Pole Arms

Pole arms consist of hafted weapons 6 to 12 feet in length ending in a head. This head often has multiple prongs and may be used for chopping, bludgeoning, puncturing, or hooking.

Pole Axes

Pole axes vary in shape. Some have broad heads and some narrow and some have heavy heads. The are basically axe heads on long shafts and usually have a spear like point for a secondary weapon topping the shaft or mounted on the head opposite the axe blade.

Pole Hammers

 Pole hammers have a long shaft 5-10 feet in length ending in a hammer-like or spiked head.

Lucern hammer- This weapon has a long spike set atop a three pronged hammer like head. It is five or more feet long and is not very effective against armor.

Bec De Corbin- The bec de corbin has a heavy bird beak like head. It is used to pierce heavy armor. This weapon is usually backed by hammer or a pronged hammer-like head, such as a lucern hammer. It also has a blade-like point set atop its long shaft.

Hammer-Axe- A hafted weapon having a hammer head, like those of war hammers, And an axe blade that is set to the back of the hammer head. This weapon can be used to either chop at an opponent or to bludgeon him.

Pole Cleavers

Pole cleavers have a long shaft usually 8 to 10 feet in length topped by a heavy blade.

Voulge- A voulge has a stout cleaver blade on a 8 ft plus long shaft. In this form one can not hold off an enemy very well, but if the top edge is ground to a point or to a dagger-like tip it can be used to hold off an attacker.

Lochaber axe- The lochaber axe is a voulge with a hook fastened to either the tip or the back of the blade.

Fauchard- The fauchard has an 8 ft or longer shaft with a sickle like blade set to the end.

Glaive- The glaive has a knife like blade with a single cutting edge fastened to an 8 foot plus length shaft. Neither the glaive nor the fauchard are very efficient in battle.

Guisarme- The guisarme was developed from a pruning hook. It is reasonably effective and can be used to pull an opponent off of a horse.

Pole Arms, Combined

Combined pole arms combine aspects of several weapons atop a 6 to 12 foot shaft. These may include cleavers, blades, hammers, points, or hooks.

Bill hook-The bill hook is almost like a guisarme. But its concave edge is its sharp one. Most had an L-shaped spike projecting forward which made it mare effective than the guisarme.

Bill Guisarme-The bill guisarme has a spear point, a large hook, a spike and several sharp blades. All of these combined to form a very effective weapon that could be used for defense, dismounting and armor piercing.

Fauchard Fork- One type of this weapon had only one spike set to face forward from the back of a sickle like blade. Some of the fauchard forks would have two spikes set to the back of the blade.

Fauchard Guisarme- The Fauchard Guisarme has a sickle like blade with a hook set to the shaft that is used to dismount riders.

Glaive Fork- The glaive fork is simply a glaive with a spiked prong set to face forward from the blade.

Glaive Guisarme- The glaive guisarme has a much stronger and heavier blade with a hook curving inward which is used to dismount riders.

Guisarme Voulge- The Guisarme voulge is simply a voulge with a guisarme hook set either to the haft behind the blade or to the back of the blade itself.

Pick-Axe- The pick-axe is a combination of the military pick and the battle axe. It has an axe blade set to a haft with the spike of a military pick protruding from its back.

Pick-hammer- The pick-hammer is a hafted weapon, not unlike the pick-axe, it has a hammer head set to a haft and having the spike of a military pick protruding from its back.