(Equipment) Axe vs. Sword

[Lucius]

Re: (Equipment) Axe vs. Sword

 

Calling as expert witness, Louis L'Amour

 

From the novel Mustang Man

 

He was within reach of me, and he had that axe ready, but when our eyes met he stopped. His eyes were as mean-looking as I've ever seen. Now, I've lived a good part of my life in difficulties, and my my mind thinks in terms of fighting. The way he was holding that axe told me he was going to cut down and to the left with it. A man swinging an axe from the right shoulder side can't cut much to the right. Not with accuracy.

 

Loomis, if he tried to hit me, would cut down and left, so I was all braced to roll right and come up. His knuckles were white with gripping the axe, and I could see the hate in his face. Of a sudden it came to me that, old as he was, Loomis didn't only want that gold, he wanted the girl.

 

A moment there I thought he was stopped, then he suddenly took a deep, rasping breath and swung. The breath warned me, but he swung faster than I'd thought and I just skinned by, the axe missing by inches.

 

But then I was on my feet, like a cat, and had my Tinker pointed tight against his wishbone. He didn't have a chance to lift that axe again; my knife was right where I could open him up, and he knew it. I looked right down into his eyes and said, "Loomis, you're a murdering skunk. I got me a notion to kill you."

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Weapon Fam: Palindromedary Mounted Weapons

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: (Equipment) Axe vs. Sword

 

I've fought a really good spear skirmisher mano a mano in the SCA and man it really' date=' really sucked. Even knowing the "get inside his reach" tactic and trying to perform it did not help at all.[/quote']

 

Hear, Hear!

 

I've done a fair bit of both skirmish and formation fighting with spears and assorted polearms, and they're quite different when it comes to technique. And going after them with normal sidearms is frustrating as heck.

 

Of course, that's why I have a bardiche...