08-17-2016, 06:24 PM
(08-17-2016, 06:13 PM)Shaadaris Wrote:(08-17-2016, 06:00 PM)SCN-3_NULL Wrote: I'm not sure, I mean there was a technique in medieval times where the user uses the hand guard/hilt of a sword by grabbing the blade area and swing it to an armored knight because the blade isnt going to do anything with the armor but the hand guard/hilt blunt will.
An axe is fundamentally different than a sword though. All of the power is concentrated at the top, making for a heavier swing and a much less flimsy weapon. The smaller surface area of the impact compared to a hammer or even sword also means more force. I don't think it's a stretch that it'd be better than a hammer at getting through heavy armor. Granted, a hammer is still very good against heavy armor, as it can dent it, which, well, is not pleasant for the person inside to say the least.
Technically, the ideal melee weapon to use against heavy metal armor would be a big war pick of some sort, as due to the tiny surface area and high center of mass, it'd punch through the stuff like a fist through paper.
As the gradual shift to heavily armored soldiers happened people constantly adapted to the point where swords became purely ornamental. being useless against anything more than armed peasants. And even then, thick leathers or linens that were worn as standard clothing such as gambesons disrupted even that. Eventually the standard army were equipped with flanged mace' and wooden round shields or spears as the standard equipment for militaries. With individual members buying what they would otherwise if they could afford it. Fights between heavily armored soldiers often devolved into fisticuffs with knives/daggers in the absence of weapons that could ignore soft armor or ruin metal armor as it was the only way to get a telling blow on them and was easier that trying to get your tip past their armor. Although useful against lightly armored archers. Other methods in the absence of anything but a sword are half swording and as null said, using your sword as a club. There are others, but I won't claim to know everything.
Picks get stuck, and don't actually do much damage. Just use a flanged mace, or morning star, or even a studded cudgel. It's cheaper, more trustworthy, easier to use, and more effective in general against light and heavy armors.
Also, that image shows clubbing AND half swording. Guy on the left is half swording to try getting a pierce.
So in terms of current military. Armor will always be better and more important than weapons. As weapons are adapted to deal with better armor rather than the other way around.