A decent spearman will kill a good swordsman with boring regularity. On analysis of medieval Japanese battlefields, almost anything else killed more people than swords- even thrown rocks.
Spears? No one talks about spears here?
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Jim Watson
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The sword, of a size suitable for daily wear, is a sidearm, just like a pistol is now.
Nobody now is likely to choose a pistol over a rifle and nobody then was likely to choose a sword over a spear or bow for offensive action.
Nobody now is likely to choose a pistol over a rifle and nobody then was likely to choose a sword over a spear or bow for offensive action.
The Philippines have one of the most effective stick fighting systems.
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Ugly Sauce
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A good man with a stick, staff or "Bo" can defeat a swordsman. Happened in Japan, back in the day. !!! I've always wanted to study the Japanese art of the Bo or staff, (stick?) but like many things, never got around to it.
I'll have to visit. Before I enlisted and spent every other week for months on the range with my M4, I'd spent more time training with a bo than anything else. Kukishin Ryu is the most famous Japanese stick fighting tradition.
John
Operative word is "can". Can with proper training, tools, and the will. Training usually trumps tools, but the will of the combatants is a huge factor. So lets not overly romanticize things. Recognize that there are several factors in who walks away from a fight and who doesn't. On the whole it is easier to predict the results when all else is equal, but "all else" is not when you are looking at individuals.
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Ugly Sauce
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Ahh...I meant..."could maybe possibly perhaps". 
Sticks can be described as "less lethal" weapons, potentially deadly, but not inherently so like a bladed weapon. Anything more than the lightest touch with a sharpened blade will cause injury, so swords are inherently stronger weapons than sticks.
Spears have reach and a sharp point, and require a very minimal manual of arms. Bos would be used against swords...if a spearman managed to get his spearhead lopped off!
I went hunting with friend in Lower Saxony and we trailed some very destructive wild boar on behalf of a farmer through corn fields until we came unto the place where the sow had hidden with the small ones. I had a boar spear and felt much more comfortable with it than my friends with their Blasers and other great hunting rifles. I think they were happy to have me get in front of the group when we heard rustling.
Wild boar can be a formidable enemy, especially a sow that is defending its little ones. I have more than one of those, 8 feet long and with leather wrapped around, it will stop anything. Something like this was commonly used in Continental European warfare for many centuries, more commonly seen than helberts and used by the feared Swiss Landsknechte.
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Wild boar can be a formidable enemy, especially a sow that is defending its little ones. I have more than one of those, 8 feet long and with leather wrapped around, it will stop anything. Something like this was commonly used in Continental European warfare for many centuries, more commonly seen than helberts and used by the feared Swiss Landsknechte.
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DeepSouth
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In the late 90’s I rented a small apartment from a older lady who’s son had written a book about spear hunting. I met him once and he went to telling me about killing all kinds of stuff with a spear, to hear him tell it he had killed nearly everything in the lower 48 he could with a spear. Most of it, at least the larger stuff, he jumped on from a tree.
By far the most impressive thing he told me was that he had killed a turkey with one, that’s impressive.
I always said I was going to get his book, now I can’t remember his or his mothers name.
By far the most impressive thing he told me was that he had killed a turkey with one, that’s impressive.
I always said I was going to get his book, now I can’t remember his or his mothers name.
Officers'Wife
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Ugly Sauce
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Wow, I've not seen one quite like that. Is the entire shaft square? I like it. Yes, I believe a good spear will stop anything.
DeepSouth
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I don’t think that was him, my memory of the mid-late 90’s is pretty patchy.
If memory serves he was older than that. And the Wells name doesn’t ring a bell.
Here is a photo of the two outside, the longer one is about 7, the smaller about 6 feet long and the shafts are square and have the leather straps all the way around them.
Boar and bear hunting with a spear (and dogs) was a "thing" in ETn-W.Carolinas 20 years ago. I'll point out that many wild boar in the area were Russian boar that escaped preserves in the Carolina mountains and added their stock to the feral hog population. I knew a couple of the local guys that did that regularly and their spears typically had 3" wide 9" long heads on stout shafts with a cross guard 8" back from the head. The shafts were octagonal instead of round. OAL was 8 foot. They were both BIG guys. I knew a bunch of guys that were hog hunters using knives.
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geim druth
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The story of Richard Peeke, who faced 3 swordsmen with a halberd staff is instructive:
https://www.militaryheritage.com/cadiz_and_quarterstaff.htm
https://www.militaryheritage.com/cadiz_and_quarterstaff.htm
Pulldeaux
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Check out cold steel spears ,love the “hog “ spear oal 81 inches 14 in.blade 1 1/2 pole
The Polish cavalry disagrees with you, as do the German panzers.
Officers'Wife
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The Polish cavalry disagrees with you, as do the German panzers.
I haven't seen argumentum ad absurdum done so well in a very long time. Nicely done Mr Shirley. However, Russian "spears" vs panzers did work to a degree.
This is not applicable, since I am not using the very real example of Lancers attempting to stop tanks as a means to invalidate that Spears can't be used effectively to stop most things, especially animals.
I used it literally, you attempted to conflate something else entirely. This is not a dance floor, and you don't want to call.
Officers'Wife
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I meant the post as tongue in cheek in answer to what I assumed your post was. I apologize if it was inappropriate.
Charlie Martinez
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Much like today's different types of firearms ancient weapons had advantages and disadvantages depending on circumstances and style of fighting. Much like a rifle or shotgun a spear requires more room than a sword to be used to its full potential and the sword requires more room than a dagger. The spear may have started the battle, then followed by the sword and when things got real close and personal the sword was replaced by the dagger.
I honestly do not know if a spear is a better weapon than a sword but I have read that of all the weapons used in ancient battle including the spear, bow & arrow, axe, and others started out as farming, hunting or everyday use tools. The sword is the only weapon that was specifically designed to do nothing else but kill people in battle.
I honestly do not know if a spear is a better weapon than a sword but I have read that of all the weapons used in ancient battle including the spear, bow & arrow, axe, and others started out as farming, hunting or everyday use tools. The sword is the only weapon that was specifically designed to do nothing else but kill people in battle.
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Ugly Sauce
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I would not dispute that, but the sword was a valuable tool to have in ancient times when out in the wilderness. (if one could afford one) A sword would be quite effective against wolves, and I would assume were often used to fend them off. (and other beasts) I don't think the first swordsmen took long to figure that out as the first swordsmiths were banging them out longer and longer, in order to more better damage in battle. ?? Or not. !!
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