Difference between revisions of "Battleaxe"
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The official [[UnReal World Encyclopedia|URW in-game encyclopedia]] (accessed by the {{key|F1}} key) describes the battleaxe thusly: | The official [[UnReal World Encyclopedia|URW in-game encyclopedia]] (accessed by the {{key|F1}} key) describes the battleaxe thusly: | ||
| − | ''A single | + | ''A single bladed foreign axe designed for battle. Battleaxes have large curved heads with a long and narrow lower portion.'' |
| + | |||
| + | ''This design provides a wide cutting surface while keeping the overall weight of the axe low. The curved blade also concentrates the force of the blow into a small section of the edge resulting in considerable impact. The axe head is mounted on a shaft around four feet in length.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Despite of their size, battleaxes are carefully balanced weapons and therefore somewhat usable also with one hand.'' | ||
== Real life context == | == Real life context == | ||
Revision as of 16:04, 17 December 2018
| Battleaxe | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Basic Info | ||
| Cultures: | ||
| Weight: | 4 lbs | |
| Trade Value: | 640 | |
| Flammable: | No | |
| Required By: | Alder, Grainflail, Paddle, Paw-board fox trap, Pine Tree, Rowan, Shortbow, Ski stick, Skis, Slender Tree Trunk, Slender tree trunk, Spruce Tree, Wooden bowl, Wooden cup, Wooden mug, Wooden stake | |
| Combat Information | ||
| Skill Required: | Axe | |
| Blunt Damage: | 6 | |
| Edge Damage: | 9 | |
| Point Damage: | 6 | |
| Attack Bonus: | Good | |
| Defense Bonus: | Little | |
The battleaxe is used primarily for fighting, and has a good attack bonus compared to other axe types.
URW Game Encyclopedia description
The official URW in-game encyclopedia (accessed by the F1 key) describes the battleaxe thusly:
A single bladed foreign axe designed for battle. Battleaxes have large curved heads with a long and narrow lower portion.
This design provides a wide cutting surface while keeping the overall weight of the axe low. The curved blade also concentrates the force of the blow into a small section of the edge resulting in considerable impact. The axe head is mounted on a shaft around four feet in length.
Despite of their size, battleaxes are carefully balanced weapons and therefore somewhat usable also with one hand.
Real life context
- Dane axe - English Wikipedia article on the "Dane Axe"
- Tanskalaiskirves - Finnish Wikipedia article on the "Dane Axe"
- Bearded axe - English Wikipedia article on the bearded axe
- Battle axes as tools (more versatile than swords?) - A video discussing the military and non-military uses of historical battleaxes.
The battleaxe of URW is most comparable to the Dane axe and the bearded axe, both types popular as fighting axes in northern Europe during the early medieval period. The timeframe that URW's fictional world is based on coincides with this period, which in Finland was part of the late Iron Age.
Despite their fame as battleaxes, both the Dane axe and bearded axe could actually be used for utilitarian purposes as well, including chopping down small thin trees or preparing firewood. To their wielders (soldiers, raiders, bandits, farmsteaders), they were just as much weapons as they were last-resort camping tools. UnReal World seems to reflect this historical inspiration, as all axe types in the game are usable as both tools and weapons, the battleaxe being no exception. While it is the most combat-oriented of all axes, the player can still use it for some wood-related work.
Contrary to popular belief, double-bitted axes were virtually never used as weapons in past eras, as the shape, size and weight of a double-bitted axehead makes it an awkward weapon to use in the heat of a fight. The single-bladed Dane axe, though seemingly thin and fragile at face value, was sturdy, swift and highly dangerous in a fight (though less good at wood-chopping, as its blade lacks a more wedge-style shape). The robust but still light axehead of the bearded axe was useful both in terms of strength and in performing combat tasks such as hooking and pulling down enemy shields in a close fight.
Gallery
The battleaxe in-game
