Battle Axe

Game Stats

• Range: melee
• Maximum Range (thrown): 15 yds.
• Aimed Range (thrown): N/A
• Base damage: 2d4 (slashing
• Secondary: may be thrown
• Concealable: no
• Civilian Carry: no

Description

The battle-axe (or battle axe) is a light one-handed axe with a haft of medium length.

Use and Characteristics 

The term "battle-axe" describes an axe longer than a hatchet but still light enough and short enough to be used with one hand.    A battle-axe usually has a haft about 20 to 24 inches long.  The haft cross-section is ordinarily oval or an irregular octagon, to assist the user in orienting his edge. 

Battle-axes wound by delivering powerful percussive blows with sharp blades, but they are far from the heavy log-splitters used as domestic implements on a farm.  Indeed, using a battle-axe to cut wood (be it a log, door, or shield) is a good way to blunt its keen cutting edge.  Most battle-axes are actually quite light, weighing just under two pounds; battle-axes heavier than two pounds are rare.  They feel heavier than a sword in the hand not because they actually weigh more but because an axe concentrates its mass as far from the hand as possible, whereas the balance points of swords are much closer.  Most battle-axes feature curved cutting edges so that the blade may be drawn into a cut after the initial forceful impact, and/or "beards" to lighten the weapon.  Many battle-axes are so light that they can actually be thrown with a two-handed overhand motion. 

In general a battle-axe offers its wielder few options in combat other than which angle to strike from.  However, bearded axes can be used to hook an opponent's weapon, shield, or even a leg to throw him off-balance in preparation for a killing blow.  Axes are rightly feared for their ability to shear through most armors lighter than mail, and a strong blow from a battle-axe can shear through mail as well under the right circumstances. 

Though light and quick, a battle-axe's distribution of mass means that it is much slower to recover than a sword, and its manner of striking makes it difficult to parry with without losing all initiative.  As a result, battle-axes are rarely wielded without shields.  They are however sometimes carried by cavalrymen, who value the combination of light weight and fearsome cutting power. 

The battle-axe has a reputation in Sevilla and Harkania as a weapon favored by savages and barbarians.  This is not because the axe is a primitive weapon (a mace is far simpler to construct) but because it tends to be more effective than a mace at dealing with the light armors commonly seen outside of Sevilla's historical sphere of influence, and because it is significantly cheaper than a sword.  In many parts of the world the spear and battle-axe are the primary weapons of war.

Advantages

A battle-axe's main advantage is the fearsome cleaving blows it can deliver.

Disadvantages

A battle-axe's main disadvantage is the simplicity of its attacks and lack of defensive techniques.

Variants

Battle-axes are produced by almost all cultures in the Circle.  They can be produced from bone, stone, bronze, high-quality steel (referred to as "steel" colloquially), and low-quality steel (referred to as "iron" colloquially).  Battle-axes with crystal edges are unusual but not unheard of.  Dolotai steel battle-axes are extraordinarily rare, as most owners of Dolotai steel prefer to showcase their prize in a weapon with greater prestige value.

Battle-axes are often produced with back spikes, which can be used against heavier armors to strike a more percussive blow.  The back spike can also be used much like a beard to hook and control.  Because a back spike adds weight to the weapon and thus increases recover time, however, some masters of the battle-axe advocate the use of "simple" axes.

Party Associations

None.

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