The Surprising Truth Behind the Best Melee Weapon in WWI

[RealMaltigow]

"Enemy down the road !"
"Hold my Sherman." *Grabs shovel*

[Valpi_Soko]

Not only can you dig trenches, you dig skulls too! #KriegApproved!

[chadsolomon]

Love that the video example is a Kriegsman hacking a heretic 💀💀💀

[trenth]

You forget the ability to hurt three times as much while airborne after being blown up by an explosive

[hunterdull]

As we can see with the only current 2 comments, you can see how passionate people are about their shovels. I love it.

[Esomres]

"You were loud and ugly and now you're dead! Amen" - soldier tf2

[siaratan]

Remember a clip from the 1979 all quiet on the western front. The seasoned Sargeant tells the new batch "forget your bayonet. You hit them with the shovel between their neck and shoulders, they are gone."

[jackpfefferkorn]

Also, it's still a shovel, so it made more sense to have them around and accessible. No reason to give everybody a shovel and an ax when you can give the shovel some properties of an ax and just have them carry one tool.

[Engineer]

"Rocket jump waltz starts blasting"

[The_Warsmith]

'Get closer, I want to hit him with my shovel' said the kreigsman in a tank

[justagentlemanthatenjoysco]

"you mearly adopted the shovel, i was born, molded by it"

Kriegsman

[larrylightfoot]

The shovel is the most versatile weapon invented, it is a piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning weapon with good reach and the additional utility of digging trenches, chopping wood, and acting as a very rudimentary shield

[CUBETechie]

If you Drill a hole at the end of the handle you can Insert a cord for better grip and it would slip out of your hand

[nean]

NEVER EVER underestimate a good sharp shovel no matter the size

[nekobyoneko]

When in need of a bonk you can also rotate 90° and do that too. Truly a tool for any situation.

[MrDiesel]

Also a good idea to keep your shovel sharp for digging through turf and roots.
(Aka a good excuse for when someone asks why you're filing the edge of your e-tool)

[TaosoftheVoid]

To be fair, I'd be horrified if I entered a trench and a man charged me with just a shovel

[robertnett]

Instructor in the German Bundeswehr on the question, why we don't have bayonetts.

"Simple. We have folding spades."

[Duskraven]

You forgot the biggest part. The entrenchment tool could also be used to parry and grapple. Especially against bayonets and trench clubs. Something other weapons have problems doing.

[crwnin]

I am the happy owner of my granddad’s old ‘Nam era shovel. Since I got it, I never have the need to take a hatchet or knife when I’m camping. Truly the greatest multi tool in my collection.