The Awl Pike

[Terath Ninir]

I'm not sure awl pikes can plausibly be set to receive a charge.

Since that is specifically and precisely what they were designed for, I'm afraid I have no choice but to call that a dumb comment. Please try again later.

 

[S'mon]

Since that is specifically and precisely what they were designed for, I'm afraid I have no choice but to call that a dumb comment. Please try again later.

That's crap - set to receive charge means you ground the butt of the spear so it does double damage vs charger. Awl pikes were used offensively in hedge formations, if you look at contemporary depictions of their use they're held high with the butt end high and the sharp end pointing towards the ground so they can't be easily deflected up away from the target. In 1e Gygax the pole arms buff didn't give them x2 damage vs charging & there was a good reason why.

 

[Mouseferatu]

That's crap - set to receive charge means you ground the butt of the spear so it does double damage vs charger. Awl pikes were used offensively in hedge formations, if you look at contemporary depictions of their use they're held high with the butt end high and the sharp end pointing towards the ground so they can't be easily deflected up away from the target. In 1e Gygax the pole arms buff didn't give them x2 damage vs charging & there was a good reason why.

Actually, while Cyberzombie's tone could have been more polite, she's right. Awl pikes--and, for that matter, the vast majority of long pole arms--were traditionally used as defenses against charging horsemen. It's exceptionally difficult to wield a weapon that size offensively; you set it against foes on horses, or on higher ground, and you group them in walls so the enemy cannot approach without being impaled. That's also why they were so long: They had to reach the horsemen (or the horses) before the horsemen's own weapons reached the wielder.

I'm not saying they were never used offensively, but it was not their primary purpose.

 

[S'mon]

Okay, I'll allow the x2...

 

[Storm Raven]

Actually, while Cyberzombie's tone could have been more polite, she's right. Awl pikes--and, for that matter, the vast majority of long pole arms--were traditionally used as defenses against charging horsemen. It's exceptionally difficult to wield a weapon that size offensively; you set it against foes on horses, or on higher ground, and you group them in walls so the enemy cannot approach without being impaled. That's also why they were so long: They had to reach the horsemen (or the horses) before the horsemen's own weapons reached the wielder.

I'm not saying they were never used offensively, but it was not their primary purpose.

It depends. After the spread of the use of the stirrup and effective mounted lancers, the pike was used mostly as a defensive weapon. Prior to the full development of mounted lancers, warriors who used the pike (for example, the Macedonian phalanx pikemen) used them primarily as an offensive weapon.

 

[Mouseferatu]

It depends. After the spread of the use of the stirrup and effective mounted lancers, the pike was used mostly as a defensive weapon. Prior to the full development of mounted lancers, warriors who used the pike (for example, the Macedonian phalanx pikemen) used them primarily as an offensive weapon.

True. But if I'm not mistaken--and I admit, I could be--I don't think the earlier offensive pole arms got to be quite as long as the later, defensive ones. I'm pretty sure the truly monstrous ones, like the 15-ft. awl pike, were developed specifically as anti-cavalry weapons.

Or so I understand it, anyway.