09-19-2010, 12:23 AM
Quote:That must be a doubtful proposition.....unless all the falx wielders strike simultaneously! For it is but the work of an instant for the 'kitchen knife' holder to gut the falx holder ( while he winds up for a swing, let alone struggling to free his weapon from a shield)....what's more it needs room to swing such a weapon - so he's going to be facing several Romans in close order - so one mad Bastarnae ( No Dacian is shown wielding a two-handed falx either on Trajan's column, or the Adamklissi monument) would indeed be facing several Romans. In a battle. you don't just fight the man in front of you!
Even one-on-one I'd opt for the Roman kit over the Bastarnae warrior's armament every time - despite the 'terror weapon' effect of the falx...consider what is about to happen to the central falx wielder in the picture in the next heartbeat/split second, just from the man with the split shield.....the falx wielder is as good as dead.....:wink:
Actually, it's surprising what small spaces you can use a pole weapon in. An overhand slash/chop will generally do the trick and kill your opponent, and you can maintain relatively close order with it. Lateral swings with pole weapons are relatively uncommon in that they build up less momentum and aren't appropriate for close-quarters combat, whereas overhand, longitudanal swings use gravity to build up more momentum, and require far less space.
And, of course, the beauty of the falx is that you don't need to use it with that mad swing. Sit back and use the point to punch holes in the Romans helmets while until they have to step out of the formation (and thus be cut in half).
Myself, I'd take the falx, and a scale cuirass, and some greaves maybe. Get enough such soldiers, some training and you have a shock cadre that's going to tear open a Legionary line of battle.
Two-handed pole weapons are murderously effective weapons. Bills, Vougles, halberds, longaxes, falxes - brutal, you can use them very effectively in a relatively tight formation and they're fantastic against armour.
Alexander Hunt, Mercenary Economist-for-hire, modeller, amateur historian, debater and amateur wargames designer. May have been involved in the conquest of Baktria.
