this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2024
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I know this is a meme... buuuuuuut the halberd is a specialized weapon that excels in its role and almost no where else. The spear, however, is versatile and useful in most combat situations.
Obviously the Poleaxe is the superior weapon.
Also, you can craft a perfectly serviceable spear with a wooden stick and a sharp stone.
Good luck crafting a halberd without some dope blacksmithing skills.
The glaive is the coolest polearm and I will brook no disagreement.
Us pointy stick fanciers have some words
Halberd is a kind of specialized multitool. It's for fighting in formation, looser than pikes, but still fairly close-order. The point allows it to stab and repel riders, the hook for dismounting any riders who feel like lingering too long, and the axehead for the killing blow on infantry or dismounted cavalry.
Think of it as the difference between a Swiss Army Knife and an everyday survival knife. The Swiss Army Knife will do some things better than the survival knife, but the survival knife has more universal versatility, is hardy, and easy to handle.
That being said, the halberd is more useful than the original commenter gives it credit for, the disadvantages compared to a two-handed spear mostly relate to a less-optimal weight and wieldiness (the axe head being rather large and heavy compared to a spearhead) rather than an essential inability to mimic the usage of a spear in most cases. The halberd is more useful against armored targets, or with some room to maneuver in formation. The spear is more useful in extremely tight formations and is more nimble.
Halberds can hook onto a guy with armour and knock them down so you can get out the baby knife and stabby stab.
I was just going to not say any of that because im not a nerd! Nerd!
Spears are awesome
Okay I'll bite: so just what is that role? When do I need to poke and axe?
Poke horse so it doesn't run into you
Hook rider to drag him off the horse, or at least control his movement
Axe rider when he's vulnerable
Where the halberd is a very long weapon really only useful while fighting in formation(hooking and proning armored foes so your pikemen can finish them off), the Poleaxe is actually wieldable outside of formation and can do everything the halberd can do.
Have an opponent in maille? Stick 'em with the spear-point.
Have an opponent in plate? Hit them with the spike/hammer(there are variations on the poleaxe).
Have an opponent that can't afford armor? Axe 'em, poke em, smack em, do whatever!
Plus! It's a polarm weapon, which means you also get all the fighting benefits of wielding a staff!!