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Melee weapons! A real man's tool to resolve arguements!

what do you think is the best melee weapon and why? (no sci fi stuff like light sabers kthx)

my choice: the axe!

It;s the biggest, choppiest and shootiest (you can throw em) melee weapon.

Seriously now. this thing might be heavy and hard to swing. but it goes through armor, breaks shields and too heavy to be effectivly blocked by a one handed weapon…
also. it's chaper to make than a sword…

But that leaves me wondering… why was the sword the most used weapon in medieval times?

Chainsword.

Also, it wasn't. Spears were the most common. Swords were glorified by Romanticism, and were typically the arms of nobility and side-arms for Knights.

Seriously, stay away from that thing.

A simple Dagger

Its can make you more manoeuvrable, it can kill instantly, and its an efficient weapon.

OR

A frying pan

Energy Sword

You know you're a noob if you think it's balanced.

just in case you were serious about the dagger…

sure it's more manueverble, but it does nothing against armor…

Axes and swords have their own advantages, but I will personally favor the spear.

It's the quickest to learn, easiest to use, and most advantageous over the other melee weapons. The extra reach is very useful for keeping other combatants at bay, even if it might not be as fatal as a sword. Furthermore, they're easier to use while holding your guard.

Maces have their own benefits, with sheer crushing damage, but I'd still rank the sword slightly better than them. Axes, while having more chopping power, aren't as useful for parrying, and can't stab, so they also have disadvantages, compared to swords.

There are also daggers, which, while not very effective in a straight up fight, can end one before it even starts if the wielder is quick enough, or they get in a sucker stab.

Then there's warhammers, which, while delivering assloads of blunt trauma, still aren't as effective as a claymore. However, it does depend on the wielder. If somebody can swing a warhammer effectively, they're going to turn anybody that tries to fight them, unless the enemy has a spear, pike, or halberd, into mush.

Overall, polearms are probably the best melee weapons, in my opinion. Spears are easy to use and have many advantages, and halberds deliver the chopping force of an axe, as well as stabbing power, from a longer distance.

Well… polearms are superior to all but…

The damn bonk…

You have to remember though. Most troops would be fortunate to have some Chained Mail. In which case, the mace, hammer, flail, and hammer are going to ignore that completely, causing blunt force trauma and internal damage either way.

The sword is only a very fatal weapon if you manage hit a vital area or if you make a complete stab, moves that are often risky.

It's mostly dependent on your opponent. Specify that.

"Death by potassium."

Aboosh.

Yeah, I can agree with the axes. No guard ever expects a 50 pound axe to fly from the shadows directly in to their body.

yes but spears are bad when you are too close to them, they can also be effectivly blocked by a shield.

a good axe on the other hand smashes a wooden shield, goes through armor and even when parried by a weapon the sheer weight has enough crushing force.

so the only real way to avoid an axe is to move away…

My fist.

imperial gaurdsmen

(Huuuur, nobody in the world could have guessed that! :P)

But then again, I always do have this:

How often will you go against someone with armor? No one wears armor nowadays except bulletproof amor which still won't do much to stop a knife believe it or not( it only stops high velocity projectiles) Id say a dagger or a switch blade would be a fine weapon in most situations.

True as that is, stealth would become the only option. In a head on situation against someone with a sword or spear or axe, it wouldn't be particularly useful.

Let's not forget the smartest and safest idea for a melee weapon ever…

Of course this guy

Well to be honest.
Sense I am a ork fan and sense orks are mostly known for their melee. I have to say is:..
DAH POWAH KLAW!!

CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP!!!

The best choice for close-quarters combat is clearly a pillow. You best arm yourself now because if you don't, you may be on the receiving end of one TOMORROW.

Here's a little preview of what these babies can do in action, but I must warn you, this is pretty gruesome. This video is not for the faint of heart. Also, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS, THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL PILLOW WRESTLERS.

Depends on situation and personal build.

Swords such as katana and rapiers give a good balance of speed, range, and it is not heavy to carry around (around 1 kg). They are versatile since they can be used in places where space is a little limited. They can also be effective for "surprise" and sudden attacks, as they are not as visible as long weapons or axes.

Good for: speed, builds with dexterity over strength. Best for general situation IMHO due to versatility. Not best for battlefield, but good to carry around.

Spears and polearms (including halberds, naginata, etc) are definitively better for the battlefield due to reach and ease of use. However, try to carry around about 4 kg+ of weapon that can be seen a mile away. People will know you are looking for trouble and you can get quite tired carrying it.

Good for: Battlefield due to reach and ease of use.

Axes and heavy weapons are good for people who rely more on strength and brute force. These weapons are quite sturdy and easy to maintain and can be used as tools.They are heavy and, similar to spears and polearms, can be seen coming. Also, they lack finesse and speed. One wrong move and it's quite over.

Good for: Burly guys. So-so in battlefield, since they lack reach. Decent choice for zombie apocalypse due to durability and maintainability.

Daggers and coincealed weapons might be the best choice for urban settings. Anyone can see anyone carrying any of the above weapons, but not in the case of small and deadly weapons. One good choice among these are pushdaggers if one really wants to get into trouble.

Good for: Urban scenarios, modern realistic warfare, concealed.

If everything else fails, go with this:

My personal favorite melee weapons are the shaolin spade, rapier, and hidden blade.

The Shaolin Spade has a head shaped like a bell, and it is very sharp. Also, you can strike behind you with the crescent shape back part, als very sharp.

The rapier, requires much finesse and grace. A personal favorite of mine.

And the Hidden Blade, very real, and very deadly.

CHOPPING PEOPLE'S HEADS!

Swift and hard, the crowbar deliver fast damage and lots of bruises. And many people know that Gordon Freeman used this weapon to kick alien ass in Half Life.

Gun whip and bayonet, hell yeah. Gun whipping is like using a crowbar, it's very hard and could break bones. It can even kill when done in the right place. Guns don't always shoot, you know. Bayonets would be like a dagger, swift and would pierce through skin like many melee weapons.

inb4Max_C®obar

^Yes

I mean,srysly,2 knifes coming out of your arms that slice and Dice flesh like a hot knife trough butter.

A good, sturdy assault or battle rifle(M14, AK-47, FAL, etc. etc.), especially if fitted with a bayonet.

Let's face it, you've basically got a short staff(or spear) that can shoot things. From not insignificant distances.

EDIT: Granted, yes, they're quite heavy, with most weighing at least 6 to 8 pounds(3-4 kilos), but that's just more impact force delivered to the target.

Stab Stab Stab

K.

stainless steel is strong against dragon types

another proof that axes are the best are tomahawks!

it's small almost like the dagger only 10X the damage.
can be used as a tool and can be thrown very effectivly.

it is so effective in fact, that some US soldiers buy one to replace their combat knife…. the amount of uses in the urban battlefield is endless…

i shit you not. here is the wikipedia page about it

COME AT ME BRO!

I agree, including throw it to the face.

That was pure luck, or set up.

Otherwise…

the falx:

I'll go with a classic and say THE CHAINSAW.

Only berserker packin' men and a half use the fists over it (because they want to RIP AND TEAR)

…Why yes I am referring to Doom. Got a problem with it?

IF YOU WANT TRUE MELEE!
YA GOTTA USE YOUR FIST!!!!!!!

See more on Know Your Meme

^Looks like we have a berserker packin' MAN AND A HALF on our hands here, guys.

This is not necessarily a bad thing.

^ it's not a weapon, it's noms.

Swords? Inferior? NOT IN MY CITY BABIES

this is my melee weapon

The Boomerang

Often misconception, boomerangs weren't designed to come back, they were meant for curving around angles to hit targets behind trees, bushes, wall, etc. They were also sometimes used for stabbing and blunt force, people would sharpen the edges or put rock tips on the end of them.

I will show you the power of TOASTING!

Chuck Norris' fist.

More like an augmentation for your fists, but a weapon all the same. You can penetrate the skin without having to worry about longer claws that could get caught, they can protect your hands (slightly), and there's throwable blades concealed in the plate.