Top 5 - Two-Handed Weapons
Two-Handed Weapons in LARP Combat
In LARP combat, two-handed weapons provide obvious advantages to the wielder, from extra reach and leverage to statistical bonuses in some game systems. These are large weapons that can help a warrior control a comparatively large area on the battlefield, holding off many foes at the same time.
May they be large two-handed war swords, polearms, or big axes and hammers, two-handed weapons bring a unique flavor to a character, often implying martial prowess, might, or a military background to the fighter.
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The historical ancestor of the famous fantasy greataxe, the Dane Axe was an early medieval weapon wielded by elite warriors from Norse and Anglo-Saxon culture, especially the huscarls, the personal retainers of earls and jarls.
With its long shaft and bearded blade, it was used to chop foes as well as to hook their shield or dismount them. This large axe is often seen as the grandfather of late polearms like the halberd.
This foam reproduction from Calimacil is as authentic as it gets for LARP weapons, avoiding the oversized blade of most fantasy designs, and making it a great historical pick for your Viking chieftains and honor guards.
The humble quarterstaff is not the first weapon that comes in mind when you are thinking of a large weapons, but it does share the reach advantage and many of the crowd control qualities of other two-handed weapons.
Nimbler than a bulky sword or a lengthy polearm, the combat staff is a defensive weapon that saw plenty of use in the hands of travelers, peasants, and pilgrims. The weapon is so simple and so mundane that it often doesn't appear as one, but yet it can be devastating in trained hands, as exemplified by the archetype of the warrior monk.
This foam reproduction from Calimacil is as sturdy and reliable as it goes. Since it doesn't have a delicate latex coating like other staves, it can even handle having its tip resting on the ground without getting damaged, even if we advise not to be any weight on it.
If we have to talk about one iconic two-handed sword from the past, the Scottish claymore used by the highlanders during the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance is certainly a top contender. This massive straight blade was wielded in battle by Scottish warriors and mercenaries, fighting in clan conflicts or in border skirmishes against the English.
This latex reproduction from Nemesis is a masterpiece of LARP craftsmanship. Few foam weapon on the market feel so real in the hand, from the weight to the point of balance, up to the grip.
The handle is made of hardwood with leather wrapped around it, providing perfect control and making it a very fun sword to swing. The large cross-guard is also reinforced in a way that makes it stiff and more realistic than the wobbly foam that usually forms the guards of most LARP swords.
If you know anything about polearms, it is that there is as many variations of those as there is trees in a forest. All kinds of strange shapes were put on top of shafts, with pikes, blades, hooks, and hammers. Still, it's possible to classify them in broad families, and one of those is the guisarme, a famous polearm that stayed in use for centuries in the High and Late Middle Ages.
This latex polearm from Epic Armoury is essentially a LARP guisarme, with its classic blade, hook, and pointed tip, here blunted for safety. It's the typical soldiery weapon, fitting both for professional warriors or peasant conscripts. With its rugged look, we also like to imagine it wielded by skaven troopers or hobgoblins!
Another pretty famous polearm is the glaive, which is essentially some form of single-edged sword placed on top of a long pole. Often compared with the Japanese naginata or Chinese guandao for similarities in terms of the design, the glaive is a primarily slashing weapon with unmatched reach.
This latex weapon from Nemesis is an incredibly versatile LARP polearm that can fit any of these historical niche or a more fantasy vibe. It includes a leather-wrapped handle for the back hand, allowing the wielder great grip and control on this impressive weapon.
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