6wb - Danish battle axes and the origin of European polearms
May 10, 2023 20:38:15 GMT
Brian Ború likes this
Post by dpd on May 10, 2023 20:38:15 GMT
If you were to construct a family tree for the halberd and other Medieval/renaissance two handed blade weapons, their origin would begin with the fearsome Danish sparth battle axe.
"The Dane axe is an early type of battle axe, primarily used during the transition between the European Viking Age and early Middle Ages. Other names for the weapon include English long axe, Danish axe, and hafted axe.... " (Wikipedia)
Other medieval troops were similarly armed with two-handed axe weapons (Saxon housecarls, Irish gallowglass, Byzantine varangians, etc.). A purely offensive weapon, it's weilder could not effectively protect themselves with a shield. They are also more vulnerable to bows (as the housecarls found out at Hastings). Axe men also tended to fight in deeper formations (like the Germanic cunae, represented by the 6wb double based unit), and depending on the axe men behind them for protection - like pikemen do.
"The Dane axe became widely used throughout Europe from the 10th century, with axes gaining acceptance as a knightly weapon not long after; albeit not achieving the status of the sword. They also began to be used widely as an infantry polearm, with the haft lengthening to about 1.8 metres (6 ft). The 13th and 14th centuries also saw form changes, with the blade also lengthening, the rear horn extending to touch or attach to the haft. The lengthened weapon, especially if combined with the lengthened blade, was called a sparth in England. Some believe this weapon is the ancestor of the halberd."
Which further led to the development of Medieval/Renaissance blade units (Swiss halberdiers, mercenary Landsknechts, English billmen, French glaive, etc.). IOW, the battle axe was modified into the halberd and later into fancier types like the glaive, bill, guisarme, voulge, etc. They are all variations on a theme but basically the same weapon. Given the purely offensive nature of two-handed blade weapons, their form of combat was always brutal, from savage barbarian warbands and Norse Vikings to the "Bad War" of the Italian renaissance.
These are all a distinct unit type that fought in an entirely different fashion than those troops armed with one-handed blade weapons (swords) that allowed them to provide protection with a large shield on the other arm (Roman legions, Spanish rodeleros, etc.). The style of combat of a Swiss halberdier is essentially the same as that of a Danish axe man - and both are different from the style of combat used by sword wielding Roman legions.
However, both sword and axe units (even though they fight differently and have different vulnerabilities) are lumped together by the rules with each other as a single troop type, the blade unit.
So, I'd like to propose that army lists utilizing axe and polearm weapons (appropriate 4bd and the 6bd used only by Swiss halberdiers) be replaced with deep formation warbands (6wb) with all of their concurrent bonuses, and to more accurately reflect both their barbaric warband origins, types of units, tactics, vulnerabilities, etc. And for good measure, those units armed with two-handed great swords (Landsknecht zweihanders, Scottish claymores, etc.) should also be represented by 6wb units for the same reasons stated above.
It's only a small change, but I believe it would greatly increase the game's historical accuracy.
Thoughts or comments?
"The Dane axe is an early type of battle axe, primarily used during the transition between the European Viking Age and early Middle Ages. Other names for the weapon include English long axe, Danish axe, and hafted axe.... " (Wikipedia)
Other medieval troops were similarly armed with two-handed axe weapons (Saxon housecarls, Irish gallowglass, Byzantine varangians, etc.). A purely offensive weapon, it's weilder could not effectively protect themselves with a shield. They are also more vulnerable to bows (as the housecarls found out at Hastings). Axe men also tended to fight in deeper formations (like the Germanic cunae, represented by the 6wb double based unit), and depending on the axe men behind them for protection - like pikemen do.
"The Dane axe became widely used throughout Europe from the 10th century, with axes gaining acceptance as a knightly weapon not long after; albeit not achieving the status of the sword. They also began to be used widely as an infantry polearm, with the haft lengthening to about 1.8 metres (6 ft). The 13th and 14th centuries also saw form changes, with the blade also lengthening, the rear horn extending to touch or attach to the haft. The lengthened weapon, especially if combined with the lengthened blade, was called a sparth in England. Some believe this weapon is the ancestor of the halberd."
Which further led to the development of Medieval/Renaissance blade units (Swiss halberdiers, mercenary Landsknechts, English billmen, French glaive, etc.). IOW, the battle axe was modified into the halberd and later into fancier types like the glaive, bill, guisarme, voulge, etc. They are all variations on a theme but basically the same weapon. Given the purely offensive nature of two-handed blade weapons, their form of combat was always brutal, from savage barbarian warbands and Norse Vikings to the "Bad War" of the Italian renaissance.
These are all a distinct unit type that fought in an entirely different fashion than those troops armed with one-handed blade weapons (swords) that allowed them to provide protection with a large shield on the other arm (Roman legions, Spanish rodeleros, etc.). The style of combat of a Swiss halberdier is essentially the same as that of a Danish axe man - and both are different from the style of combat used by sword wielding Roman legions.
However, both sword and axe units (even though they fight differently and have different vulnerabilities) are lumped together by the rules with each other as a single troop type, the blade unit.
So, I'd like to propose that army lists utilizing axe and polearm weapons (appropriate 4bd and the 6bd used only by Swiss halberdiers) be replaced with deep formation warbands (6wb) with all of their concurrent bonuses, and to more accurately reflect both their barbaric warband origins, types of units, tactics, vulnerabilities, etc. And for good measure, those units armed with two-handed great swords (Landsknecht zweihanders, Scottish claymores, etc.) should also be represented by 6wb units for the same reasons stated above.
It's only a small change, but I believe it would greatly increase the game's historical accuracy.
Thoughts or comments?