War Axe

Game Stats

• Range: melee
• Maximum Range (thrown): 20 yds.
• Aimed Range (thrown): N/A
• Base damage: 2d8 (slashing)
• Secondary: may be thrown
• Concealable: no
• Civilian Carry: no

Description

The war axe is a two-handed axe.

Use and Characteristics 

A war axe is any axe too long or heavy to be used effectively with one hand.  War axes are usually distinguished from poleaxes by their lack of additional wounding implements (such as spikes or hammers).  This lightens the weight of the head, and in turn permits a longer haft.  Most war axes are about four feet long and weigh approximately three to three and a half pounds.

Because they are heavier than battle-axes and offer a longer lever arm, war axes can strike much more powerful blows.  Yet, like a battle-axe, war axes are far from heavy ponderous weapons.  Indeed, a war axe is actually quicker to strike and quicker to recover than its smaller counterpart owing to the leverage of two hands on the weapon.  A war axe's method of use in combat is extraordinarily aggressive, relying on speed and power to take and hold the initiative.  At the same time, its longer haft allows the wielder to use a greater variety of techniques than a battle-axe can perform.  The haft of a war axe can be used to strike blows, to trip an opponent, or to turn aside blows in a manner similar to a quarterstaff.  These techniques are generally used defensively, as when an opponent closes inside the axe's optimum striking range.  They allow the wielder to defeat an opponent's attack and return the fight to his preferred distance to strike a killing blow.

Advantages

A war axe's main advantage is its ability to rapidly deliver a series of fearsome cleaving blows.

Disadvantages

The primary disadvantage of a war axe is the space needed to deliver its most powerful blows.  While a war axe can defend and debilitate using techniques that emphasize the haft, a killing blow can usually only be struck with a powerful swing of the head, which requires more distance from one's opponent than do other axes.

Variants

War 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 war axes are extraordinarily rare, as most owners of Dolotai steel prefer to showcase their prize in a weapon with greater prestige value.

War 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.  Somewhat rarer are top spikes, used to thrust.  While these additions make the war axe a more versatile weapon, they also increase its weight and thus recovery time.  For this reason some masters of the war axe advocate the use of a "simple" weapon, preferring speed to versatility.

Party Associations

Heroe Adoria uses a war axe as one of his primary melee weapons.

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