Weapons: Flail

     The flail is a surprisingly brutal weapon that evolved from an agricultural tool of the same name. While it's use was never truly wide spread like other more iconic weapons, it did seem popular use in a number of peasant rebels through the ages.

     The flail itself comes in two varieties, a longer two handed version and a shorter one handed version that was developed later to be used on horse back. Both consist of a weighted end attached to a handle. Variations within that are based on whether it was a converted tool or actually forged as a weapon. Often times the weighted end would include nasty spikes and the leather that connected it to the shaft would be replaced by a chain.

     The weapon's really advantage was it's ability to get around or entirely ignore the opponent's shield. When fighting an enemy who is using a flail you loose any bonuses you would get from your shield and you defend with a d20p.

     Hirudeans make extensive use of the flail in combat to break up shield formations and the flail in Hackmaster is closer to their flail then it is to a real world one. The main difference is that they've further modified it to have a shorter shaft that still gives them the benefit of reach while still allowing them to use it one handed.
     Because of landscape, Hirudean cavalry are almost none existent, as such the horsemen's flail is not available to them.

     In the Free Cities flails are used by freed Sashai auxiliary units as cheap ways of equipping an army. The Hexen flail is closer to the tool having a longer reach (+2 to reach) and requiring two hands (+3 damage but there is a penalty to speed). It's also less effective in narrow spaces as it doesn't work like a normal pole-arm and needs to be swung either up and down or left and right to be able to used effectively. It doesn't see much use because of these limiting factors.
    The rest of the Free Companies see flails as a peasant weapon and so it has not been widely adopted by for their horsemen though it's not unheard of. Horsemen's flails cost double for Hexens.

    Raiders don't use the base flail as most everyone has a better weapon. When it is used it has the same statistics as the Hexen flailp. They also have little to know cavalry force so the horsemen's flail is unheard of. Both cost double it purchased.

     While Andals don't field infantry that are trained with the flail, many conscripted levies quickly outfit themselves with things laying around the farm and so the flail is the unsung weapon of choice for many Andals going off to war. The Andalish flail is has the same penalties and bonuses as the Hexen flail.
     Andals from the low countries have embraced the horsemen's flail for it's unique properties and ability to break shield formations and it is considered one of the weapons knights are allowed to train in.

Weapons: Dagger

     Well, we all think of the classic fantasy dagger when we hear the word, the Hackmaster dagger is more akin to a vicious ice pick that will mess you up. It's normally about 12 inchs but they have been known to get up to 20 inchs of steel tapering to a needle point that would murder you.
      I don't think you understand how vicious these this are. Go Google "Rondel dagger" and then return to this blog post. I'll wait.
     I know right? It's like they boiled down the ultimate essence of what it means to be a murderhobo and what was left was the dagger. It have the base minimum of a guard because it apparently assumes that they only time you'd be using it was ambushing your victim with 20 of your closest friends in a dark alley. I mean, holy crap.

     Interestingly, the evolution of the dagger mirrors the rise of the use of full plate. It was also likely the side arm used by the soldiers in the Battle of Agincourt. Do you know how they used them? They pulled the french knights from their steeds and while he was held down in the mud, his enemies took the daggers to his armpits and groin. Repeatedly. In the groin. That is horrify. Seriously, this weapon will mess you up.
     After it was done murdering everyone you ever loved, the Rondel dagger became the side arm of merchants, tradesmen, and the middle class, no doubt to get close to their families so it could murder them in their sleep.

     In my world, the Rondel dagger was originally a Hirudean ice pick turned to war. It's usage became wide spread during the collapse of the Hexen empire. The Hirudean forces were at such a shortage to arm their men that they began equipping them with all random farm and work tools. The ice pick was quickly modified and adopted as a personal favorite.
     It's commonly called a "Rondel" after Lord Rondel, a mercenary fighting for the Hexen forces, who was stabbed in the face 19 times for offering a Hirudean commander unsatisfying surrender terms.
     It's use has remained common in Hirudia but has also spread to other cultures. In the Free Cities, they are completely outlawed and only used by escaped slaves. The Young Kingdoms see them as tools, ironically for self defense. Most are used as side arms for merchants, though lowland knights tend to keep them as well. Southern Raiders don't use them at all, not because the dagger isn't good at it's job (which is killing), but because it's a little too brutal for them and it's not considered sporting.

     Hexens don't carry daggers, but Rohuans may have the right pull but can only get their hands on them at thrice the cost.
     Hirudean can get their hands on them because their practical killing machines.
     The Young Kingdoms have no penalties or bonuses.
     Finally, Southern Raiders lose 1 Honor whenever they use a Rondel dagger in combat if there are other Raiders around.

Weapons: Hand Axe

     This article will be short as most of the information on axes was handled in the battle-axe post found here.

     The hand axe is more culturally ubiquitous then it's cousin and is found almost universally among the peasant classes.

      The Free Cities hand axe is an adopted weapon that is only used by those living on the edges of society and those out in farms. It's closer to your average lumber axe having a wider head and sturdier shaft.
      Hexens that have a hand axe on them don't have to pay extra to have it but lose 1 Honor whenever they enter any city for the shame of using such a dishonorable weapons when others are available.

      Hirudeans treat the hand axe like they treat most other weapons: if it kills then use it. Their axes mainly evolved from those used by captured Hexen slaves, as such it's very similar. It's use is rare and so hasn't had the time to develope significant differences. The major difference is the large crescent shaped head. This makes the axe a little more unwieldy but it packs a punch.
      They pay double the price for hand axes.

      The Young Kingdoms love their axes. They tend to use lighter weight axes with small elongated heads that are more effective in punching holes in their opponent's armor. These are often have a longer bottom spike on the head that act like a weapon catcher and the ability to catch opponents on the back swing.

      Raiders against prefer their hand axes lighter and use ones similar to the Andals only without the bottom tooth.

      Sihks only use them if their base culture has them as their background. They pay double.

Weapons: Battle Axe

     The battle axe is pretty ubiquitous weapon on the battlefield for ages past and come in a variety sizes, shapes, and deviations. Because of this, some clarification is an order: the term "battle axe" is a catch-all phrase for anything that is vaguely axe shaped (meaning a long haft and curved blade at one end) that is re-purposed for war. Hackmaster has two types of axes, the battle axe and the hand axe. We'll be talking about a brief overview of axes as a whole in this blog post, but mainly focusing on the battle axe, which in my game has been changed to reflect a heavier type of war weapon, similar to the danish axe.

     Axes have been around since the beginning of human culture and, like many weapons, were used as a symbol of status during the early stages of human cultural development. This is personified no better in the double headed axe, which while extremely metal, is an impractical weapon. Why is it then pictured so often? because it was a symbol of power wielded by the king and represented his divine right to rule. To the Greeks it represented Zeus's thunder bolts, and this symbolism is also had by the Celtics.

     War Axes and those meant for cutting down trees have become divorced from your average lumber axe as time went on, so don't think you can go chomping down every tree in the forest just because your character wields an axe. An axe constructed for war has a smaller, more curved blade. This is allows for a smaller striking surface so that the majority of force is delivered to one spot giving axe it's infamous ability to punch holes in armor. You see a similar design in Greek curved swords and khopeshes.

     The axes main difficulty is it's center of balance, which is located in the weapon's head. This means the weapon is a little slower and can't parry as effectively as a sword. If it were weighted like the sword it would also been an extreme pain to fight with over a long period of time (like the warhammer) but battle axes tend to be built lighter to counterbalance that.

     So let's talk about battle axes in my world: The first battle axes were wielded by dwarves during their war with the elves. They were more as a symbol of terror more then anything else and many dwarven families and houses adopted axes into their crests to symbolize their ability to cut down the elves' forests.

     After the dwarves retreated underground, they mainly abandoned the use of axes in favor of polearms, which were much more effective in the tunnels. The battleaxe was then picked up by the humans to be used against humans, and from there they further specialized it into the two handed axe, the hand axe, and the throwing axe.

     The main users of battle axes are Andals and Southern Raiders, who both use it as a symbol of landownership. The Free Cities have discarded the use, seeing it as a filthy outlander weapon, while Hirudeans use anything they can get their hands on. Sikhs train with it only if they were original Andal or Southern Raider.

      The Andalish battle axe is closer to a Dane Axe, being some 3 to 4 ft in length. Andals use a heavy haft, which gives a better striking blow but slows the weapon down. They also have adapted a striking point on the back, similar to a warhammer.

     It is mainly favored by men from the Giant Downs and Umbria and the poorer highland countries in the Young Kingdoms. Andals still use the battle axe as a symbol of freedom and slaves are forbidden to have them. Also, it is seen as a symbol of power of nature and some priest and radaghasts will burn or break axes in rituals to turn back the more malign forces of nature.

     Southern Raiders prefer a lighter battle axe, one more adept at light skirmishes and raids. They use a slightly longer haft, 3.5 to 5.5 ft in length. As you might imagine, this caused some problems with the hafts breaking while trying to block a particularly vicious blow. To combat this, the Raiders reinforce the wood handle with iron and steel bands.

     The use of these axes is wide spread among the jarls and freemen of the Rift. In any give party, about 60-75% of the Raiders will use axes instead of swords.
      For the Raiders axes hold little holy power, but there's an important culture use for them: declaring war and bringing peace. As a declaration of war jarls will send axes to one another and when they make peace, they bury that axe. Often times, freemen will send axes to those they have grieves against, often times with their problem written on the axe.

      Other cultures must pay double for battle axes, except elves, who will not use them, and dwarves who purchase them at 150% the base cost, which has more to do with them allotting their meager weapon resources to create spears then their aversion to use them. Surface dwarves do not have this penalty.