favorite type of melee weapon?

[laggyteabag]

An axe (preferably a hand axe). The force of a mace combined with the cutting power of a sword. A tool and a weapon. It may not be the most noble weapon, nor do you have to be very skilled to use it, but it's versatility makes it a pretty good match.

 

[conmag9]

I'm very fond of spears, for their reach, potential piercing power, and (assuming the shaft is sturdy), the ability to actually block a bit with it (or knock someone with the non-pointy bits if you're going for non-lethal). Done right, they're flashy or practical, whichever you need to be. For whatever reason, this appreciation doesn't extend to halberds. Weird.

Maces and shields are also nice. The latter because I enjoy not being full of extra holes, and the former because it's quite functional against many types of targets. It'll do more against an armored target than a sword and while it won't likely be as nasty as a sword against a light/non armored target (all other points being equal, at least), it'll still ruin their day hard enough that they won't be getting up to hit you back.

To be honest though, I prefer long range. Not bows so much, usually, but crossbows, gunpowder pistols and, if the setting allows, definitely magic.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Chillrend from Skyrim and Oblivion. Icy blue, and deadly. It was actually an easy weapon to miss out on in Oblivion since the quest you got it from was fairly inconsequential. You also had to do quite well on the quest which was tough since you couldn't let any of the farmer's sons die in the goblin attack. As soon as I got it, it became my favourite weapon. Not just because of the huge amount of damage it could deal, but because of its look. I was very happy when I stumbled across it in Skyrim.

I also really like the lances in Mount and Blade Warband. Few things are as satisfying as leading a cavalry charge and couching your lance into the face of the opposing faction's king.

I guess those answers are a little more specific than the topic is asking, but it really depends on the weapons available in the game I'm playing. If i find a particularly awesome weapon in a game, that weapon's type is probably going to be my favourite for said game.

 

[Silverbeard]

A nicely made cricket bat never goes amiss. It's generally always on hand, can be carried about in the open without attracting much attention and is quite capable of sorting out a foe good and proper. Plus it's something I can use at any time and in any place I might find myself. One solid swing and... crack!
Move along, cops. Nothing to see here. Just an honest citizen defending himself from a crazed attacker.

 

[Michael Kerig]

Tonfas, it's cool beating an armed opponent with a pair of sticks, also has the cool distinction of being (comparabely) a non-lethal weapon.

Edit: I'll add a knife, but for fighting close range rather than coming from behind, for "I'm gonna stab you 30 times while you try to hit me". And a sword of dagger for the one of the few practical dual wielding options.

Yay, some Tonfas love. Ever since Suikoden II I've loved the tonfas. Tonfas are versatile, they work great offensively and defensively, with the side grip and held under forearm you can protect your arms and thus your body, and with a quick wrist snap lash out and deal out some serious injury. Held by the end under the side grip and you have yourself a baton, cudgel, or whatever you want to call it and can swing it like any short handled long bladed weapon. Unfortunately, they're not available in many games Suikoden II, Soulcalibur, and Virtual-On are the only games that come to mind that feature them.

If I can't use tonfas I use a sword; swords are always featured.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Chillrend from Skyrim and Oblivion. Icy blue, and deadly. It was actually an easy weapon to miss out on in Oblivion since the quest you got it from was fairly inconsequential. You also had to do quite well on the quest which was tough since you couldn't let any of the farmer's sons die in the goblin attack. As soon as I got it, it became my favourite weapon. Not just because of the huge amount of damage it could deal, but because of its look. I was very happy when I stumbled across it in Skyrim.

I also really like the lances in Mount and Blade Warband. Few things are as satisfying as leading a cavalry charge and couching your lance into the face of the opposing faction's king.

I guess those answers are a little more specific than the topic is asking, but it really depends on the weapons available in the game I'm playing. If i find a particularly awesome weapon in a game, that weapon's type is probably going to be my favourite for said game.

From Oblivion I loved Dawnfang/Duskfang from the Shivering Isles expansion since every 12 hours it turned from one into the other which repaired and recharged it. For other weapons you need to carry a few repair hammers, that thing took care of itself.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Chillrend from Skyrim and Oblivion. Icy blue, and deadly. It was actually an easy weapon to miss out on in Oblivion since the quest you got it from was fairly inconsequential. You also had to do quite well on the quest which was tough since you couldn't let any of the farmer's sons die in the goblin attack. As soon as I got it, it became my favourite weapon. Not just because of the huge amount of damage it could deal, but because of its look. I was very happy when I stumbled across it in Skyrim.

I also really like the lances in Mount and Blade Warband. Few things are as satisfying as leading a cavalry charge and couching your lance into the face of the opposing faction's king.

I guess those answers are a little more specific than the topic is asking, but it really depends on the weapons available in the game I'm playing. If i find a particularly awesome weapon in a game, that weapon's type is probably going to be my favourite for said game.

From Oblivion I loved Dawnfang/Duskfang from the Shivering Isles expansion since every 12 hours it turned from one into the other which repaired and recharged it. For other weapons you need to carry a few repair hammers, that thing took care of itself.

How could I forget about those awesome blades?! The quest to get them was great too. Definitely the most convenient weapons in the game. They look fantastic too.

AH! The nostalgia is overwhelming! Must go play Oblivion right now!

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

I like the dirty guerilla/rebellion gang type weapons, so machete and brass knuckles combo do it for me. Something about brass knuckles, the amount of "intimate" and graphic damage they can do to a person's face just makes them absolutely brutal. The fact that you can just slip them out of your back pocket as well makes them so appealing.

 

[TheMightyMeekling]

For me, it must be the khopesh! It's like a war sickle, you can cut really well, and if your opponent raises a shield, you can use the curved blade to stab him in the side. Looks cool too.

 

[waj9876]

In a realistic setting I'd probably go with a bow over any kind of melee weapon. Considering my stamina and general fitness if I have to fight my opponent up close I've clearly fucked up somewhere. In a fantasy setting I'd use magic if I could. And if I have to fight someone with melee at that point I have seriously fucked up somewhere.

I like light swords. Short-sword, rapier, it's all good. Longer than a dagger, smaller than a broadsword.

Edit: I'm also quite fond of spears.

 

[Groenteman]

Well, the problem is that cutting!=strength, katanas cut pretty well but are too brittle to be practical on armed opponents, the biggest flaw is that they're made with incredibly shitty ore compared to other cultures, they're not bad weapons on unarmored opponents, but you'd have a better chance to poke a knight in the joints than actually try to cut him with it.

I'll just leave this here...

Spoiler

(most relevant section begins at about 6:06, if the time shift, as usual, screws up.)

...With, of course, the caveat that I don't know if the katana they're using is actually made of authentic alloy, if they're actually being wielded with a similar amount of strength, etc. This is a cable show test, not a lab-quality test, to be sure. Still, interesting.

If I was going to take on an armored metal opponent, to be sure, I'd probably be better off with a mace. Or a pike, if they're mounted.

Or a crossbow.

Heheh I know that video. Its rubbish, though the full metal jacket guy (he was an actual drill sergeant who played the role in the movie) does make it entertaining it least. Which as you said is what they were going for, its TV entertainment, not historic research.

That aside it shouldn't take a genius to figure out which is 'better' where. Western sword developed in a highly competitive region and were made to deal with mail and plate armor. Katanas developed from a resource-deprived, isolated island and were mostly intended to deal with rival clans using the same stuff and rowdy peasants.

Guess which will be best adapted to actual combat? Katanas would fall behind due to the off-centre stabbing point and its really late taper, which makes it next to useless against armor. The guard is also next to non-existent.

And that's all the significant differences. Neither can cut through armor, both are more than sharp enough to cut through limbs and clothing, both are very similar in size and balance, both varied greatly in quality.

That's just the boring truth in it. Games and movies want nothing to do with boring truth, which is why there is soooo much misunderstanding about this subject. That and video game logic.

In a realistic setting I'd probably go with a bow over any kind of melee weapon. Considering my stamina and general fitness if I have to fight my opponent up close I've clearly fucked up somewhere. In a fantasy setting I'd use magic if I could. And if I have to fight someone with melee at that point I have seriously fucked up somewhere.
Edit: I'm also quite fond of spears.

Heheh, this is funny, because you got that argument the wrong way around. Pretty much any adult has enough strength to wield swords that can be help with two hands, whereas wielding a bow effective against actual people takes quite a lot of strength and practice. Mongol bows for instance had draw weights (the force on the bow string when fully drawn) well over a hundred pounds. Even a modern Olympic archer has bugger all chance of drawing that bow.

Also rapiers are really long, thin swords intended for civilian duels. Nobody actually brought these to a battle.

 

[Nanondorf]

I'd probably go with a staff for melee. Mostly because I can handle it better than most weapons IRL. Otherwise, I'd LOVE to get my hands on Voldo's Fist weapons (see: Soulcalibur series). I'd probably pass on the creepy moveset though because I happen to have real bones in my body, not just cartillage.

 

[Ruuvan]

Sword and shield, specifically those used by the Roman Legionaries.
The Gladius was a beautiful weapon for them; good balance and not too long to be unwieldy. Six inches of point beats any amount of edge!
'course using this sword on its own wouldn't be the best, at most a glorified dagger, but when used with the massive shields? Done deal.

... but I suppose this only works in unit-based combat, so maybe my choice falls flat? Shieldwalls make the Gladius a lot more dangerous than one on one combat.

So maybe a Bastard Sword; one or two-handed depending on what you need.

 

[Apostheum]

Atgeir. Spears and halberds have always been the best weapons since time immemorial. They're cheap and easy to manufacture, easy to repair. Light-weight and are as agile as any sword with greater range. The Atgeir is a tricky weapon as it's never been found, only described in Njal's Saga. It's thought to have been a "hewing spear" like a glaive or a bill. Roughly the length of a man. (Spears are usually longer) and could be used for not only piercing and throwing, but was also highly effective at slashing. Like a short-ish spear with a sword on top (Imagine a shorter, double-edged naginata).

That sounds best to me. A spear that's short enough to be extremely agile and wielded by one hand, that's good for both slashing and mail-piercing.

 

[Sealpower]

I've sort of got a thing for early 18th century cavalry swords.

But the notion of (literally) knocking a nobleman of his high horse with a quarterstaff also appeals to me.

 

[Flammablezeus]

I don't think enough games have done melee combat well enough with weapons to really pick one yet. I guess the lancer in Gears was pretty satisfying, as is the wrench in Bioshock.

However, I think the best so far (by a huge margin too) is a tie between the sword in Metal Gear Rising and the sledgehammer in Red Faction: Guerrilla. I mean, come on, slicing and smashing through something/somebody and actually seeing the resulting damage? It doesn't get more satisfying than that.

 

[chocolate pickles]

Tough one I must say...does it count as 'melee' if I put the barrel of a Webley IV to their head and pull the trigger?

On a more serious note, I quite like the idea of Brass Knuckles: Easily concealed, light, can't really be disarmed (unless someone chops off your arm, of course, but by which points you've got other problems to worry about), and can do some damage.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

I'd go with a Katar or a trench [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/M1918_Trench_Knife.jpg] knife [http://www.osograndeknives.com/images/products/large_24338_CS80NTP-02.jpg].

 

[RicoADF]

The first melee weapon I ever used..... the chainsaw *insert doom's smily face when you pick up a new weapon*

Next favorite is a Katana, fast and effective.