One circumstantial advantage of the axe that I've heard a lot of axe wielding reenactors in Norway point out, is that you can't necessarily fence against an axe, using a sword, in the same way you would fence against another sword. When we've met reenactors from the Netherlands and such, who are great with swords, and spears etc. but have little experience with axes, experienced practitioners make the rookie mistake of parrying the axe as if it was a sword. I.e. by conserving movement and only shifting the sword a couple of cm away from the center body alignment. Against an axe, this means you may still have a significant amount of metal burried into your sholder, head or torso.

@codycarter7638

8 ай бұрын

Sir, I found your comment both fascinating and helpful in my own research. Thank you very much, and I hope this finds you well!

13:10 Yes, the battle-cello was indeed a fearsome instrument of war.

@Eric-sy1xu

8 жыл бұрын

lmao

@agchains78543

6 жыл бұрын

Lol

@mikefule330

3 жыл бұрын

Mainly used by thugs given to mindless violins.

You missed the chance to make the opening line I've been axed a lot of questions :(

@pyry1948

8 жыл бұрын

that would be cheesy as fuck but still great

@paulstella8443

4 жыл бұрын

Racist

13:53 looked super cool, I would love to see that included in movie, sadly Hollywood doesn't like realistic fighting.

@Riposte8

8 жыл бұрын

Agreed

@jeremystewert4303

8 жыл бұрын

look at the Patriot.

@Ninjamanhammer

8 жыл бұрын

jeremy stewert Do you have a link to the scene?

@jeremystewert4303

8 жыл бұрын

No but you might be able to KZread, Patriot tomahawk. They're some pretty bloody scenes, Mel Gibson goes crazy with that thing.

@Ninjamanhammer

8 жыл бұрын

Intertaining scene but I didn't see that technique.

"You can now release that head, and you have a huge amount of impact potential from that head" - Great quote, and life lesson.

THE WALLHAMMER RETURNS!!!!

@DwarfElvishDiplomacy

8 жыл бұрын

Once he ups the video quality it will be a 40k Wallhammer

Thanks very much. Axes have always interested me, and I also think it's a shame we don't know more about them. I suppose part of the problem is that (short-handled) battleaxes were slowly falling out of use by the time you started getting large numbers of treatises published. The axe was also an almost purely martial weapon, unlike the sword, which was far more frequently carried in a civilian context, for reasons you explained very well.

@scholagladiatoria

8 жыл бұрын

Yes I think these are the key reasons we don't see them in treatises.

@breaden4381

8 жыл бұрын

Maybe you were expected use an axe like a sword when in combination with a shield and that's why there aren't any manuals?

@KorKhan89

8 жыл бұрын

+Braden Vande Plasse I don't think that's the reason. For reasons Matt explains in the video, there would gave been key differences between axe and sword combat.The fact of the matter is, though, that fighting manuals simply didn't exist during the early and high middle ages, at least as far as we know. Skills were transmitted orally from master to student, and people didn't see any need to write them down. By the time that manuals did emerge from the 14th century onwards, axes were no longer being used by their target audience as much as they had before. Anyone wanting to learn how to use an axe would just have to get someone to teach it to them.

@KorKhan89

8 жыл бұрын

+Braden Vande Plasse Plus, of course, we don't have any treatises on sword and shield either (unless you count bucklers as shields).

@vidard9863

6 жыл бұрын

Cost and status are probably significant issues. Books where expensive, swords where expensive, axes where cheap. You could make an axe manual and try to sell it to peasents, or a sword manual and sell it to nobels who could afford it.

Mind if I give a suggestion, Matt? When you say names of very specific weapons, such as the langobard axe, it would be nice if you displayed the word on screen, just so we know how it's spelled. It would help a lot for for words with lots of homophones, and for people who speak english as their second language. That said, that smooth high quality camera is so awesome!

I love it when you make videos on weapons other than swords. I find them especially educational and enlightening.

While I agree with basically everything you've said, including the sword having an advantage over the axe when used as a single weapon, what I find and you didn't mention is that the force of an axe blow that it has because of the tip-heavy balance actually makes it quite a bit more difficult to parry than a sword blow.

@95spades

8 жыл бұрын

I think he meant that it's harder for the swordsman to parry the axe should you strike first or get an opening - as all that force, compared to a sword, is harder to simply deflect

@madmoonrabbit

8 жыл бұрын

Whoops! Fair enough...

I am a New Zealander, where traditional Maori weapons made of wood often resembled a hatchet in shape. Most of their weapons were used hand to hand with very few missiles, and much more were edge weapons more often then thrusts, but these guys were highly skilled and very athletic in everything from footwork to handspeed, and the main defence involved whirling and feinting and flourishing. when steel technology was introduced they were much more interested in firearms,

Would you ever consider doing a sparing demo with axes vs other weapons, as you did with spears verses swords, and try to compile some ideas on how the axe would have been used with and without a shield?

I can never play a warrior-type in a role playing game again (and have any enjoyment). I know too much now. This video was the tipping point. Great video.

@CoffeeSnep

5 жыл бұрын

Same here, I can never watch Game Of Thrones again!

Wonder how many cameras matt has messed up xD

@scholagladiatoria

8 жыл бұрын

None.

@electronkaleidoscope5860

8 жыл бұрын

download.manycam.com/effects/get?f=l&i=34390&v=2.00

@VelikiHejter

8 жыл бұрын

Quick, pour some cold water onto those burns! XD

@Greve1337

8 жыл бұрын

Thats what you want us to belive we are not fooled

@yoomeanie

7 жыл бұрын

there's always that one guy who ruins an otherwise great comment thread. ironically i am now one of those.

I've done a bit of sparring and experimental testing over the years with larger "war" axes (as opposed to the poll-axe or lighter hatchets) in a HEMA context -- a couple points I've found while working with them. • As you note, the two-handed stick-parry is about the only way to defend yourself against an opponent with a thrusting or impact weapon. It does more poorly against cuts, at least in my experience, because they're easier to re-direct onto the hands. • On the other hand, the "beard" on an axe makes for an acceptable finger-guard if you don't have another option. Likewise, you can take cuts across the top of the axe-head, which is a remarkably solid block of iron. A spike on the head even allows you to trap blades and pummel with the base of the axe-shaft as well as thrust. • You can rapidly shift from a defensive to offensive posture with an axe in both hands by pushing off with the off-hand near the head and rapidly sliding it down towards the primary hand to gain leverage. It also allows you to make potent undercuts (which is otherwise pretty hard with an axe) and close off thrusting lines rapidly by side-stepping and "pulling" the axe rapidly back into a defensive posture with your primary hand. Unfortunately, this can telegraph quite loudly and tends not to work with an experienced opponent (who will be shutting off your head's striking lines as much as possible).

Only about halfway through but I hope you talk about the ability to grab onto mail and trip opponents with an axe. I'm Native American and I learned to fight with tomahawk and knife from my grandfather and one of the main goals was to hook with the tomahawk and thrust with the knife. In later years I would carry a hatchet and two knives as an officer in the army though I luckily never had to use them.

Thank you for brightening my day again good sir.

Thanks, Matt. I've been hoping for more information on fighting with the axe.

Another very informative and interesting video!

Hey Matt, I've been watching your videos for quite some time, I hugely enjoy them. Just wanted to thank you for this very thoughtful extrapolation on the use of axes. I always enjoy characters in fiction who use axes as their main weapon. Excellent food for thought. Thanks again.

I like your ideas for axe fighting. It's a neat way to deal with fast thrusting attacks with such a top-heavy weapon. When it comes to axes, everyone either uses a big shield or a poleaxe, so I haven't seen anyone trying out techniques for one-handed axes alone. It's an important thing to learn though, because while you wouldn't want to go to battle with only the axe, you can't expect to always have a shield. Shields can break, and horses can run off with your supplies.

Excellent Video, thanks a lot for discussing the pros and cons. Best wishes, Erik

very in formative and fascinating!

Thanx for the info. Especially the how to guard with it, which seems to be a great weakness.

I love Mett Euston!

@metteuston7699

8 жыл бұрын

k

@williamstark2982

8 жыл бұрын

Don't we all, that said I'm a fan of Lednybeeg as well.

@metteuston7699

8 жыл бұрын

William Stark Trayter

@loganplourde886

8 жыл бұрын

I prefer shkallygrum

@TheCoIdDark

8 жыл бұрын

Have you found the Holy Spadrune?

Thank you so much for this!

Great video. Love those axe video's.

I wonder how many cameras have died bringing footage like this to us...

Thanks for sharing .

Really enjoyed this- Thank you

That was a a very well done video. Several of my friends and I practice with small axes and tomahawks while using pekiti or kuntao respectively as a basis for our movements, and we came to similar conclusions. I will certainly try the half handle grip, as it does seem like a good method for closing the distance against certain ranged weapons.

I agree completely. What a great video. I'm a big fan of the single handed axe and I have been waiting for this one. Using a short axe with both hands defensively makes perfect sense and is intuitive. I'm glad you pointed out that only with a shield the advantages of the axe begin to shine. It's axe and shield combo when the magic happens.Thanks Matt. Your videos rock!

Thank you! Some great insights.

Thanks for the detailed video! Maybe you could try out some thrust parrying with a "half-axed" axe sometime and show the results?

Plus, if you get a bunch of your Viking mates together you can breach a castle by throwing a bunch of axes at the draw bridge and climb over the top. :).

@cyrylkowalczyk9392

8 жыл бұрын

"The Long Ships" :D

Holy Crap I learned so much about Axes in this video I never knew! This is really cool thank you for these vids and keep up the great work!

It is a very discussed topic, the use the axe in combat, and I think it would be great to have a live demonstration of combat, even if is speculating on the technique.

In tomahawk training I do use the two handed method but also reverse grip for lack of a better term works well also.

That was great -- very informative.

Great video !

One thing I noticed in your parrying techniques that seemed interesting to me was the fact you have essentially a bladed d-guard protecting the hand that isn't through your retaining strap and if necessary you could punch with quite some force utilizing not just your presumably dominant hand but the force of your offhand to propel the blade into the opponent in a blow easily from that position. Assuming you were able to close of course.

Great info, thanks, keep it up

Brilliant! Totally agree with your interpretation of single-handed, no-shield usage. Now to try in sparring one day!

Hey Matt, love the channel. What do you think of two-handed axes, like the Dane axe for example?

Good stuff Matt, and of course the axe is very powerful on horseback at speed for added percussive power.

I salute your channel on the educational value. More power to your elbow and thanks for showing my Norse loving brother that axes are as good as a Uzi .Thanks .😎

Hey, Matt. I'd love to see a video where you give your thoughts on tomahawk and long knife combat.

I was going to ask about axe and knife combo versus sword, but I just watched your review on the end duel in "The Patriot" instead.

Great vid about axes.

Hi Matt, if you paint that shield, you should emblazon it with the schola gladiatoria logo!

4:00 I think it can be said that a warhammer and an axe work very similarly against plate armor, they have mass concentrated at the end for high percussive force and enough edge or protrusion on the head to bite or adhere to the armor at the point of contact, as opposed to deflecting, thus very effectively transferring their kinetic energy. I will go out on a limb and say that the primary striking side of a war hammer was the hammer end, I think, as I believe has been forwarded by Shad, that the spike end was, due to its typically quite short length, used chiefly for going for the head and penetrating helmets, given this I think it makes axe and war hammers even more analogous in function as mainly (against armor) percussive weapons.

I fight with an axe using Glima. read earlier post as I have beaten many swords men with this method using only an axe. I have nothing against the sword but don,t underestimate an axe.

@CoffeeSnep

5 жыл бұрын

What is Glima?

OMG WOW SO EYE OPENING Seriously, good stuff.

You make very entertaining videos...do you have one that shows how to fight & defend with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other without a shield?

Hi Matt, great vdeo! I have a question about gambesons and/or clothes and unarmoured combat: would it be best to wear loose fitting clothing that could ruck up or fold when a blow is struck on you compared to tight clothing with no give at all? Seems like a stupid question but thought you might have a view.

The "hook" arguments is one of the things I like about the Kopesh, the curved blade would often be made in such a way that the back end of the tip had a hook (although this point seem lost on modern versions. And I guess some ancient versions didn't have it as well)

Always great insight. You conjecture on axe defense without a shield is spot on IMO. Something you didn't mention is the ability of the ax to reach around a shield to hit the other guy. What I mean is because the blade is several inches away from the haft the blade could potentially hit before the haft contacts the shield. A sword, being linear, can't do this. The angled reach of a sword essentially makes the other guy's shield smaller and makes him pay more attention to his blocks. My opinion, but I think the ax is an anti-shield weapon and went out of favor when shields started to go away. Certainly the ax is going to do the most damage to a shield out of the available hand weapons. Dane axes were there to break up shield walls (IMO).

Googled "longobard axe" found tons of longboards, no axes... such dissapointment...

@rolebo1

8 жыл бұрын

same. then found some long bearded axes.

@MrBandholm

8 жыл бұрын

Lombards axe

@Leocmatias

8 жыл бұрын

Same results here.

@rolebo1

8 жыл бұрын

bandholm even then, all i can find are franziskas or people named lombard wielding axes.

@glenndemoor3020

8 жыл бұрын

Here is a reproduced one from an archaeological example. Note the hammer-like end. www.gettyimages.nl/detail/nieuwsfoto's/long-bearded-axe-used-by-the-langobards-reproduction-of-a-nieuwsfotos/587772259

I wonder how effective it would be the use the the spine of an axe head (between the eye and the toe) like a cross guard. Like choke up on the shoulder holding it out like a buckler. use the shaft to protect the arm (as much as is possible). That might draw the person with the reach advantage in more. And if you could over extend them and put them off footing, than maybe you could give it a wind letting the grip looser to allow the hand to slide to the butt of the shaft for one good blow.

great video! more axe videos please :D

I would love to see a discussion of the use of 2-handed axes as well - admittedly the only one I know of though is the Dane Axe and the polearm "axes."

8:52 The point about shields negating the range disadvantage of a shorter weapon only seems to be reinforced heavily by the roman army's fighting style of massive shield and short stabbing/cleaving sword. At a time when they must have been engaging mostly spears it seems they all advanced past the point that the enemy can hit you at and pressed his long weapons up against him confining and attacking freely with their short weapons.

So using the axe like Fiore's baton during parries? Nice.

Matt, your opinion on axe use reflects closely to my experience using the CS 'hawk trainers. Against just about any weapon, using it like a short staff was the best method of defense. I've also found that a good means of offense is in using the axe head basically as a set of knucks - choke up with your strong hand near the head, weak hand near the end of the shaft. Defend as you said there, offend either by stepping into grappling range and pummeling them with your edge set of iron knuckles, or if you can't establish a grapple, by casting the weapon out at regular fighting distance again. Also when choked up like that, I notice the shaft makes a nice parrying bar even in one hand, along the forearm, like we see with daggers.

With a longer handle, you choke up on it midway, essentially giving it the same effective length as shown here. The excess handle is run down the forearm, and fixed to it by a supporting hand or shield manipulation. High guard, attacks swoop down. The body movement is to the opposite direction, like pivoting on an axis. Shield moves around a lot. Try it.

I'd like to know more about the offensive use of shields. I would assume that some shield designs are better for striking and or pushing, but I'm not sure which would be most effective. Also, it seems like hitting someone with your shield or just knocking him off balance would be a great way to create openings for your sword/spear/ax/mace/war hammer/etc.

Some points: It depends a lot on how specifically the axe is made. If you have an axe with a heavy head then yeah it will hit a lot harder but be slower than a sword, but if you make an axe with a long handle and a really small, light head then you have a weapon which is lighter than a sword overall but hits just as hard. Also, something that's probably been brought up before is that the Bayeux tapestry actually seems to show the great daneaxe being used as sort of a secondary weapon. When then Normans first charge the saxon huscarls are shown initially holding a spear and shield with the daneaxe being held in the shield hand. After the initial charge the shield and spear are discarded and the huscarls are shown as only using their daneaxe. Last point, in the late 1500s English mercenary Humfrey Barwick made a statement along the lines of "the English love their bows the way the Danish love their axes/hatchets" so evidently the axe did still see use in some capacity into the 16th century. Although it was considered an antiquated weapon.

You are probably right about two-handed parries with axes and maces; but additionally, in my own usage, I figure blocking with a shield or parrying with the weapon once while closing distance against a swordsman to get past his guard, and also negate his reach advantage, then either striking with a thrust to the face or swing to the temple is a viable option when coupled with a quick retreat. (Wow, that's quite the run-on sentence.) A risky maneuver? Perhaps; that's why you want to be quick. Furthermore, I find if you keep the mace moving, it's quicker than you'd guess. Handing my mace, axe or war hammer in two hands, I use them somewhat like a shortsword and can do similar parries. But, parrying with my war hammer in the fashion you showed with the axe is practically second nature; as a matter of fact, I have a photo from a couple of years ago where I am holding in that manner, as if parrying a downward strike.

Could you please do some videos on bastoncello use? Looks interesting, and applicable with many weapons/objects.

Notice that the beard of the axe protects the left hand which provides some protection against a sword in the right hand of the opponent. If you close and punch with the left, allowing the axe blade to lead the blow ...

Good video!

Could you make a video on what kind of strikes should come after a "half-sword " parry when using an axe?

I've been thinking that do you necessarily need both hands to parry. You could basicly just grab the shaft from just underneath the bussiness end and whack attacks to side with the shaft, very similiarly to how you would parry blows with a sword.

Very nice video and I tend to agree with just about everything you say. The only minor things I would add: If you have two combatants with shields and armored in mail, I think the axe is at an advantage. Cutting through mail with a sword should prove difficult and your shield prevents you from halfswording and the enemies makes piercing it with the point a risky thing. You have said something along those lines when you talked about armor in the beginning but it didnt make it to the conclusion. Secondly, I would add that if you have closed the distance enough to grapple, you can use the axe sort of as a bladed brass-knuckles (especially if it is a bearded axe)- not really effective against armor but against an unprotected face it should be devestating. Awesome video filling the gaps left by the treatises with some rather sound guesswork :)

Hi Matt, it´s an interesting view and a good point in the use of axe alone. I want to know more about sword and shield, axe and shield, i mean, I´d like know about the art of the battlefield shield (let me put this generic label) its almost non existent in the treatises. Would be good to know your opinion and where to look for in the hema literature. I love the movie fight reviews. Good luck.

A question only tangentially related to the video: how do shield-wielding combatants, with either axes/swords/maces, measure up against those with polearms? Of course, the polearm/sidearm choice would depend on the armour of the fighters, so lets assume in one scenario both fighters are unarmoured and in the other they have a gambeson, hauberk and helm. Is the advantage of reach and additional striking power matched by the shields protection?

It's almost ridiculous how similar are our two medieval weapons' collection. I'm performing in a cutlass fight show later this year... we'll film it; make certain to look for maneuvers borrowed from your saber videos.

Thanks for the very informative video. Very through and not half-axed. =)

@tasatort9778

8 жыл бұрын

half-adzed?

@Taistelukalkkuna

8 жыл бұрын

Attempt to pun the "half-assed". =)

why doesnt Hollywood watch your clips, you say very common sense and useful information.

For parrying with an axe I keep my hand just below the axe head in one hand. you will observe an axes for battle has a long curved bit making up the heel and the beard of the axes head that covers my hand and can in a sense be used as a make shift buckler. my free hand is used for grappling. when you get in close to strike you loosen your grip and slide the axe in to the general known position which you can do very quickly in less then second if it is to muscle memory. striking at this point is easy for a an axe wielder but not the sword.

I half expected lloyd to pop in and Matt to end the argument with one, single immortal word: 'context'.

Hello Matt, Can you talk about murder strike(longsword skill)? Is murder strike powerful as warhammer? And How many weapon a solider can carry in battlefield? Can they take one primary weapon and more than one secondary weapon? (for example, carry one spear, one warhammer and one sword)

@unlimitedpoweracademy1934

5 жыл бұрын

Wang Ralph I suppose all that depends on the strength of the individual. I could carry a spear a sword and a hand axe. But that's just me and I wouldn't expect others to do it unless they chose to do so.

also if you are good enough you can through the axe to increase the range but downside is you have thrown your only weapon but you can throw it hard enough to where the axe gains extra momentum and speed that catches your oponent off gaurd

Hey Matt, I don't know for certain, but I _suspect_ that if you were to run the microphone's cables up the _inside_ of your jumper (or maybe even shirt), that might reduce the amount of noise we get when you're moving around a lot.

people tend to forget that these fight are not 1 on 1 but group fight. you pull someone shield it create a opening for your friend to attack.

wouldn't the use of "half-axing" could cause a risk since you get both unprotected hands on the shaft of your weapon? How could someone reduce that risk?

@texasbeast239

3 жыл бұрын

Metal-backed gauntlets. Possibly some rings at key points of the axe haft to partially catch or slow incoming sword blades, but still small enough for the axe wielder to slide his hands over them as needed.

I recall having read the claim that an advantage of Axe+shield vs sword+shield is that it uses up less space in a formation situation. So that if the axemen close ranks as much as is practical, for each 10 men of their 'frontage', opposing swordmen might only practicaly oppose them with 8 or 9. Not sure if there is any valididty to this claim, but it is an interesting question.

a lot of people tend to overlook the logistic part which is where axes and spears shine

This is why I like khukris, you have a little less power than the handaxe but you get all the versatility of a sword, and if you make it with enough weight towards the end you can have enough power to get through plate

Matt uses axe on certain types of armour! It's super effective! Couldn't help myself. Sorry not sorry.

@TheNotforyou

8 жыл бұрын

I was just coming to make this comment too.

@AeolethNionian

8 жыл бұрын

I wonder if he knew he was making a reference or if it was accident.

@projectilequestion

8 жыл бұрын

I wonder what type he would have been? I suppose it would be all down to 'context'.

@AeolethNionian

8 жыл бұрын

New context type confirmed for Sun and Moon.

@djsourcream2668

6 жыл бұрын

Nich Adams someone's been playing too much pokemon!

Having played around with axes, a bit, I believe they are a pretty good defensive weapon, once you do not treat them like a clumsy sword and can overcome your fear of being hit and be agressive. Instead of parrying, you should execute your parries as perpendicular draw-cuts against the opponent's weapon (e.g. going from prim to quint against an attack to your left side.), and if possible, step into measure at the same time. This way, you hook and displace the attack, and can immediately follow with a kick, punch, or any weapon in your off hand while having control of the weapon. You can then release the bind with a twist of your hand, and follow up with the axe. Putting a more emphasized twist into the axe can very well result in disarmament of the opponent, as well (a few times out of a few dozen tries, it happened acidentally) as we found out, but you'd need a lot of training to do it on purpose, I'd guess. Now with a second axe in the off hand, and using a "scissor block", disarming worked 9 times out of 10, though. Worked even better against a spear-wielder. I'm pretty sure the draw cut parry technique also reduces wear on the haft, as the perpendicular motion twists the blade on impact, deflecting a bit of the power and preventing it from bite in too deep. At least it looked like it.

AL Aqsahi in his Fursulliyaat manual does have a chapter on the use of mace

really like the axe you are using for demonstration. is that a modern axe that might be available from a maker or is it a re-hafted antique?

watching you move and stuff i feel like where you place the second hand could be different. like you could have two hands down near the 'pommel' end or one more towards the middle, that way you could parry or block or whatever further away from your body. you could probably be quite dynamic and move from stance to stance to suit the situation. a bit like with a stick. also how about throwing it :P

Love the way you use the axe. I would add when the axe is being used 2 handed the axe head can be used as a punch daggar. Stabbing your opponent repeatedly will cause them to stagger thus allowing for the killing blow.

Fall back and see if they over extend. I sort of an Expert in the Viking Axe. A Late medieval weapon. Then there was its actual use in the Battle at Stamford Bridge.

Kind of surprised you didn't discuss the various ax heads in more detail. My amateur knowledge is that axes made for war weren't all cresent axes or at least had a much smaller crescent. Either way excellent video as always, cheers!

@Gilmaris

8 жыл бұрын

The axe in this video is more a tool axe than a war axe (the beard gives it away). The purpose of the beard is to increase the length of the edge with a minimal increase in mass, and war axes tend not to have too long an edge. They also tend to be pointy in both ends, because a wide and long beard makes hooking more difficult. If you attempt to hook a shield with your axe, the longer the beard the smaller the angle between the face of the shield and the shaft - and it would start to be difficult to get your axe back. I would not want to hook a shield with Matt's axe, here. You don't need - indeed, you wouldn't want - the hook of your weapon to be much smaller than 90 degrees.

Just a thought as I was watching, are there historical sources to show that different weapons were used together that complemented and augmented each other, so there would be shields and spears to keep opponents at a distance, pole arms to strike and hook at a distance, armoured men at arms and knights to "tank", swords and shafted weapons like the axe to move in or finish off where possible. Each element cooperating and complementing to find opportunities to not fight one-on-one but to gain every advantage from breaking opponents' guard or cohesion and gain local advantages of many v few or many v one? So, sort of combined weapons tactics? So the weapon or armour or shield would dictate the specific role and function in a group fight?

interesting video Matt, thanks :) I wonder how a long axe would handle against a sword, alone or with a shield. it still wouldn't be as nimble as a sword, but the longer shaft I suppose could give you more leverage and greater reach. I've always loved Sparr axes that you find in Western Highland and Islands of Scotland and Ireland; Gallowglasses in Ireland used them from the 13th to mid 16th centuries, and its interesting that in response the English administration in Ireland chose to hire other Gallowlasses to fight them, rather than relying on more conventional men at arms, responding to axemen with axemen as it were.

on hooking with the axe, wouldn't the person with the shield, particularly one were an arm is strapped in like your example, give the shield user greater control of movement if hooked? I generally assume as well that the axe user must be extending his weapon hand for this maneuver, meaning he also has less leverage so that overall, hooking the shield surrenders control of your weapon