Melee Weapons

A melee weapon is any weapon that does not involve a projectile. In melee combat, both the user and the target of the weapon are in contact. Melee weapons can be divided into two categories. The first one is the edged weapons category which includes weapons such as knives, axes, spears, swords, halberds and daggers. The second category is blunt weapons and this category includes weapons such as war clubs, maces, flails, war hammers, truncheons and bludgeons. Edged weapons are intended for thrusting, cutting and slashing and thus to create penetrated wounds in the opponents’ flesh. On the other hand, blunt weapons rely solely on the brunt force of the weapon and to create different kind of damage such as internal bleeding, concussions and broken bones. With the development of chain mail and plated armor it was increasingly difficult to inflict damage with edged weapons and thus blunt weapons were more effective against such armor as they could transfer energy through the armor.