Current Events > Spears are the coolest historical weapon.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I dunno why swords are so popular in pop culture. There's so much more interesting stuff that you can do with spears, especially if you go the exaggerated route and make them razor sharp and light as a feather.

For example, that whole "push it through" trope literally came from spears and is a thousand times as dramatic when then weapon is 15 feet long instead of 3. I mean, that's the whole reason they invented the winged spear. Plus, it gives you a dramatic "event horizon" so to speak where an enemy that gets closer than that range can really mess you up.

We need more spears in pop culture.
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Just started reading Way of Kings, and they use spears a lot in battle. Only the higher ups in society have swords that they can use.
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spears were the fundamental weapon of most of history:

they require little skill to use, making levies viable tools

they require only one hand, so a shield can be held, even a heavy shield

they benefit tremendously from group tactics and massed formations which disciplined troops can hold

as technology advanced they grew longer and longer. the sarissa was 6m long.
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It's the rope dart. Using your own body like a dance to angle and launch projectiles at people is so pretty. And because it's all about momentum, they never stop moving. So you're always guessing what body part they'll use as a fulcrum to throw the dart and where they'll aim it.
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I think it might have something to do with Rome. I imagine when the average person thinks of ancient warfare they think of Roman Legionnaires. Or perhaps it just has to do with swords being a more personal weapon. Whether you use spears as a melee or ranged weapon, you're still fighting with them at a distance usually.
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GeneralKenobi85 posted...

I think it might have something to do with Rome. I imagine when the average person thinks of ancient warfare they think of Roman Legionnaires. Or perhaps it just has to do with swords being a more personal weapon. Whether you use spears as a melee or ranged weapon, you're still fighting with them at a distance usually.

probably, but the legionnaires used shortswords and were consistently crushed when facing spear-reliant forces on flat terrain. early roman expansion using triarii and principes actually was very spear-reliant.

it was when fighting on rocky terrain that they were able to destabilize greek-style phalanxes and use their heavy infantry in the gaps.
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Curved.
Swords.
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Close.
Goofy polearms are cooler, at least for personnel weapons.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Hallebardes-p1000544.jpg

The feudal-era approximation of a nuke is still the coolest:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebuchet

Darkman124 posted...

GeneralKenobi85 posted...

I think it might have something to do with Rome. I imagine when the average person thinks of ancient warfare they think of Roman Legionnaires. Or perhaps it just has to do with swords being a more personal weapon. Whether you use spears as a melee or ranged weapon, you're still fighting with them at a distance usually.

probably, but the legionnaires used shortswords and were consistently crushed when facing spear-reliant forces on flat terrain.

it was when fighting on rocky terrain that they were able to destabilize greek-style phalanxes and use their heavy infantry in the gaps.

Plus spears were part of the typical Legionnaire's arsenal anyway, in the form of Pila.
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GeneralKenobi85 posted...

Plus spears were part of the typical Legionnaire's arsenal anyway, in the form of Pila.

setting pila aside, the entire camillan era was wholly based on spear-fighting, not sword-fighting. the sword-armed legionairre was a much later development
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Glaives, though
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Cause spears are the common mans weapon. Most armies have their foot soldiers equipped with spears, as they are easy to learn how to use, unlike swords. Rarity and the skill needed to wield them, swords became super popular for heroes to wield.
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Musket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any sword/melee weapon ever made
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Darkrobotisback posted...

Musket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any sword/melee weapon ever made

Not really. Muskets take way too long to reload, which allowed melee enemies to get in range to kill. And the bayonets for such muskets prevented firing, so had to be applied after they shoot, which made Cavalry still useful against muskets.
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LightHawKnight posted...

Darkrobotisback posted...

Musket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any sword/melee weapon ever made

Not really. Muskets take way too long to reload, which allowed melee enemies to get in range to kill. And the bayonets for such muskets prevented firing, so had to be applied after they shoot, which made Cavalry still useful against muskets.

I mean, the best improvement ever made to the musket was the bayonet, which literally just turned it into a spear.
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Agreed; Really wish there were more spear options in video games because of this. The closest I'll ever get is Dynasty Warriors
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need more hammers and axes too

swords get all the love smh
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Fists
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Swords are pretty awesome tbh
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Lol @ 15 foot spear. Have fun being killed while you try to balance your weapon
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I honestly think halberds are fucking sick.

I don't really know much about their historical significance in actual combat, but they just look really damn cool.

Glaives, too.
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DevsBro posted...

LightHawKnight posted...

Darkrobotisback posted...

Musket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any sword/melee weapon ever made

Not really. Muskets take way too long to reload, which allowed melee enemies to get in range to kill. And the bayonets for such muskets prevented firing, so had to be applied after they shoot, which made Cavalry still useful against muskets.

I mean, the best improvement ever made to the musket was the bayonet, which literally just turned it into a spear.

line infantry were an interesting thing

they were fundmentally like skirmishers of armies of old, but with weapons powerful enough that they could kite a heavy infantry force forever

as a result, heavy infantry basically stopped being a thing
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Need more axe love
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ThyCorndog posted...

need more hammers and axes too

swords get all the love smh

tbh using a hammer in 1 on 1 combat must have been so brutal
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Maces too!
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