ain't that the truth.

[@jacktadash]

Why are you lying? Weird person spreading lies.

[@pepebeezon772]

That's a latin adage with nothing to do with sun tzu but okay

[@zachlewis9751]

@@pepebeezon772 it’s actually nothing because I combined three different things.

[@jacktadash]

@@zachlewis9751 speak softly and carry a big stick. Roosevelt.

[@stuffedsomething1699]

The outfit and honestly the rest of this video setup is an aesthetic.

[@Ilmatorjuntapanssarivaunu_90]

I didn't expect to get a history lesson from medieval Clark Kent.

[@penguinsentinel8508]

I do some living history (1630's or so). I can confirm we still use these for improvised cordons to block the way from the public when we do a demonstration and it is my preferred pole-arm.

[@casbot71]

Halberds are also the reason that Zombies were wiped out ....

[@LittleBananaJoe]

Fr tho? I’ve never understood why ppl in zombie fic's are carrying shotguns and driving trucks. Use a bike. Doesn’t attract via the noise and doesn’t need any fuel. And the use of polearms is glaringly obvious as well. But then I remember: Americans

[@somewhereelse1235]

@@LittleBananaJoe You don't have to be European to own a bike and have a good stick laying around. It's more that guns and cars sell better than bikes and clubs, even if the latter is significantly more effective.

[@LittleBananaJoe]

@@somewhereelse1235 thats almost 25% of what I meant 😂 yeah some ppl put cars and guns there bc they want to sell you shit. The rests wants cars and guns there to compensate for their small… brains

[@FirstnameLastname-le9hq]

​@@LittleBananaJoeYou litteraly have "Little Banana" in your handle

[@LittleBananaJoe]

@@FirstnameLastname-le9hq that is very astutely observed. Good job!

[@BathrobeKeck]

My man's looking like a nerd, but selling tickets to the gun show. Proof that Clark Kent is a REALLY good disguise.

[@62739--_--]

What do you mean? Clark is just a pretty cool guy.

[@WillFarshore]

Don't forget that the limited metal content also means that the price to craft and maintain en mass is a bit more manageable than some other options.

[@Kakarunami14]

The way he said , “ you have the biggest stick” spoke true to me heart 😢

[@tapioca8436]

You’re not helping my addiction to Polearms, and Halberds more specifically.

[@TheOblivionMan]

I'd imagine having the haft to push people around with would be useful for situations where you want to send a strong message of "you don't have to go home but you can't stay here" but a level of force that might seriously injure someone wouldn't be called for.

[@paavobergmann4920]

jupp, I was thinking about a commotion on a crowded medieval market, and some patrician calls the guards, and 4-5 guys with these appear and clear the scene...move on, master, nothing to see here....

[@gidi3250]

"you have the biggest stick" meanwhile Theodore Roosevelt "oh yeah"

[@gio6411]

My question is how does Clark Kent know so much about historic weaponry and isn’t it weird that we’ve never seen him in the same room with Superman?

[@weareharbinger914]

I need to start using the phrase 'In a civic capacity'.

[@zephyrstrife4668]

Thus kind of thing is why i love this channel. It helps me so much with bringing things like a D&D world to life for my players.

[@baconterrorist945]

Also, as with all polearms, its essentially a walking stick, and makes the day to day patrols of a guard much easier

[@josephjohnson3097]

Loved the last bit about it doubling as a fire axe. That is one smart piece. Something that isn't always talked about, some of the non-combat use of these items.

[@molybdaen11]

To fight humans and non-humans ;)

[@Theydas]

It's too thin to be used as axe. Maybe as an emergency, but weapon would be damaged quickly.

[@Theydas]

It's not a weapon anyone would think to use strategically fight fires.

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@Theydas I´d challenge you on a bet that you can pull down a wood frame house with these nicely, and if it is on fire, you´ll appreciate the long handle.

[@kyle18934]

just like a dane axe, its to thin and light to cut through wood well, it would problably chip and dull. a wood axe is thick and unwieldly, but cuts through wood much better. imagine using a kitchen knife to make kindling. wrong use for a specialized tool.

[@chemistrykrang8065]

If you're standing around all day it is nice to have something to lean on too. If you're used to handling a bill or halberd you can rest and even doze leaning on it - definitely an advantage in a job which might mostly consist of doing nothing.

[@marktheprussian]

Plus it just looks intimidating asf. Especially the very detailed ones.

[@curtisthornsberry4236]

That last detail is something I would only think of in a d&d game…when my caster friends dont show up

[@tomaspabon2484]

Huh i never though about how handy these would be for an improptu fire brigade. An axe for breaching, hooks for pulling stuff down, a spike for leverage. Its basically an old timey Halley bar

[@ericwolf9664]

I'm going to presume halley is just the shorthand for it. If you're attempting to google what OP posted you should be looking up Halligan Tool.

[@tomaspabon2484]

@@ericwolf9664 oh right sorry i probably shouldnt have used the colloquialism. You're right though, I was referring to Halligan tools.

[@MrGalpino]

I love being taught about mediaeval weapons by Clark Kent.

[@viveillyvi]

I honestly wasnt sure if halberds were actually used for guards, but I choosed them for the guards of the book I'm currently writing due to the reasons you named. The fireaxe aspect is pretty interesting though. Thank you as always for your insight :D

[@drakesdrum1]

The Swiss Guard who protect the Pope still use halberds to this day, though they're more often ceremonial.

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@drakesdrum1 More often, but they still train in their use, and for crowd control in spaces you don´t want to shoot around in, like, e.g., the Vatican, for guards perpetually outnumbered by tourists? Perfect. Plus they look awesomely badass.

[@dj_koen1265]

Swiss guards still carry guns concealed And the halberds are mostly ceremonial or for when the situation can be resolved without shooting people

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@dj_koen1265 I think, just not wanting to go up against them is a large part of their effectiveness.

[@ZenofireX]

Not only that, but when emergency soldiers are needed, handing a farmer a long stick with a metal weight at the end felt just like a hoe used for tilling and is the same thrust forward motion they know, just angled up a bit

[@tinkerer3399]

One other thing I think is worth mentioning is it doesnt need to be drawn. You hand is always on your weapon not out of choice but rather out of necessity. So this can actually help in de-escalating conflict as they see that you are armed and ready but you being armed and ready is not inherently aggressive like drawing a sword (or even putting your hand on the pommel) would be.

[@Jordan.A.07]

Just another reason to love and appreciate this weapon. Many thanks for the brief educational video!

[@JohnnyWolfblood]

Halberd is literally that boys vs girls meme where men’s shower products are all shoved into one bottle.

[@NIRDIAN1]

I've been super enjoying your shorts...! Just so much insight delivered so clearly and briefly!

[@intermaria]

Honestly on the "stick out like a sore thumb" the halberd's head actually looks like a thumbs-up

[@nicholasvillano482]

Honestly, thank you so much for these videos. Not only are they fun, but very helpful for writing!

[@spaceemperorkarl121]

this...this is how you teach people. This man has a gift.

[@McBuff]

Love having medieval weaponry explained to me by Clark Kent 😂

[@angryfoxzd5233]

When you get a 5 star wanted level in medieval England and your riding a horse speeding down the road they got got 20 guys with heavy armor and hailberds blocking the road.

[@wellingtonmcskellington4833]

I've never thought of using a halberd as a fire axe, that's great.

[@Random-bi9bg]

Unfortunately the most important part wasn't mentioned: You and your buddy can cross your halberds to block off a door or passageway, which is one of the best feelings ever

[@arria3442]

I like how Clark Kent got a lot of knoledge about medieval wepons

[@thereallocke8065]

So it's basically like when you've got the officers standing around with long guns at big events in modern day

[@lastsong7159]

Long big guns that officers carry are not effective at cutting wood, therefore less effective than the halberd.

[@totally_not_a_bot]

You can spot federal security in Washington DC by the body armor and black rifles for outdoor security and the uniforms for indoor security. For city cops, their uniforms make them stick out, and the ones on event security also wear body armor sometimes.

[@tomaspabon2484]

I mean, i guess its comparable but a guard of the time had a shitload more duties. Kinda shows when you consider all the potential uses of a halberd vs a rifle. I suppose a rifle with mounted bayonet could serve the same purpose though.

[@thereallocke8065]

@@tomaspabon2484 it's definitely an imprecise comparison. But like an officer with a rifle is marked out as somebody with authority and will outgun most threats a lot like thr halberdire

[@namebrandmason]

It really is. Historically swords have always been a backup weapon akin to a pistol. Infantry mostly fought with spears or another pole arm. Knights fought with lances. Even samurai. While popular culture depicts them as swordsmen, historically samurai mostly prided themselves as archers.

[@Mousecopp]

My gamer brain waiting for him to explain how it does fire-damage as a fire-axe

[@KudaGeatsune3821]

Im gonna sound like a total creep but just listening to this made me fall asleep Which i needed desperately Thank you Yumie so very much for this your channel was worth every cent

[@ромаЕ-р5ч]

i cant even tell how great this channel is - i watched some from other channels and - this is just pure mind and skill power!

[@theoriginalbeanboy]

petition to have halberd guards protecting schools

[@ZatchZXman]

Clark Kent woke up and decided to teach people about pointy sticks

[@SteveSmith-mu2fy]

Summon up 2 dozen volunteers and show us what a mock up battle looks like. Formations and positions and such, doesn't have to be physical.

[@swissarmyknight4306]

Logistically difficult, but possible. There are manuals and in-depth descriptions in the historical sources.

[@ItsAsparageese]

You could at least say "please" :/

[@baranjan6969]

Isn't there a russian sport where two crowds with mediveal weapons fight?

[@SRG420]

@@baranjan6969buhurt

[@LittleBananaJoe]

There are a few hema ppl here on the tube who did that. It’s super interesting

[@88Spint]

They are also fantastic for dealing with people on horseback.

[@hawkknight4223]

Not just an excellent weapon in many circumstances. But a marvelous tool when needed!

[@robyngwendolynshiloh5277]

A wise man once says "speak softly and carry a big stick"

[@sidneyprice5514]

The whole fire axe aspect really makes a lot of sense, especially in places where like 95% of the structure is flammable.

[@k.v.7681]

It doesn't. The blade of a Hallberd is too thin to chop wood. You also need a short haft to handle a fire axe. And why wield something so cumbersome and useless indoors when everybody and their dog had a perfectly good wood chopping axe at the time? Also, people confuse "guard" with "court guard". A court guard (Like the Swiss in the Vatican for instance) were assigned to the safety of high ranking members of society both for civillian duty but also the battlefield. They doubled as a military unit. Simple guards in cities sure helped the defence in case of attack, but that wasn't their primary role. Most guards actually carried clubs. A non lethal weapon. They were basicaly Bobbies.

[@binbows2258]

@@k.v.7681 True that a halberd isn't thick enough to chop as well as an axe, but its better to have a thin axe than no axe. Plus the longer reach can potentially allow you to keep distance from any fire.

[@AellaOfTheMountain]

T H E B I G G E S T S T I C C

[@The_Wailing_Doom]

Very informative. I am very happy I stumbled upon this channel.

[@e.m.8184]

Your videos are so cool, dude. I've played tons games with medieval weapons my whole life but I never really looked into how they actually worked out IRL.

[@chimedemon]

Clark Kent explaining to Lois why the villain who's been unseen stabbing people is actually a dude with a guy who's really into medieval weaponry

[@liammccarthy4654]

Didn't think Patrick Bateman would explain halberd lore to me today. Hope to see more of your stuff.

[@TheLakabanzaichrg]

He needs it, the lieutenant preferred Paul Allen's coat of arms

[@CursedCommentaries]

"Move along sir" *prod prod*

[@pigpig252]

The badge of office angle is genius. That works so well.

[@psniornote]

It is also, undeniably, the coolest tool for two guards to cross in order to deny someone entry.

[@Sir_Lobo]

I wish there was a Chinese and Japanese version of this in quality, scope and range. I'm not enthusiastic about Western weapons but I still come and watch because it's informative, educational and the style is great

[@PeakAtU2]

there is already a chinese version of the halberd, yue ji(general word for halberds) of the han period, dunno why it didn't became popular and improve on it, but got phased out and spears became the norm, but for eastern bodyguards, glaives like guandaos and naginatas are abundant in texts

[@Sir_Lobo]

@@PeakAtU2 no I'm talking about the channel and content not the weapon shown this video

[@revvyishonisd5027]

“Pole-arms were the rifle of their day” Sun Tzu

[@GreatBeeman]

the argument of the fire axe is quite smart, makes a lot of sense

[@txgunguy2766]

It also gives exhausted guards something to lean on while standing a guard post at 3AM.

[@flamesofhellstudio]

I always love learning from Clark Kent.

[@b_g_c3281]

_I've IMMEDIATE Subscribed.... _*_JUST_*_ from watching this short!_

[@RedCrusader-ph2vk]

It's official, Lawbringers are second best knight.

[@TeutonicEmperor1198]

You mean first best knight, right?

[@RedCrusader-ph2vk]

@@TeutonicEmperor1198 No, that would be Warden

[@TeutonicEmperor1198]

@@RedCrusader-ph2vk but wardens don't have that big pointy sticks

[@Saltier]

Man I love halberds. They're just the frickin' coolest.

[@danovercast9282]

Swordsmen make movies, pikemen make history.

[@CipherVoheim]

Medieval riot control was wild back in the day

[@badart3204]

They didn’t transition to batons until the 1800’s in which they used Sabers before. Ain’t no such thing as police brutality back then

[@marcoboscarol2420]

@@badart3204 only chopping XD

[@Skiamakhos]

Until the introduction of actual police forces, riots were usually controlled by the army massacring the rioters. Police were brought in as a les than lethal alternative because friends and family of the deceased rioters could bear grudges against the rulers for the deaths, might ride up in revolt later. That was the theory - though modern riot police in many countries are now essentially fully lethal troops.

[@1stCallipostle]

​​@@badart3204You're correct in a very, very technical sense. Cudgels have been very popular for law enforcement as long as there has been law enforcement. Especially in the days when beating the living sh*t out of someone was more likely to be the criminal punishment than gaol. Oh, plus a bonking stick is cheap enough that even the tiniest village where Steve the farmer is on volunteer duty this week will have it around. Edit made to be more period appropriate in spelling jail.

[@__8120]

"when you are living in a society" Very true

[@archangelofsorrow]

The aesthetic of a man in a suit wielding a halberd is not one i was ready for

[@abonynge]

The fire axe explanation makes sense for why the Lucerne hammer never really replaced them.

[@steele_heart77]

Gotta love how the middle ages were literally just one massive stick measuring contest

[@emeraldkoala2]

I never thought of that last point, but it actually makes a ton of sense.

[@RimWulf]

He looks like a character from an earth where everybody dresses like superheroes on a daily basis and what we see as regular clothes are actually the superhero clothes.