What is more powerful: a battle ax or a sword? Or the eternal enemy of the sword

Passed long haul through thousands of years together with man and still remains a very popular tool. Battle axes were virtually revived after the Vietnam War (1964-1975) and are currently experiencing a new wave of popularity. Main secret The advantage of the ax lies in its versatility, although cutting down trees with a battle ax is not very convenient.

Battle ax parameters

After watching films in which horned Vikings swing huge axes, many are left with the impression that a battle ax is something huge, terrifying just by its appearance. But real battle axes differed from working axes precisely in their small size and increased shaft length. The battle ax usually weighed from 150 to 600 grams, and the length of the handle was about 80 centimeters. With such weapons one could fight for hours without getting tired. The exception was the two-handed axe, the shape and size of which correspond to the impressive “film” specimens.

Types of battle axes

Based on types and shapes, battle axes can be divided into:

One-handed;
Two-handed;
Single blade;
Double-edged.

In addition, axes are divided into:

Actually axes;
Axes;
Mints;

Each of these species has many subspecies and variations, however, the main division looks exactly like this.

Ancient battle ax

The history of the ax began back in the Stone Age. As you know, the first tools for man were a stick and a stone. The stick evolved into a club or club, the stone into a sharp axe, which is the ancestor of the axe. A chopper could be used to cut up prey or cut a branch. Even then, the ancestor of the ax was used in intertribal skirmishes, as evidenced by the finds of broken skulls.

A turning point in the history of the ax was the invention of a method for connecting a stick with an ax. This simple design increased the impact power several times. At first, the stone was tied to the handle with vines or animal sinews, which made an extremely unreliable connection, although it was enough for several blows of the ax. The shape of the stone ax even then resembled the modern one. Combat skirmishes required reliable weapons, and gradually axes began to be polished and attached to the handle through a hole drilled in the stone. Making a high-quality ax required long and painstaking work, so skillfully made axes were used mainly in skirmishes with enemies. Already in that era, a division into combat and working axes appeared.

Bronze Age axes

The era of bronze axes flourished in ancient Greece. At first, the Hellenic battle ax was made of stone, but with the development of metallurgy, battle axes began to be made of bronze. Along with bronze axes, stone axes were also used for a long time. For the first time, Greek axes began to be made double-edged. The most famous Greek double-bladed ax is the labrys.

Images of labrys are often found on ancient Greek vases, it is held in hands supreme god Greek pantheon Zeus. Finds of huge labryses in excavations of Cretan palaces indicate the cultic and symbolic use of these axes. Labryses were divided into two groups:

Cult and ceremonial;
Battle Labryses.

With the cult ones, everything is clear: due to their enormous size, they simply could not be used in skirmishes. The battle labrys was the same size as a regular battle ax (a small ax on a long handle), only the blades were located on both sides. We can say that these are two axes combined into one. The complexity of manufacturing made such an ax an attribute of leaders and great warriors. Most likely, this served as the basis for the further ritualization of the labrys. To use it in battle, a warrior had to have considerable strength and dexterity. Labrys could be used as Two-handed weapon, because two blades made it possible to strike without turning the shaft. In this case, the warrior had to dodge enemy blows, and any hit from the labrys was usually fatal.

Using a labrys in tandem with a shield required enormous skill and strength in the hands (although labrys for this purpose were made individually and were smaller). Such a warrior was practically invincible and in the eyes of others was the embodiment of a hero or god.

Barbarian axes from the era of ancient Rome

During the reign ancient Rome The main weapon of the barbarian tribes was also an ax. Among the barbarian tribes of Europe there was no strict division into classes; every man was a warrior, hunter and farmer. Axes were used both in everyday life and in war. However, in those days there was a very specific ax - the Francis, which was used only for combat.

Having first encountered barbarians armed with Francis on the battlefield, the invincible legionnaires initially suffered defeat after defeat (however, the Roman military school quickly developed new methods of protection). The barbarians threw their axes at the legionnaires with tremendous force, and when they were at close range, they chopped them with great speed. As it turned out, the barbarians had two types of Francis:

Throwing, with a shorter handle, to which a long rope was often tied, allowing the weapon to be pulled back;
Francis for close combat, which was used as a two-handed or one-handed weapon.

This division was not rigid and, if necessary, a “regular” Francis could be thrown no worse than a “special” one.

The very name “Francis” recalls that this battle ax was used by the Germanic tribe of the Franks. Each warrior had several axes, and the Francisca for close combat was a carefully stored weapon and the pride of its owner. Numerous excavations of the burial places of wealthy warriors indicate high value this weapon for the owner.

Viking battle ax

Ancient Viking battle axes were terrible weapon of that era and were associated specifically with sea robbers. One-handed axes had many forms, not very different from each other, but the two-handed broadaxe was remembered for a long time by the enemies of the Vikings. The main difference between Brodex is its wide blade. With such a width it is difficult to talk about the versatility of the ax, but it cut off limbs with one blow. In that era, armor was leather or chain mail, and a wide blade cut through it perfectly.

There were also one-handed broadaxes, but the so-called “Danish axe” was two-handed and was best suited for tall and on foot Scandinavian pirates. Why did the ax become a symbol of the Vikings? The Scandinavians did not go to the “Vikings” for booty because of the incredible steepness, they were forced to do so by the harsh natural conditions and infertile lands. Where do poor farmers get the money to buy swords? But everyone had an ax on their household. After reforging the blade, all that was needed was to place the ax on a long, strong handle, and the terrible Viking was ready to go. After successful campaigns, the warriors acquired good armor and weapons (including swords), but the ax remained the favorite weapon of many fighters, especially since they wielded it masterfully.

Slavic battle axes

Shape of battle axes ancient Rus' practically no different from the one-handed axes of Scandinavia. Since Rus' had close ties with Scandinavia, the Russian battle ax was the twin brother of the Scandinavian one. Russian foot squads and especially the militia used battle axes as their main weapon.

Rus' also maintained close ties with the East, where the specific battle hatchet came from - the coin. The hatchet-hatchet is similar to it. You can often come across information that a mint and a klevets are one weapon - but despite their external similarity, these are completely different axes. The mint has a narrow blade that cuts through the target, while the klevet is shaped like a beak and pierces the target. If you can use metal that is not the same to make a claw best quality, then the narrow blade of the coin must withstand significant loads. The military coinage of the Russians was the weapon of the horsemen who adopted this weapon from the horse-dwellers of the steppe. The coinage was often richly decorated with precious inlay and served as a badge of honor for the military elite.

In later times, the battle ax in Rus' served as the main weapon of bandit gangs and was a symbol of peasant revolts (along with battle scythes).

The ax is the main competitor of the sword

For many centuries, the battle ax was not inferior to such specialized weapons as the sword. The development of metallurgy made it possible to mass-produce swords intended exclusively for combat functions. Despite this, the axes did not give up positions, and judging by the excavations, they were even in the lead. Let's consider why the ax, as a universal tool, could compete on equal terms with the sword:

The high cost of a sword compared to an ax;
The ax was available in any household and was suitable for battle after minor modifications;
For an ax it is not necessary to use high-quality metal.

Currently, many companies manufacture so-called “tactical” tomahawks or battle axes. The products of the SOG company with their flagship model M48 are especially advertised. The axes have a very impressive “predatory” appearance and various options butt (hammer, pliers or second blade). These devices are more intended for combat operations than for economic use. Because of the plastic handle, it is not recommended to throw such tomahawks: they fall apart after several hits against a tree. This device is also not very comfortable in the hand and constantly tries to turn, which is why the blow can turn out to be a sliding one or even a flat one. It is better to make a battle ax yourself or with the help of a blacksmith. Such a product will be reliable and made according to your hand.

Making a battle ax

In order to make a battle axe, you will need an ordinary household ax (preferably made in the USSR during the time of Stalin), a template and a grinder with a sharpener. Using the template, we cut the blade and give the ax the desired shape. After this, the ax is mounted on a long handle. That's it, the battle ax is ready!

If you want to get a high-quality battle axe, you can forge it yourself or order it from a blacksmith. In this case, you can choose the grade of steel and be completely confident in the quality of the finished product.

The history of battle axes goes back tens of thousands of years, and although modern world There are few models left specifically for combat use; many people keep an ordinary ax at home or in the country, which can be easily turned into a combat ax.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

I am interested in martial arts with weapons and historical fencing. I am writing about weapons and military equipment, because it is interesting and familiar to me. I often learn a lot of new things and want to share these facts with people who are interested in military topics.

The battle ax can be very different: one-handed and two-handed, with one and even two blades. With a relatively light warhead (no heavier than 0.5-0.8 kg) and a long (from 50 cm) axe, this weapon has impressive penetrating power - it’s all about the small area of contact of the cutting edge with the surface, as a result of which all the impact energy concentrated at one point. Axes were often used against heavily armored infantry and cavalry: the narrow blade wedges perfectly into the joints of armor and, with a successful hit, can cut through all layers of protection, leaving a long bleeding cut on the body.

Combat modifications of axes have been widely used all over the world since ancient times: even before the metal era, people carved axes out of stone - despite the fact that quartz stone is as sharp as a scalpel! The evolution of the ax is varied, and today we will look at the five most impressive battle axes of all time:

Ax

Brodex - Scandinavian battle ax

Distinctive feature axes are a crescent-shaped blade, the length of which can reach 30-35 cm. A weighty piece of sharpened metal on a long shaft made sweeping blows incredibly effective: often this was the only way to somehow penetrate heavy armor. The wide blade of the ax could act as an improvised harpoon, pulling the rider from the saddle. Warhead was driven tightly into the eye and secured there with rivets or nails. Roughly speaking, an ax is common name for a number of subspecies of battle axes, some of which we will discuss below.

The most furious dispute that accompanies the ax from the moment it formidable weapon fell in love with Hollywood - this, of course, is the question of the existence of double-edged axes. Of course, on the screen this miracle weapon looks very impressive and, coupled with an absurd helmet decorated with a pair of sharp horns, completes the look of a brutal Scandinavian. In practice, the butterfly blade is too massive, which creates very high inertia upon impact. Often there was a sharp spike on the back of the ax head; However, Greek labrys axes with two wide blades are also known - a mostly ceremonial weapon, but still at least suitable for real combat.

Valashka

Valashka - both staff and military weapon

National hatchet of the mountaineers who inhabited the Carpathians. A narrow wedge-shaped knob, strongly protruding forward, the butt of which often represented a forged muzzle of an animal or was simply decorated with carved ornaments. The Valashka, thanks to its long handle, is a staff, a cleaver, and a battle axe. Such a tool was practically indispensable in the mountains and was a status sign of a sexually mature married man, head of the family.

The name of the ax comes from Wallachia, a historical region in the south of modern Romania, the patrimony of the legendary Vlad III the Impaler. It migrated to Central Europe in the 14th-17th centuries and became an invariable shepherd’s attribute. Starting from the 17th century, the wallachka gained popularity due to popular uprisings and received the status of a full-fledged military weapon.

Berdysh

Berdysh is distinguished by a wide, moon-shaped blade with a sharp top

What distinguishes the berdysh from other axes is its very wide blade, shaped like an elongated crescent. At the lower end of the long shaft (the so-called ratovishcha) an iron tip (podtok) was attached - they used it to rest the weapon on the ground during the parade and during the siege. In Rus', the berdysh in the 15th century played the same role as the Western European halberd. The long shaft made it possible to keep a greater distance between opponents, and the blow of the sharp crescent blade was truly terrible. Unlike many other axes, the reed was effective not only as a chopping weapon: the sharp end could stab, and the wide blade reflected blows well, so the skilled owner of the reed did not need a shield.

The berdysh was also used in horse combat. The reeds of mounted archers and dragoons were smaller in size compared to infantry models, and the shaft of such a reed had two iron rings so that the weapon could be hung on a belt.

Polex

Polex with protective splints and a hammer-shaped butt - a weapon for all occasions

Polex appeared in Europe around the 15th-16th centuries and was intended for foot combat. According to scattered historical source, there were many variants of this weapon. Distinctive feature There was always a long spike at the top and often at the lower end of the weapon, but the shape of the warhead varied: there was a heavy ax blade, a hammer with a counterweight spike, and much more.

On the shaft of the poleax you can see metal plates. These are the so-called splints, which provide the shaft with additional protection from cutting. Sometimes you can also find rondels - special discs that protect the hands. Polex is not only a combat weapon, but also a tournament weapon, and therefore additional protection, even if it reduces combat effectiveness, seems justified. It is worth noting that, unlike the halberd, the pommel of the polex was not solidly forged, and its parts were attached to each other using bolts or pins.

Bearded Ax

The “beard” gave the ax additional cutting properties

The “classic”, “grandfather’s” ax came to us from the north of Europe. The name itself is most likely of Scandinavian origin: a Norwegian word Skeggox consists of two words: skegg(beard) and ox(axe) - now you can show off your knowledge of Old Norse on occasion! Characteristic feature The ax is a straight upper edge of the warhead and a downward drawn blade. This shape gave the weapon not only chopping, but also cutting properties; In addition, the “beard” made it possible to take the weapon with a double grip, in which one hand was protected by the blade itself. In addition, the notch reduced the weight of the ax - and, given the short handle, fighters with this weapon relied not on strength, but on speed.

Such an ax, like its many relatives, is a tool for both household work, and for combat. For the Norwegians, whose light canoes did not allow them to carry excess luggage (after all, they still had to leave room for looted goods!), such versatility played a very important role.

Or the eternal enemy of the sword.

Good day everyone! By writing this article I open new section on its resource - chopping bladed weapons. There are many types of battle axes and it is simply impossible to consider them all in one article. And therefore, this article will be introductory - a kind of introduction to all subsequent ones, and at the same time - a table of contents for the section. This practice I already used it earlier in the section about "".

Now let's get straight to the point. We all imagine appearance ax, and this is not surprising - the ax is such a useful, convenient and practical thing for creative work, known to everyone, that it is simply impossible not to know about it. We will touch on a more interesting component of the ax’s incarnation – its combat use and varieties.

A multifunctional striking-cutting edged weapon, a type of ax designed to defeat enemy personnel. Distinctive feature battle ax is the light weight of the blade (about half a kilogram) and the long ax handle (from fifty centimeters). Battle axes were one-handed and two-handed, one-sided and two-sided. The battle ax was used both for close combat and for throwing.

According to the generally accepted classification, the ax occupies an intermediate place between conventional striking weapons and bladed melee weapons. This is a group of cutting bladed weapons or, as it is also called - slashing bladed weapon .

A little about the origin of the ax...

First, let's define when does the history of the ax begin? An ax similar to the classical form, having a handle and a striking part, appeared approximately six thousand years BC, during the Mesolithic era. The ax was used mainly as a tool and was intended for cutting down trees, building houses, rafts and other things. The striking part was stone and roughly hewn. It was only in the later stages of the Stone Age that the ax began to take on a more “human” appearance. Ground and drilled stone axes began to appear, which were used not only as entrenching tools, but also as weapons in close combat or hunting.

The ax is generally the clearest example how an economic tool can be reborn and become a bladed weapon. This mainly explains its widespread distribution among almost all peoples. And before the advent of other purely combat weapons, such as the sword, the ax was a kind of monopolist in the field of effective edged weapons. After the appearance of the sword, they became the main rivals for primacy in the field of combat edged weapons, this is especially clearly seen in the example of the West.

Why did the ax never lose the fight with the sword?

The answer to this question lies on the surface. True, there are quite a few reasons. Let's look at them. I will not consider the positive qualities of the sword, since the article is still about axes.

So, here we go:

The ax is much easier to make.
The ax is more versatile.
On neighbors and short distances the ax can be used as a throwing weapon.
Much great strength impact, due to the large mass and short blade.
Almost the entire design of the ax works in combat. The corners of the blade can be used to strike or catch the enemy, and the prepared butt was often used as a striking or piercing weapon.
Grip versatility. The battle ax can be used with one or two hands.
Highly effective against enemy armor. The armor can actually be broken, causing severe injuries to the enemy.
Possibility of delivering stunning, but not fatal blows.

As can be seen from the above material, positive qualities a battle ax is no big deal, and that’s not all. Overall, the battle ax is a pretty formidable and effective weapon.

General classification of a battle axe.

Let's now look at the main categories into which battle axes can be classified, there are two of them:

Handle length.
The shape of the blade of the ax itself.

The length of the handle, as the main criterion, could be of three main sizes.

Short handle was up to thirty centimeters long, and in general, equal to the length of the forearm. Axes of this size received another name - hand ax . Such axes could be used in pairs, striking with both hands. In addition, the small size of such an ax made it easy and accurate to throw, as well as to be used as a secondary weapon or a weapon for the left hand. It was convenient to hold such an ax under the blade and deliver a kind of “knuckle blow.” The handle itself usually had a slight thickening at the end, or a special stop that prevented the hand from slipping.

Second handle option - medium sized handle. Other name - two-handed ax . This variety had a handle up to one meter in size and was intended for a wide two-handed grip. This type of battle ax is convenient for blocking blows and counterattacking. A metal ball, pike or hook was usually attached to the butt of the handle, which made it possible to deliver additional blows. In addition, with this grip, one hand is protected by the blade, like a guard. This ax is convenient for use from a horse and in tight passages and rooms.

Third type- This long handle. In general, the handle

This type of battle ax is longer than that of a two-handed axe, but shorter than that of a pike. Such weapons are designed mainly for combat against enemy cavalry.

Blade shape the classification is somewhat more complex. In earlier types of battle axes, there was a main emphasis on chopping blows and, accordingly, such axes had an elongated shape from the butt to the blade. The length of the blade was often half the width of the ax.

The presence of a semicircular blade with a length greater than its width indicates that it is ax. This blade shape increases the possibility of piercing blows, as well as chopping blows with outflow. At the same time, the penetrating power of the weapon as a whole is somewhat reduced.

If the upper end of the ax is sharply extended forward, giving an even greater opportunity to deliver piercing and cutting blows, then we have berdysh. Wherein classic berdysh additionally provides full protection for the second hand by connecting the lower part of the blade to the handle. Is it true this variety found only in Poland and Russia.

An ax that has a blade tapering towards the end and having a triangular or dagger shape is called klevets. In general, the klevets is very similar to, but due to the presence of a blade, it has the ability to deliver cutting blows. This type copes adequately with enemy armor and shields, without getting stuck in them.

Battle axes can be like one-sided, so bilateral. On one-sided axes, on the side opposite the blade, called the butt, a hook or spike was usually placed to deliver additional blows. Double-sided axes, on the contrary, had blades on both sides of the handle, usually of a symmetrical shape. With such axes it is convenient to strike in both directions.

Since the article turns out to be cumbersome, for convenience it was decided to divide it into two parts. In the second part we will look in more detail at the characteristics of each species separately, as well as their historical changes. Subscribe to the news so you don't miss anything!

Good day everyone! By writing this article, I am opening a new section on my resource - chopping bladed weapons. There are many types of battle axes and it is simply impossible to consider them all in one article. And therefore, this article will be introductory - a kind of introduction to all subsequent ones, and at the same time - a table of contents for the section. I have already used this practice earlier in the section on “ daggers».

Now let's get straight to the point. We all imagine the appearance of an ax, and this is not surprising - the ax is such a useful, convenient and practical thing for creative work, known to everyone, that it is simply impossible not to know about it. We will touch on a more interesting component of the axe’s incarnation – its combat use and varieties.

A multifunctional striking-cutting edged weapon, a type of ax designed to defeat enemy personnel. A distinctive feature of the battle ax is the light weight of the blade (about half a kilogram) and the long ax handle (from fifty centimeters). Battle axes were one-handed and two-handed, one-sided and two-sided. The battle ax was used both for close combat and for throwing.

A little about the origin of the ax...

An ax, in general, is the clearest example of how an economic tool can be reborn and become a bladed weapon. This mainly explains its widespread distribution among almost all peoples. And before the advent of other purely combat weapons, such as the sword, the ax was a kind of monopolist in the field of effective edged weapons. After the appearance of the sword, they became the main rivals for primacy in the field of combat edged weapons, this is especially clearly seen in the example of the West.

Why did the ax never lose the fight with the sword?

So, here we go:

The ax is much easier to make.
The ax is more versatile.
At close and short distances, the ax can be used as a throwing weapon.
Significantly greater impact force due to the large mass and short blade.
Almost the entire design of the ax works in combat. The corners of the blade can be used to strike or catch the enemy, and the prepared butt was often used as a striking or piercing weapon.
Grip versatility. The battle ax can be used with one or two hands.
Highly effective against enemy armor. The armor can actually be broken, causing severe injuries to the enemy.
Possibility of delivering stunning, but not fatal blows.

As can be seen from the above material, the battle ax has many positive qualities, and that’s not all. Overall, the battle ax is a pretty formidable and effective weapon.

General classification of a battle axe.

Let's now look at the main categories into which battle axes can be classified, there are two of them:

Handle length.
The shape of the blade of the ax itself.

The length of the handle, as the main criterion, could be of three main sizes.

Short handle was up to thirty centimeters long, and in general, equal to the length of the forearm. Axes of this size received another name - hand ax. Such axes could be used in pairs, striking with both hands. In addition, the small size of such an ax made it easy and accurate to throw, as well as to be used as a secondary weapon or a weapon for the left hand. It was convenient to hold such an ax under the blade and deliver a kind of “knuckle blow.” The handle itself usually had a slight thickening at the end, or a special stop that prevented the hand from slipping.

Second handle option - medium sized handle. Other name - two-handed ax. This variety had a handle up to one meter in size and was intended for a wide two-handed grip. This type of battle ax is convenient for blocking blows and counterattacking. A metal ball, pike or hook was usually attached to the butt of the handle, which made it possible to deliver additional blows. In addition, with this grip, one hand is protected by the blade, like a guard. This ax is convenient for use from a horse and in tight passages and rooms.

Third type- This long handle. In general, the handle

This type of battle ax is longer than that of a two-handed axe, but shorter than that of a pike. Such weapons are designed mainly for combat against enemy cavalry.

If the upper end of the ax is sharply extended forward, giving an even greater opportunity to deliver piercing and cutting blows, then we have berdysh. Wherein classic berdysh additionally provides full protection for the second hand by connecting the lower part of the blade to the handle. True, this variety is found only in Poland and Russia.

An ax that has a blade tapering towards the end and having a triangular or dagger shape is called klevets. In general, klevets is very similar to coined, but due to the presence of a blade, it has the ability to apply cutting blows. This type adequately copes with enemy armor and shields, without getting stuck in them.

Although the times when young people rushed headlong into the game world in order to fight enemies in the lands of the province of Skyrim are behind us, the debate among supporters still does not subside different types and styles of playing the game itself. Someone says that there are no classes in the game, but this is only de jure. In fact, everything is different and if you think about it, there are three classes at the heart of everything. Warrior, mage and thief.

However, today we will talk specifically about the warrior and best choice for him as a weapon. Also, for clarity, it is necessary to indicate that he will be armed with an average one-handed weapon, that is, not a two-handed weapon or knives. So let's transgress.

The initial choice of weapons, dictated by a sword, an ax and a hammer, is quite canonical for all parts of the series. True, if earlier swords were mainly in favor, now, that time seems to have passed. These three types actually differ only due to two indicators - speed and amount of damage.

And here everything is clear that the sword has the highest speed, the ax has the average, and the mace has the least, but at the same time, the strength of damage from all these types of weapons also differs from each other. So what should you choose? The question depends on the level and quality of the game. If a player likes to tank and at the same time, at later levels, take out enemies with virtually one single blow, then he should like using a hammer.

However, if speed and efficiency are key factors in defeating an enemy, then it is better to use a sword. The ax is ideal for those who want to combine these two factors during combat. One way or another, sooner or later players will have to decide what is better.

And in order to better give them an excellent way out, we recommend using the middle level of the weapon, the Axe. And indeed, an ax is one of the most suitable weapons for fighting and passing the game on difficult levels. Even without a clue about how to win battles, a new player will be able to perfectly take advantage of the opportunities that this particular weapon gives him.

Crushing enemy defenses, optimal speed, good damage and sufficient strike range play almost main role in the matter of combat. Thus, if a warrior is still in doubt about what to choose as the main weapon for the entire subsequent passage of the game, we advise him to use an axe, because with this weapon the player has every chance to fight off the hordes of the undead and defeat the dragon Alduin.