[X] My Assistant

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

This is a thread for all things melee weapons! Which do you like best? Which are your least favorite? Got some cool pics of melee weapons? Put them here!

[SubRosa]

I saw some links to that over the last few days too. I agree that the spear is an excellent weapon. It can be found everywhere. It is cheap and easy to produce. Perfect for arming mass levies of peasants. In the hands of someone who has trained in it, it is a very deadly weapon. Even in the hands of someone with very little training, it is still effective as long as they stand in a straight line with a few thousand other people and don't move.

But historically, when spear-based armies like the Macedonians met sword-based armies like the Romans, the spears always lose. Pydna, Cynoscephalae, etc... The spear is limited, and its very range advantage becomes a mortal disadvantage once an enemy gets past the point. Or gets around them. Swords on the other hand, have a lot more options in how to use them. They are much better at close quarters. Finally, they are ideal for armies that move and maneuver.