Dwarves + axes... why?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Another possibilty: Dwarves use axes because Dwarves favor heavy armors.

Generally, you learn to use weapons and armors that either work well against those you train with or against your most common foes. Sometimes, there is no difference, but that isn't always the case.

Mongols, for instance, wore silken undershirts to protect warriors against the damage barbed arrows (and other, similar projectiles) do...because they usually fought people who used barbed arrows.

Dwarves would be used to using weapons that do well against medium to heavy armor and shields, and as many historical reinactments have shown, axes and maces (and simliar weapons) actually do better against such armors than swords because of the way they concentrate mass at behind the weapons' striking surface. An axe might cleave open or a maul might dent armor that would deflect a blow from a sword.

So, after learning how to fight other Dwarves, Dwarven warriors would find that their weapons were still effective against other races- they'd just have to use different tactics to get those foes into the proper position...

 

[Steverooo]

Dwarves are trained in Simple & Martial weapons (generally, as their favored class is Fighter), so they can use whatever they want. The Dwarven Waraxe is a good choice, especially for Two-Weapon Fighters.

In Tolkien, the Dwarves of Nargothrond used axes, as did Dwarves in general. In fact, their cutting of the forests got them into trouble with "The Shepherds of the Trees", the Ents.

Thorin & Co. had been chased out of The Lonely Mountain, long ago, and had to stoop to COAL MINING to make a living! (Indeed, it is mentioned along the trail that they were so desperate that they felt it was better to die facing the dragon, trying to win back their home, than to continue mining coal!) They would probably have preferred better weapons, and armor, but couldn't afford them. So they relied upon stealth, and surprise.

Very Klingon of them!

"Then what's left, Mr. Warf?"

"Treachery, and guile!"

 

[DiamondB]

Well, have you ever tried to cut down one of those pretentious elf treehouse with a thrusting weapon. You need the axe to get those stinkin' elitist faeries down on the ground where they can be properly thrashed.

 

[kenobi65]

You are correct, sir. Bodies don't burn well at all. They require a lot of heat, and a good chunk of time to reduce.

They'd make dandy fertilizer, but really poor (to the point of being unusable) fuel.

All true, if we're assuming real-world human-type physiology. (And, mostly, I was joking.)

But, now, I start to think about a "what-if". What if orc and goblinoid bodies *did* burn fairly easily? What if their blood is oilier, or they just have the right kind of fat, or whatever? All of a sudden, the eternal dwarven war against those evil humanoids might be about resources...getting enough fuel for the forges.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Even if they did burn well, they probably wouldn't burn hot enough...unless they had some fire or earth elemental in their heritage.

 

[Dougal DeKree]

The sword became a favoured weapon because you can use it equally well for parrying as for attacking. Now Dwarves are known for their heavy armours. Thus if you don't need the defensive capabilities of a sword you go for weapons that deal lots of damage with little defense against them. Axes or hammers. You can't parry with them, but if you use them to strike without wanting to parry they are deadly indeed!

Usually though everyone thinks an Axe-warrior wants to block strikes. No. He wants to hit. That's why Dwarves with axes are dangerous! They only want to damage, and their armour absorbes all the damage. If not, they drink Beer in Heavens!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That's why Dwarves with aces are dangerous!

They're pretty gutsy with a pair of Kings, too!

 

[Rockwolf66]

Ok as for burning of bodies. I know an arson Investigator, and according to those who study burning people for a liveing. The human body will burn quite well if you know how to burn it right. The fire is rather smoky but over a few hours the body will burn down to a fine ash.

As for Dwarves burning bodies well that makes sense from a practical standpoint as burying someone who is already underground is not very probable.

 

[Steverooo]

Actually, dessicated bodies burn quite well, in real life... I have forgotten the details, but there is a desert, somewhere, where a bunch of soldiers died in a Napoleonic battle, and were buried in the sand. Later, desert folks dug them up and burned them, there being no firewood in the area! :\ They burned quite well...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ok as for burning of bodies. I know an arson Investigator, and according to those who study burning people for a liveing. The human body will burn quite well if you know how to burn it right. The fire is rather smoky but over a few hours the body will burn down to a fine ash.

That is true, but that is not a high-temperature fire. Yes, it will light paper products and fabric- even wood- but it will never reach the temperatures required to run a forge.

Actually, dessicated bodies burn quite well, in real life... I have forgotten the details, but there is a desert, somewhere, where a bunch of soldiers died in a Napoleonic battle, and were buried in the sand. Later, desert folks dug them up and burned them, there being no firewood in the area! They burned quite well...

That is because most or all of the moisture had been sucked out of the bodies. All that was left was the combustibles and non-combustibles.