How were these used? As a big axe with pointy bits or as a spear with a bit more versatility?
>>64674265Both, but the proportions of striking to stabbing varied.You can also strike with the back spike and hook with the spike and some axe blades.
>>64674265Crowd control/area denial with reach and hook for cavalry that isn’t equipped with lances.
>>64674265The selling point of the Halberd was that it was SO Fucking Versatile. You could use it as an axe with pointy bits, you could use it as a spear with more versatility, you could even entangle armored opponents so your buddy could get in a few whacks with the axehead. You could even use quarterstaff techniques. The default technique was to lead with a butt strike to open up your opponent for an axe strike.
>>64674362I'm sold, give me 500 for my personal militia
>>64674369Halberds kinda suck at war. They’re great for guarding and crowd control.
>>64674362>The default technique was to lead with a butt strike to open up your opponent for an axe strike.In single combat maybe. In formation you have to space for that.>>64674374Pikes and halberds were the weapons of the probably most formidable melee force of history. Halberds were an integral part of that and remained in use in armies (in small numbers) as late as the 30 years war.
>>64674398*no spaceNote the lighter halberd of the later period. Clearly not meant to cave in or stab through armour, but to attack unarmored foes or body parts.
>>64674374They had the bad luck of coming about right as Pike Warfare got big so they tended to be used to guard the flanks of pike squares.>>64674369Excellent choice, my good sir. Now will you be paying in Florens or hacksilver?
>>646742654>9>5>1>8>6>7>2>3
>>64674407There was a short period during pike & shot when short-hafted polearms increased in popularity and varieties. Partizans, oxtongues, spontoons etc. were used up until the bayonet made them obsolete.
>>64674407I assume payment in Rubles will be fine. Upon delivery!
Both, depending on the situation. Probably mostly as a spear, but it gave you the option for some axing, too.If it was only ever used a spear, it wouldn't make much sense wasting precious good metal and making a heavier to carry weapon to have the axe head part.>>64674296>>64674314SHIT! I completely forgot about the hooking for a moment, goddamn, that's maybe THE best benefit to a halberd over just a spear!>>64674362Probably also why similar weapons like the bec de corbin were popular.>>64674403A light halberd for a city guard, perhaps?
>>64674403Buffcoats and munitions plate will always be peak military aesthetic.
>>64674480if that's the case then the practice apparently continued well into linear warfare era with spontoons; if nothing else, it's also an easy signifier of rank so that infantrymen can instantly identify NCOs/officers in the crowds
>>64674532Does the guy look like a city guard to you? That's a 30 years war soldier, when armies still had single digit percentages of halberds.
>>64674480>>64674550forgot to mention though that unless I'm much mistaken, the job of communications was (at least by that point) done more with drum signals instead
>>64674532> light halberd for a city guard, perhaps?Such a thing did not exist as city guards of that era were uniformed soldiers, utilizing the same same equipment as on the battlefield. The differentiation between town guards and soldiers is mostly a fabrication of fantasy literature. Halberdiers were integrated into pike and shot formations. Assume a standard shot square, consisting of a block of pikemen with musketeers on either side (where they can crouch under the reach of the pikes to protect them from cavalry while shooting. In the center of the pike block is a small square of about 20-24 halberdiers and the block's officers and colors. The halberdiers had two duties: protect the officer and colors if the square is breached, and respond to attacks by skirmishers who get past the pikeheads and threaten the musketeers and pikemen. They needed to be able to maneuver through the block in response to attacks, and so usually wore buffcoats and no other armor. Halberds like the one shown were utilized, as the pike block was most likely to be breached by lightly armed skirmishers. In the event that the block broke down, the halberdiers provided a more mobile bodyguard for the colors/command better able to flee to the protection of a friendly square.
>>64674556Absolutely, but it's better to have redundancies, and the drummer needs to get his orders too.>>64674611>Such a thing did not exist as city guards of that era were uniformed soldiers, utilizing the same same equipment as on the battlefieldThat depends highly on the location and the time period.Most cities would have a militia that served as law enforcement, and depending on how it was organized they would have to buy their own equipment using personal or public funds.
>>64674265Spear better
>>64674650>Wears armorSpearfags btfo.
>>64674611>The differentiation between town guards and soldiers is mostly a fabrication of fantasy literatureAre you fucking retarded?
>>64674659Don't call people retards on christmas.As>>64674635said, it depends. Many cities would have the same militia work as town guard at peace and military force at war.
