Polearm

A polearm is a close combat weapon designed for melee fighting. The primary fighting component is attached to the end of a long shaft, which is typically made of wood. This specific design provides two major advantages to the user. First, the long shaft extends the user's effective reach. Second, the length increases the weapon's striking power.

Because they were versatile and effective, polearms were used widely on battlefields across Asia and Europe for many centuries.

To understand how polearms function, one must look at their three tactical categories. The first category includes weapons designed for extended reach and thrusting. These are often used in dense formations like a pike square or a phalanx. The second category focuses on increasing leverage. By allowing the hands to move freely along the pole, the user can maximize angular force. This swinging tactic was especially useful for attacking cavalry.

The third category consists of weapons designed for throwing tactics, which were used in skirmish line combat.

Many polearms were actually adapted from common agricultural implements. Tools like scythes, pitchforks, and rakes were abundant and inexpensive to produce. Because these tools contained relatively little metal, they were much cheaper than dedicated military weapons. This made polearms the preferred choice for peasant levies and peasant rebellions. Since these conscripted farmers spent their lives using these tools in the fields, the cost of training them was comparatively low.

This allowed even the poorest classes to participate in warfare.

Classification of these weapons can be quite difficult for historians. European weapon names often change over time, and original descriptions are sometimes uncertain. Mistranslations and the inventiveness of later experts also cause confusion. For example, the term "halberd" has been used to translate the Chinese ji and various medieval Scandinavian weapons like the atgeir. Experts like Ewart Oakeshott note that while professional soldiers had custom weapons, militias often used whatever was available.

This makes precise definitions a constant challenge.

In ancient China, the dagger-axe, or ge, was a prominent weapon. It featured a bronze or iron blade mounted to a perpendicular wooden shaft. This weapon was used from the Shang dynasty until at least the Han dynasty. Later, the ji was created by combining the dagger-axe with a spear.

In other regions, the Thai ngao was used by infantry riding elephants. The ngao featured a curved blade and a hook used for commanding the elephant during battle.

Europe saw many distinct variations of the polearm throughout the Middle Ages. The Dane axe was a heavy, crescent-shaped weapon originally used by Vikings. It was adopted by the Anglo-Saxons and Normans in the 11th century. Another European type was the glaive, which featured a single-edged blade similar to a kitchen knife. The voulge was also used extensively in France and Burgundy during the 15th century.

Each of these designs served specific combat needs, from dismounting knights to piercing armor.

In Japan, the samurai class utilized specialized polearms like the naginata and the yari. The naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved blade and often includes a sword-like guard called a tsuba. Samurai used it to maintain an optimal distance from enemies in close combat. The yari is a spear that comes in many forms, such as the cross-shaped Jumonji yari.

After the 15th-century Onin War, many infantry groups began using the yari, longbow, and gun instead of the naginata.

While polearms are no longer used in modern warfare, they remain significant in culture. They are now largely restricted to ceremonial military units. Examples include the Papal Swiss Guard and the Yeomen of the Guard. Additionally, many traditional martial arts continue to preserve these weapons. Chinese martial arts, in particular, have kept a wide variety of polearm techniques alive for study today.