The Curve of Convenience

#polearm #hema #martialarts #shorts

[Shield_OW]

classic guard half asleep leaning on his halberd, perfect for rogues wanting access to some official building

[danjohnston]

I'm just imagining some Medieval Town Merchant
complaining about his Tax Money being spent on Town Guards who stand on street corners leaning on their polearms all day 😏

[cazador]

Some weapons just have a presence that says, "I am being carried for one purpose. Do not become that purpose"

[CDKohmy]

This is why I'm fascinated by shepherd axes as they were often used as canes. The Dane axe is famous for the lean, and is likely the origin of the sparth axe and Hungarian axe, the latter I heard was also sometimes used as a walking stick.

[woytank]

For a few years I've been working at historical events in Poland (im polish myself) and my role is mostly to be a City guard from different ages, a line common infantry if you will. I can 100% confirm that leaning On your Spears, axes, glaves and all that jazz is perfectly viable and comfortable. Also another thing to point out is the fact that halberds or polearms in general are a great sign of authority in them medieval esque settings, while being good weapons themselves. Sometimes in my area there are nighttime events where tourists get to know the story of a certain city in northern Poland with rich early and high medieval history, while under the watch of me and a buddy of mine as medieval city guards. From this I learned how great polearms are at crowd control, keeping people on the sidewalks at night is pretty hard and would be impossible without my trusty ol' spear😂

[maxsoderstam]

After doing a reenactment march we figured out that the greatsword is very comfortable to march with since you can rest the crossguard on your shoulder

[polinaignatenkova]

This is fascinating for a writer, cause I can only use my imagination for what is and isn't comfortable and convenient to carry around, YOU get to figure it out by actually carrying those things around.
I'm curious about swords and, especially their hilts/guards

[acedfun]

"Sir you can't bring weapons in here."
"But this is my emotional support polearm :("

[Wesmin]

I know you're leaning but I can't help but see a "hug" instead and anthropomophize the polearm into a dog. "Who's a good polearm, you are!"

[danielmobley]

Over here in Britain, sentries on guard outside military garrisons used to lean on their rifles in a similar way as, with bayonets fixed, the weapons were just above shoulder height and so they used to lean the false edge of the bayonet (not sharp) against their shoulders for a comfortable way to stand with their arms— convenient!

[allgomesareevil]

Why Roman guards on watch duty weren't allowed to carry their shields 😅

[SteelpolydJ]

"Weapons get less convenient the larger they are."

Anime swordsman:
🤨

[ihavekalashnikovyoudomath]

Now I want to see a chart depicting the "Curve of Convince." The x-axis is high/size reletive to one's body, so it's be a percentage (100% being the same height as the weilder). The y-axis is the amount of convenience(you would have to have a graded rubric to give it a measureable score). It starts at 10% someone's height - so if they're 70 inches tall, that's a 7 inch weapon - and have a high amount of convenience. Then as the weapon gets larger the convenience shrinks. When you reach 100% of the high you can then go to even longer weapons like polearms and greatswords. That's when you get leanable weapons like around 130% someone's height

[GunShocka]

Lean test is so true. I remember getting my first staff. The optimal height of a staff for users is to be a few inches taller than the user. I used to lean on it all the time or rest my arms on it with it on my shoulders when they were tired. Super comfortable.

[chainsawchanselour]

In survival situations, people say never use a spear shorter than you or you could fall on it and die

[Existential_Tempest]

Hmm... Another reason that shorter polearms were frequently used by wealthy knights and other nobility, I suppose - they had other people to carry them around for them!

[Orangnus]

Hot medieval enthusiasts aren't real, they can't hurt you
Hot medieval enthusiast:

[zaxthedestroyer]

Another nice thing about the pole axe is that if the handle breaks you still have a decent weapon one handed weapon. That is to say if it snapped in half. I guess you'd still have a pointy stick if the head broke off lol

[gregory]

You’re the main character in a YA novel, just before you are recruited to investigate an ancient tel that turns to be haunted by the ghost of William Wallace. Movie adaptation will star Tom Holland.

[bigbrowntau]

My naginata is exactly the right length for the lean test! Thanks for codifying something that's felt right for years.