Poll: Your favourite obscure (medieval-ish) weapon?

[Mordereth]

Straightforward enough, right? If yours isn't here (and it's obscure, mind you) pick other and leave a post with it, and a link to a picture/imbedded picture if at all possible.

Kusarigama? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusarigama

Francheska? The Italian girl next door? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisca

A Gladius, a gladiator's sword, and yes picking this DOES make you unoriginal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladius

Atalanta? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl

The last two are here, you just have to scroll down. http://medieval.stormthecastle.com/essays/unusual-medieval-weapons.htm

Edit #1: Minor grammar change.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

Well, those are pretty cool, and, out of those, I'd probably go for the sword breaker, as it seems pretty practical and functional, although getting a blade caught in one of those notches looks a little fiddly.

Still, my favourite random bladed weapony-thing has to be the Egyptian kopesh, as shown below:

 

[New Troll]

The Naginata.

Spoiler: Combines my two favorite weapons, the bo staff and the katana.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

The Naginata.

Spoiler: Combines my two favorite weapons, the bo staff and the katana.

I want one!

 

[Mordereth]

The Naginata.

Spoiler: Combines my two favorite weapons, the bo staff and the katana.

Ah, how did I forget that? I like that one, too.

 

[SharPhoe]

The Naginata.

Spoiler: Combines my two favorite weapons, the bo staff and the katana.

You've basically named my favorite type of weapon. Different kind of blade, though.

 

[APPCRASH]

I'm calling METT-TC on this one.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

Has to be the morningstar
http://blades4you.com/oscommerce2/catalog/images/kt2065morningstar.jpg

 

[New Troll]

The Naginata.

Spoiler: Combines my two favorite weapons, the bo staff and the katana.

I want one!

I use to have a modernized replica of one. Looked awesome but hard to practice with due to needing so much space. I actualy got it stuck in the ceiling of my workspace once. After that I was too afraid to use it indoors again.

Along with the rest of my collection, I do miss it. Sold it all to a dentist friend of mine to decorate his office with. You thought being a dentist would be scary enough...

 

[Hazy]

Trident.

Long Story Short: This Hits you, You Die.

 

[Beltom]

Well, those are pretty cool, and, out of those, I'd probably go for the sword breaker, as it seems pretty practical and functional, although getting a blade caught in one of those notches looks a little fiddly.

Still, my favourite random bladed weapony-thing has to be the Egyptian kopesh, as shown below:

It's called a Kapesh, and it's also my favourite obscure weapon. You can slash, thrust and use it to hook an enemy's shield down. Stick that on the end of a Naginata and you've got an awesome weapon.

 

[Mad Maniac with axe-firing chainsaw]

I'm gonna have to go with the francisca, with the gladius as my back-up weapon.

The francisca was carried by the Franks, and was thrown. The value of this over more traditional thrown weapons was terror. The axe path was so unpredictable that it was almost impossible to avoid or block, and was very heavy, so shields and armour were next to useless. As such it made an excellent morale breaker before battle was joined. Aside from its thrown value, like all axes the francisca makes an excellent melee weapon, and is actually superior to a sword of the same length when both fighters are heavily armoured. (It is much more likely to pierce and can still be used to parry.)

Gladius. Nope, not a gladiator weapon exclusively. The gladius was your standard Roman sword. Its not very effective as a stand-alone weapon. Where it really came into its own was in large formations. In battles, two armies can get locked so tightly together that its impossible to swing a longsword. Combined with the large Roman tower shield, the only piece of equipment of their own invention, a short stabbing sword in these circumstances is perfect, and one of the main advantages the Romans could bring to bear over the Gauls. Bear in mind that the Romans did not use this sword till the end of the first punic war. They adopted the design off the Spanish, who used them first. They also got the idea for pilae off of the same people. Before that, Rome used the Greek sword, another borrowed design. The reason I would want this as my reserve weapon is because its light and handy, and short weapons are harder to parry than longer ones.

EDIT: I'm not sure if they did pinch the design off the spanish. I'll check that now.

2nd EDIT: Hey, I was right! I didn't want any of the other weapons. Either too unwieldy, or, like the sword-breaker, way too prone to breakage itself.

 

[Kajt]

This one.

 

[Squedee]

I'm gonna have to go with the francisca, with the gladius as my back-up weapon.

The francisca was carried by the Franks, and was thrown. The value of this over more traditional thrown weapons was terror. The axe path was so unpredictable that it was almost impossible to avoid or block, and was very heavy, so shields and armour were next to useless. As such it made an excellent morale breaker before battle was joined. Aside from its thrown value, like all axes the francisca makes an excellent melee weapon, and is actually superior to a sword of the same length when both fighters are heavily armoured. (It is much more likely to pierce and can still be used to parry.)

Gladius. Nope, not a gladiator weapon exclusively. The gladius was your standard Roman sword. Its not very effective as a stand-alone weapon. Where it really came into its own was in large formations. In battles, two armies can get locked so tightly together that its impossible to swing a longsword. Combined with the large Roman tower shield, the only piece of equipment of their own invention, a short stabbing sword in these circumstances is perfect, and one of the main advantages the Romans could bring to bear over the Gauls. Bear in mind that the Romans did not use this sword till the end of the first punic war. They adopted the design off the Spanish, who used them first. They also got the idea for pilae off of the same people. Before that, Rome used the Greek sword, another borrowed design. The reason I would want this as my reserve weapon is because its light and handy, and short weapons are harder to parry than longer ones.

EDIT: I'm not sure if they did pinch the design off the spanish. I'll check that now.

2nd EDIT: Hey, I was right! I didn't want any of the other weapons. Either too unwieldy, or, like the sword-breaker, way too prone to breakage itself.

seconded

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Although not particularly unusual, I would have to go for the spiked flail.

Spoiler

 

[Berethond]

http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/Weaponry/kaurina_lowlander.jpg

 

[Artemis923]

Well, those are pretty cool, and, out of those, I'd probably go for the sword breaker, as it seems pretty practical and functional, although getting a blade caught in one of those notches looks a little fiddly.

Still, my favourite random bladed weapony-thing has to be the Egyptian kopesh, as shown below:

Kopeshs are THE SHIT.

Katars are also the shit.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Ornamental_katar.jpg

Dual-wield those suckers!

 

[Jamash]

While it may not be my very favourite medieval weapon (that would probably be another type of pole-arm), for sheer obscurity I present to you the...

Spoiler: Bohemian Ear Spoon

Those Bohemians must of had some tough ear wax...

 

[Skuffyshootster]

Well, those are pretty cool, and, out of those, I'd probably go for the sword breaker, as it seems pretty practical and functional, although getting a blade caught in one of those notches looks a little fiddly.

Still, my favourite random bladed weapony-thing has to be the Egyptian kopesh, as shown below:

Kopeshs are THE SHIT.

Katars are also the shit.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Ornamental_katar.jpg

Dual-wield those suckers!

And if you put a gas mask on, you would like the guy from Hellboy.