Ansteorran polearm rules

[Hugh Niewoehner]

>Sir Kief wrote:
>
>: I think that the ruling is to prevent "pugel stick" type blows. It is easy
>to
>: swing a two-headed 6' polearm like a "quarterstaff". Serious injury may
>result.
Yes!  Quaterstaff, not good.

>Then Therion wrote:
>Any easier to do that than to swing a short polearm like a baseball bat?
The baseball bat swing has a ton of power but none of the subtlety of the
quarter staff.  
Baseball bat type blows from a mass weapon has it's uses.  
>Folks
>all over the world have been fighting with buttspiked polearms for years
>(hell,
>I've been doing it for 14, myself).  
>
>Now Stefan li Rous says:
>
>If you can make sure that you can't swing one end and then the other end. I
>think
>you could be ok if it was a buttspike. It might be difficult to regulate.
>There
>would be a temptation to keep that buttspike swinging as it was also poked.
Hmm, classic 48" polearm tactic though.  Thrust or cut with the foreend of
the weapon at the head or inside edge of the shield.  The intention is to
give you an opportunity to close the range and get inside the shield. Pass
the over the targets shoulder or lever his shield open as you step in.  The
weapon will naturally reverse and you're in the mans face with the butt
presented about 6" from his grill.  Finish the move with the followup
thrust.  Doesn't always work but it does often enough that it's in the
repetoire of a good many small polearm fighters.  The trick is to make sure
the point is completely around before starting it forward.  Done properly it
may well look like a swinging strike to a side observer.

>And a TWO headed polearm would be meant to be used in a swinging motion for
>either end.
>
>No one has answered my first question. Are two headed polearms period? Are
>buttspikes on spears or polearms period? (this may have been posted only to
>the bryn gwlad maillist)
>
Umm, are you speaking of full length (6' or more) or small polearms?  I've
seen several 4'-5' Axes and Bardiche's in German museums which were iron
shod for the bottom foot or so and terminated in a usable point.  No real
indictaion if the point was intended for tearing apart seigeworks and walls
or not.  Either way, if I were carrying this thing and the point bore on a
target I wouldn't hesitate to use it.  Put your body into it and it would
not have had much problem spreading mail links.

For the longer weapons it may be worthwhile to query other kingdoms
buttspikes on 6' weapons are allowed. In my experience the butt spike on
such a log weapon finds most usage  when you're belly to belly and both
trying to overbear.  The butt comes up and a gentle poke to the face or
chest tells you you've been stupid.  Trying to use the butt spike at range
leaves too many openings for the opponent to counter or disarm.  The
exception to this is using your polearm from the boat oar position...thrust
with the butt, strike with the head from the down/reversed position.

Later,
     Damon