That’s cool. Ok lets take the movie Troy and when attacking the beach Achilles and his soldiers move forward as a group with just their spears out. Why would it be a threat when I could just simply walk up to the spears and cut them in half with my sword. Unless it was all metal then that would be a better defensive position but they are consistently made of wood with a iron or metal tip.
A unit of spearmen works together to stab you from a further reach than you can respond with a sword. I think you also overestimate the ease with which you could chop a spear. Designs differed, but a Greek dory was about 2 inches in diameter. Try taking a whack at the wooden shaft of a shovel some time and see if you get it in one go. Remember that in combat if you were doing this, the person with the spear and the rest of the front rank would also be trying to stab you rather than standing still like polite mannequins.
A formation unit purely of sword-using infantry against spears would be pushed as the spears could kill the sword-users, while at best the sword-users could damage some of the spears but wouldn’t get close enough to harm any of the spearmen. The spear unit with multiple ranks of usable spears could keep going even if a few spears were damaged.
Some sort of skirmishing formation of sword-users would be in even worse shape, as they’d be overwhelmed by a formation and as light moving skirmishers would likely not have full sized shields so if archers were involved would be easy pickings.
Because they’re actively attempting to stab you and you’re no Achilles. It’s hard wood that’s not braced against a surface, you’re using a bronze sword, and a lot of people are attempting to stab you.
Go sharpen a kitchen knife and try to cut a longish wooden dowel of spear diameter while you hold it in the air in one hand.
A spear is a thrusting weapon, you hold it back slightly, if somebody steps into range you can extend the spear into them without even letting go, and if they dodged you withdraw it backwards and stab again. All the while keeping them at a distance away from you.
A wooden spoon is like 1/4 or less the diameter of a spear. Spear handles would have been over an inch thick. As someone else suggested, try whacking a shovel handle, or even a broom handle, now try it while your brother (or sister, no clue which one of you is asking this) is trying to stab you with another spear.
That’s cool. Ok lets take the movie Troy and when attacking the beach Achilles and his soldiers move forward as a group with just their spears out. Why would it be a threat when I could just simply walk up to the spears and cut them in half with my sword. Unless it was all metal then that would be a better defensive position but they are consistently made of wood with a iron or metal tip.
A unit of spearmen works together to stab you from a further reach than you can respond with a sword. I think you also overestimate the ease with which you could chop a spear. Designs differed, but a Greek dory was about 2 inches in diameter. Try taking a whack at the wooden shaft of a shovel some time and see if you get it in one go. Remember that in combat if you were doing this, the person with the spear and the rest of the front rank would also be trying to stab you rather than standing still like polite mannequins.
A formation unit purely of sword-using infantry against spears would be pushed as the spears could kill the sword-users, while at best the sword-users could damage some of the spears but wouldn’t get close enough to harm any of the spearmen. The spear unit with multiple ranks of usable spears could keep going even if a few spears were damaged.
Some sort of skirmishing formation of sword-users would be in even worse shape, as they’d be overwhelmed by a formation and as light moving skirmishers would likely not have full sized shields so if archers were involved would be easy pickings.
Swords in the Greek ancient world were used for close in fighting once the initial contact between formations had been made or if the quarters were otherwise impractical for spears.
I guess it’s true that the autons were pretty rude.
You get stabbed first
Because they’re actively attempting to stab you and you’re no Achilles. It’s hard wood that’s not braced against a surface, you’re using a bronze sword, and a lot of people are attempting to stab you.
Go sharpen a kitchen knife and try to cut a longish wooden dowel of spear diameter while you hold it in the air in one hand.
Yea but said kitchen knife sharpened enough would quickly cut through the handle on a wooden spoon.
A spear is a thrusting weapon, you hold it back slightly, if somebody steps into range you can extend the spear into them without even letting go, and if they dodged you withdraw it backwards and stab again. All the while keeping them at a distance away from you.
A wooden spoon is like 1/4 or less the diameter of a spear. Spear handles would have been over an inch thick. As someone else suggested, try whacking a shovel handle, or even a broom handle, now try it while your brother (or sister, no clue which one of you is asking this) is trying to stab you with another spear.