Pole Arms

A popular group of weapons during the ancient and Medieval periods were the polearms. Their length was a distinct advantage and, for the peasant, they were a relatively easy weapon to make. Thus there came to be an abundance of polearms of different sizes and shapes. Due to their numbers, there is no standard system for naming polearms. The names used in the AD&D game might possibly be applied to other weapons elsewhere.
Because of their length, all polearms are infantry weapons and require two hands to use. They are almost always the weapon of the common peasant and soldier, who, lacking a horse and heavy armor, needs some weapon to keep the enemy's knights at bay. Thus most polearms are intended to be used in close-packed formations that present a forest of sharp points and wicked blades to any knight foolish enough to charge.
Awl Pike: Essentially this is a long spear 12 to 20 feet long ending in a spike point of tapered spear head. It was a popular weapon during the Renaissance. Since the pike stuck out in front, men could be packed side-by-side in dense formations, and several rows of men could fight. Large blocks of pikemen made formidable troops. However, once the pikemen engaged in close combat, they normally dropped their clumsy awl pikes and fought hand-to-hand with short swords.
Bardiche: One of the simplest of polearms. the bardiche is an elongated battle axe. A large curving axe-head is mounted on the end of a five- to eight-foot-long shaft. It probably grew out of common peasant tools and was popular with them. One relative disadvantage is that the bardiche required more space to wield than a pike or a spear.
Bec de corbin: This was a highly specialized weapon of the upper classes during the Late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance. It is an early can-opener designed specifically to deal with plate armor. The pick or beak is made to punch through plate, while the hammer side can be used to give a stiff blow. The end is fitted with a short blade for dealing with unarmored or helpless foes. The weapon is about eight feet long. Since the weapon relies on impact, a great deal of swinging space is needed.
Bill-guisarme: A particularly bizarre-looking combination weapon, the bill-guisarme is an outgrowth of the common bill hook. Mounted on a seven- to eight-foot-long pole, it has a combination of a heavy, cleaver blade, a jutting back spike, and a hook or spike on the end. Thus, it can be used in several different ways. Like most polearms, it requires lots of room to use.
Fauchard: An outgrowth of the sickle and scythe, the fauchard is a long, inward curving blade mounted on a shaft six to eight feet long. It can slash or thrust, although the inward curving point makes thrusting rather ineffective. Its advantage is that a peasant can easily convert his common scythe into this weapon of war.
Fauchard-fork: This is an attempted improvement on the fauchard, adding a long spike or fork to the back of the blade. Supposedly this improves the thrusting ability of the weapon. It is still an inefficient weapon.
Glaive: One of the most basic polearms, the glaive is a single-edged blade mounted on an eight- to ten-foot-long shaft. While not the most efficient weapon, it is relatively easy to make and use. Normally the blade turns outward to increase the cutting area until it almost resembles a cleaver or axe.
Glaive-guisarme: Another combination weapon, this one takes the basic glaive and adds a spike or hook to the back of the blade. In theory, this increases the usefulness of the weapon although its actual application is somewhat questionable.
Guisarme: Thought to have derived from a pruning hook, this is an elaborately curved heavy blade. While convenient and handy, it is not very effective.
Guisarme-voulge: This weapon has a modified axe blade mounted on an eight-foot-long shaft. The end of the blade tapers to a point for thrusting and a back spike is fitted for punching through armor. Sometimes this spike is replaced by a sharpened hook for dismounting riders.
Halberd: After the awl pike and the bill, this was one of the most popular weapons of the Middle Ages. Fixed on a shaft five to eight feet long is a large axe blade, angled for maximum impact. The end of the blade tapers to a long spear point or awl pike. On the back is a hook for attacking armor or dismounting riders. Originally intended to defeat cavalry, it is not tremendously successful in that role since it lacks the reach of the pike and needs considerable room to swing. It found new life against blocks of pikemen. Should the advance of the main attack stall, halberdiers issue out of the formation and attack the flanks of the enemy. The pikemen with their overlong weapons are nearly defenseless in such close combat.
Hook fauchard: This combination weapon is another attempted improvement to the fauchard. A back hook is fitted to the back of the blade, supposedly to dismount horsemen. Like the fauchard, this is not a tremendously successful weapon.
Lucern hammer: This weapon is similar to the bec de corbin. Fitted with a shaft up to ten feet long, it is usually found in the hands of the common soldier. Like the bec de corbin, its main purpose is to punch through armor. The end is fitted with the long point of an awl pike to hold off enemy cavalry.
Military fork: This is one of the simplest modifications of a peasant's tool since it is little more than a pitchfork fixed to a longer shaft. With tines strengthened and straightened, the military fork serves well. The need for cutting and cleaving eventually often results in combining the fork with other weapons.
Partisan: Shorter than the awl pike but longer than the spear, the partisan is a broad spear-head mounted on an eight-foot-long shaft. Two smaller blades project out from the base of the main blade, just to increase damage and trap weapons. Since it is a thrusting weapon, it can be used in closely packed formations.
Ranseur: Very much like the partisan, the ranseur differs in that the main blade is thinner and the projecting blades extended more like tines of a fork. These can trap a weapon and sometimes punch through armor.
Spetum: The spetum is a modification of the normal spear. The shaft increases to eight to ten feet and side blades are added. Some have blades that angle back, increasing the damage when pulling the weapon out of a wound. These blades can also trap and block weapons or catch and hold an opponent.
Voulge: The voulge, like the bardiche, is a variation on the axe and the cleaver. The voulge is little more than a cleaver on the end of a long (seven- to eight-foot) pole. It is a popular weapon, easy to make and simple to learn. It is also called the Lochaber axe.