polearms
Long-handled combat weapons
Polearms are weapons mounted on long wooden shafts, designed for combat at greater reach than swords.
The category includes spears, halberds, pikes, glaives, and similar weapons that dominated medieval battlefields before firearms.
In fantasy games and fiction, polearms often appear as a distinct weapon class: The fighter specialized in polearms.
Long battlefield spear
Massed infantry formation
- pikemenSoldiers armed with long-shafted weapons
- halberdiersSoldiers armed with axe-pikes
- formationCreation or arrangement
- thrustingPushing with force
infantry · cavalry · battlefield · skirmish · engagement · flank · maneuver · charge
Of the Middle Ages
- ancientVery old indeed
- feudalOf tiered landownership
- samuraiFeudal Japanese military caste
- knightHonored mounted soldier
foot-soldier · guard · ceremonial · tournament · joust · heraldry · armory · arsenal
pike
Long battlefield spear
phalanx
Massed infantry formation
- pikemenSoldiers armed with long-shafted weapons
- halberdiersSoldiers armed with axe-pikes
- formationCreation or arrangement
thrusting · infantry · cavalry · battlefield · skirmish · engagement · flank · maneuver · charge · brace
medieval
Of the Middle Ages
knight · foot-soldier · guard · ceremonial · tournament · joust · heraldry · armory · arsenal · militia
shaft
Narrow vertical passage
spike · butt · socket · crossguard · hook · point · edge · poll · ferrule · counterweight
- arms and armorswords, shields, helmets, daggers, axes
- ancient weaponssword, swords, shield, shields, bow
- medieval armsswords, shields, axes, spears, bows
- Weaponryrifles, shotguns, grenades, missiles, bombs
- combat artssword fighting, swordfighting, boxing, wrestling, grappling
- LARP gearfoam swords, bracers, tabards, tunics, staffs
polearmsdaggers
Short double-edged blades
knives · brass knuckles · knuckledusters · short swords · stilettos
polearmsbows
Respectful forward bends
crossbows · firearms · ranged weapons · longbows · guns