Spears and halberds

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Hehe, I don't think it's arrogance... I've just never heard of it.

What do you mean by the "quarterstaff idea"? The idea that you can use the other end of a halberd like a quarterstaff, or the idea that you hold a quarterstaff roughly in the middle (one hand either side of it), so it's weight is evenly distributed?

 

I guess both, you don't go into combat holding the end of the thing yelling hasannnnn chop!

 

Hell, you're probably right. The problem I have is this:

You have an 8 foot long pole with an oversized axehead attached to the end of it. You are 5 feet tall (as discussed above, when halberds were 8 feet long, people were 5 feet tall). You want to grip it roughly in the middle. You probably want about 1 foot between your hands to allow good leverage to wave it about. That's not possible, unless you are wielding it very "sideways" (or you're standing on a box ). I think halberds were actually wielded such that the blade was taken a fair way up into the air, and more or less dropped on your opponent. Still, I may be completely mistaken.

 

I'm reading out of my AD&D players handbook and it says halberds were 5 to 8 feet long. I would assume(I don't want to make an ass out of you or me)that the height of the person would have determined the length they used. Your also right they couldn't have balanced it effectively in the middle.

[This message has been edited by sorvo (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

Well... I'm sure the length of halberds changed from place to place, and time to time. When I consulted some historical sources, most of them agreed that halberds are / were generally around 9 feet in length, so I assumed that was the case. If the halberds in AD&D are roughly 5 to 8 feet long, they would definately be easier to use than a solid steel two-handed sword.

And that's that, I guess

To (finally) return to the topic (as it was me that led it astray), spears, halberds, and two-handed swords are all good weapon-choices in SoA (if you're into wielding two-handed weapons). There are good versions of all of them scattered through the game.

Is it my imagination, or do two handed weapons allow you to attack from behind fellow party members? i.e. Could you have someone wielding katanas facing an opponent, and have someone with a halberd standing behind them inflicting damage with it?

 

Yes you could, which is why they're the weapon of choice for my fighter/mages, and any other back line character who can use any of them.

 

So two handed weapons will stop my guys from walking around each other to fight!

 

First, I am positively surprised, I never expected such an echo on my topic I admit that I always underestimated the impaler spear and remarkably it has, compared with other spears, an unusual low initiative making me see this particular spear as a useful weapon

I found one of the best features of halberds and 2 handed swords is indeed their backline quality: While Mazzy and my halfling cavalier stood in immediate frontline Minsc and later Sarevok (halberd master) stood right behind, chopping enemies over their heads, another reason why halflings rock

I never considered a spear for Jaheira and preferred too use her as a slingfighter, worth a try...

In general halberds are my 2nd row weapons of choice. There is a great variety of excellent halberds in BG-2, my favourites beeing dragonsbreath, dragonbane (spelling ?! and the wave (MINI-SPOILRER a great new one will be added in ToB )

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

apparently halberds and spears were for rank-and-file troops in medieval armies and such as they were cheap and effective weapons, so i dont use them much on my band of heroic heroes. the only one ive ever used was the dragonbane with someone else in my party with the dragonslayer longsword (hehheh dragon-killy weapons from the depths of hell!!!).

and also halberds were used with the two hands spaced apart a bit to gather more coordination with the fairly unwieldy weapon.

(PS and by the way, two handed swords are the best proficiency in the game!!!)

[This message has been edited by corbulo87 (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

I don't think anyone was disputing that there was space between the hands, just where exactly the hands were on the shaft

 

Uh, smells like ... uhm ... split hair ... Argyle not that you are *wrong*, but this is going to be the most brilliant comment of the week

Sure, it is irrelevant for the *exact* position OF THE HANDS wether there is space between the hands or not

PS: And I always wanted to try out how to quote

PS: I edited the post, changes in CAPITALS. And as for the scent of split hair ... that is resally difficult to describe ...

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

I didn't think it was such a split hair. I mean, you're never going to have more than, say, one to one and a half feet between your hands, but on a 9 foot pole, the point on the shaft they straddle can vary quite dramatically (i.e. you could be holding it with one hand at the very bottom of the shaft, and one hand a foot or so up, or, more likely, one hand about 3 and a half feet up, and the other a foot or so above that).

Edit:

PS what, exactly, does split hair smell like?

[This message has been edited by Argyle (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

Argyle, when I said halfway down, perhaps it was a misnomer. More precisely, the halberd is generally a fulcrum weapon meant to pivot on one hand while being directed by the other. In other words, you are unlikely to see both hands grouped at the bottom, swinging it around your head like a two-handed sword. It is important to note, however, that the typical halberd was a slashing (axe head), piercing (spear head) and dismounting (hook) weapon all combined into one. Depending on the opponent, therefore, it could be used very differently.

Also, another speed note (since that is what this tread was originally about), maybe the designers took into account that a wielder does not have to close as much distance before being able to use the weapon compared to a sword.

Whatever the reason, I agree that the halberd was a peasant’s weapon to be used against knights, so I find it hard to justify any of my characters using it since it does not fit the RP of the game…even though there are some wickedly cool halberds in the game (read: Wave) .

I think I have had Minsc use the Dragonblade halberd against a dragon or two, though.


[This message has been edited by Auger (edited September 19, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Auger (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

Hehe, I'm confused. I agree with everything you just posted, Auger. I was just clarifying (or at least trying to clarify) what I meant by the sentence that Ragusa quoted me on. I'm still not sure I understand why it's funny. I hate to appear stupid (and I know it's off topic) but can you please explain it to me, so I don't make the same mistake again?

[This message has been edited by Argyle (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

Well, the point is: When determining the exact position of the hands on the halberd's shaft it of course is of influence wether there is space between the hands or not since this particular space inbetween influences their position

a diagram with the x-es marking the hands:

------------xx----------
---------x------x-------

Not that this has anything to do with handling a halberd, it was more about the word *exactly* in your post

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

In point of fact, there is no one place to put your hands, it depends on the attack. However, in general, the weapon's accuracy depends upon your primary hand (usually the right hand) acting as a leverage point and your secondary hand acting as the aiming point.

However, that does not always apply, since in order to generate power, you often use your primary hand in conjunction with the secondary hand.

I wouldn't worry about sounding stupid - you didn't. But even if you did, everyone on this board has sounded stupid at one point or another!

 

I'm sorry for slow response(if you had expected one), but I haven't followed this topic that much lately

I'm not angry with you, I never am, those smileys just enhance the effect

the ToB forum is for people who have ToB installed, when playing both SoA and ToB.
This forum is for SoA without the expansion, because ToB changes a lot of things(so everything that might have influence on SoA from the expansion should be posted in teh ToB forum). Good thing you posted spoiler in front of it though.

[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

you guys sound like youve fought with halberds before......

 

I've found them useful from time to time

 

They do make opening those Hormel chili cans much easier.