Does this weapon design sound bad to anyone?

[Kenjona]

Just an FYI, sticking a blade/spike/axe/bands of iron on the end of a long pole is not uncommon. Naming it is where it actually gets "exotic". There are fighting styles for most polearms and how to wield them.

Most parts of a pole weapon have a reason in their design. Hooks to unhorse riders, grab fish out of water or hook something at a lower level then you, guide a floating log perhaps. Spikes to impale into an armored foe, or impale a door to block it (Modern example the Swiss Guards). Axe heads for maximum impact that will cut into helms/pauldrons or lop off tree branches. Blades to thrust into enemies charging at you or to force them at bay, or to impale charging boars and keep them at bay. Flail ends to wrap around shields and increase the blows strength due increased speed gained from the swing of the chain/rope, excellent for threshing. Scythe blades just look cool and helps quickly reap a harvest. There are just as many spear/polearm designs as there are imaginative armorers and peasants. Of course ALL of them have different names, even the ones that look alike and work alike, but of course are different, cause it was done somewhere else. Look around for what you like, there will be a style of combat that you can use with it.

They are all cool.

 

[ABCGUY]

It's an 8 foot long (2.4 meter) spear-like weapon but with a thick wooden scimitar-like blade on one end. The wooden blade is coated in the strongest metal that can be found (tungsten) and sharpened on both sides of the blade. On the other end of the staff is a spiked metal counterweight that makes the weapon perfectly balanced in the center of the staff. It is usually used for cavalry attacks but is handy for ground combat as well. I think that this would be a hard weapon to master and that it would be fairly effective but I wanted a second opinion.

Isnt that just a halberd

or something similar

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Isnt that just a halberdView attachment 12093or something similar

it's very similar to a halberd. Only, with a slightly curved blade rather than an axehead.

Just an FYI, sticking a blade/spike/axe/bands of iron on the end of a long pole is not uncommon. Naming it is where it actually gets "exotic". There are fighting styles for most polearms and how to wield them.

Most parts of a pole weapon have a reason in their design. Hooks to unhorse riders, grab fish out of water or hook something at a lower level then you, guide a floating log perhaps. Spikes to impale into an armored foe, or impale a door to block it (Modern example the Swiss Guards). Axe heads for maximum impact that will cut into helms/pauldrons or lop off tree branches. Blades to thrust into enemies charging at you or to force them at bay, or to impale charging boars and keep them at bay. Flail ends to wrap around shields and increase the blows strength due increased speed gained from the swing of the chain/rope, excellent for threshing. Scythe blades just look cool and helps quickly reap a harvest. There are just as many spear/polearm designs as there are imaginative armorers and peasants. Of course ALL of them have different names, even the ones that look alike and work alike, but of course are different, cause it was done somewhere else. Look around for what you like, there will be a style of combat that you can use with it.

They are all cool.

Alright. This is a fair point. The main purpose is to be able to work in both cavalry and melee combat situations. so... yoinking people off their horses and/or stab them, then beat the shit out of anyone who comes even remotely close to you while you are dismounted.

 

[Kenjona]

Might be closer to a Fauchard then?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauchard

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Might be closer to a Fauchard then?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauchard

That's pretty much what it looks like on one end.

 

[Kenjona]

Oh and metal, metal should be whatever the people can work and acquire. If they can only get enough of tungsten and know how to use tungsten, but cannot acquire steel/iron in sufficient quantities, well there we go.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Oh and metal, metal should be whatever the people can work and acquire. If they can only get enough of tungsten and know how to use tungsten, but cannot acquire steel/iron in sufficient quantities, well there we go.

Yeah... now that I think about it they wouldn't have the equipment for tungsten. Maybe I'll toss in some Amazon stores into my story so they can order tungsten cubes.

 

[Ai-chan]

It's an 8 foot long (2.4 meter) spear-like weapon but with a thick wooden scimitar-like blade on one end. The wooden blade is coated in the strongest metal that can be found (tungsten) and sharpened on both sides of the blade. On the other end of the staff is a spiked metal counterweight that makes the weapon perfectly balanced in the center of the staff. It is usually used for cavalry attacks but is handy for ground combat as well. I think that this would be a hard weapon to master and that it would be fairly effective but I wanted a second opinion.

There are several problems here.
1. Tungsten is one of the heaviest metal around, almost twice as heavy as lead. If your shaft is wood, it would break when you swing it a few times, that is assuming that you completely cover the wooden blade in tungsten.
2. If you only cover the blade of the wooden blade with tungsten, your wooden blade would likely break first.
3. You also have a spiked metal counterweight. That means the metal counterweight is as heavy as the blade part, right? Your wooden shaft will most definitely break in the middle.
4. If you have instead a steel shaft, it will definitely be way too heavy for anyone who is not Hulk or Thor.

How to salvage this idea?
1. Make the scimitar side completely in tungsten, but make it shorter and thinner.
2. Remove the counterweight. Counterweights are for foot phalanx. You have absolutely no use for it as a cavalry weapon. It's just unnecessary added weight.
3. If you still want to keep both items, make the shaft out of steel cylinder. It will be very heavy, but eh, it's your story. You can make superhumans.

This is practically what you want. And also, Ai-chan just so happens to be trained in this weapon.

Ai-chan thinks you got the wrong idea about the weapon. This is not a spear. This is a sword, but with longer handle. Somewhere in the past, someone said, "I want a sword, but I don't want to get close to the enemy," so that's why the naginata was invented. While this is often used on foot, the majority of mounted samurai also use this on horseback as a cavalry weapon. Most importantly, the naginata is very light, to the point that it's called the 'maiden's weapon' because it's held by the lady of the house to protect their household while their husbands are away.

It is the same as a baldiche. A baldiche is not a spear. It is an axe, with a longer handle.

The reason why you don't have a counterweight with naginata and guandao is because of the way it's used. It delivers damage not through hacking like an axe or a western longsword, but through slicing. The entirety of the blade is used to deliver deep wounds. You need the blade end to be much heavier than the other end because this weight is what will ensure that you use only minimal strength to deliver huge damage. Having a counterweight dampens the inertia.

Just like how you use an axe, you let gravity and inertia do the job. You do not strike the tree with the axe with all your muscle strength, because that would most definitely damage your spine. What you do is you raise the axe, guide it down and let gravity do the job for you.

You can have an idea of how to use a naginata by watching the drama 'Yae no Sakura' or 'Asahinagu'. If you want to know more about how to use a naginata, Ai-chan can tell you.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

@2021 @NotaNuffian @Nairo @Hans.Trondheim @T.K._Paradox @CarburetorThompson @Reborn_Cat @SailusGebel How does this sound now that I've received some advice.

An 8-foot wooden shaft with a steel sickle on one end and a spearhead-like sea serpent bone as hard as metal on the other end. The shaft has been coated in a strengthening polish and both ends of the shaft are bound tightly with metal string.

Tis a better one matey.

 

[2021]

Tis a better one matey.

Me someone who want to get a blacksmith apprenticeship: Metal is sexy

 

[Deleted member 54065]

It's closer to what you initially envisioned the weapon to be. Bone is lightweight yet sturdy, and the steel sickle on one end would give it the unbalanced wield fit for a polearm weapon meant to crash (at full power) and slice through armor joints, just like the falx. Metal string would secure the metal to the shaft.

Me someone who want to get a blacksmith apprenticeship: Metal is sexy

What metal isn't?

 

[greyblob]

are you making the blade out of wood?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

are you making the blade out of wood?

Not anymore.

 

[2021]

It's closer to what you initially envisioned the weapon to be. Bone is lightweight yet sturdy, and the steel sickle on one end would give it the unbalanced wield fit for a polearm weapon meant to crash (at full power) and slice through armor joints, just like the falx. Metal string would secure the metal to the shaft.

What metal isn't?

Heresy! Molten metal is a total turn-on

 

[greyblob]

@2021 @NotaNuffian @Nairo @Hans.Trondheim @T.K._Paradox @CarburetorThompson @Reborn_Cat @SailusGebel How does this sound now that I've received some advice.

An 8-foot wooden shaft with a steel sickle on one end and a spearhead-like sea serpent bone as hard as metal on the other end. The shaft has been coated in a strengthening polish and both ends of the shaft are bound tightly with metal string.

metal spring? and this is an uneducated guess but i think the wood would split. you're performing a stab with the spear and a strike with the sickle. I could be completely wrong though

 

[Deleted member 54065]

metal spring? and this is an uneducated guess but i think the wood would split. you're performing a stab with the spear and a strike with the sickle. I could be completely wrong though

Metal string or wire, my good man. Back here, we call it 'alambre' and we use that to securely fasten heavy stuff. Malleable and flexible.

 

[greyblob]

Metal string or wire, my good man. Back here, we call it 'alambre' and we use that to securely fasten heavy stuff. Malleable and flexible.

View attachment 12096

ah woops I misread.