Two handed melee combat

[Flatbuffer]

Is two handed melee combat working out for anyone? Better yet is anyone actually enjoying this?
If you are, please share what it is you enjoy in it, and how you make it work for you.
In combat my opponents seem to unleash an endless barrage of swift strikes from different directions, barely leaving any room for a counter attack of any sorts.

[HIM]

yea i get wrecked in melee combat. I play the game more for leading my army and winning big battles. Ill kill some dudes with my execution axe but thats as much as i can do, I'll get like two kills per swing with that beast of a weapon

[mw00]

Two handed swords are meme weapons both in game and historically. Don't use them in a real battle, EVER.

[Flatbuffer]

Originally posted by error:

Two handed swords are meme weapons both in game and historically. Don't use them in a real battle, EVER.

They should write this in the perk tree as a fair warning to anyone who might consider investing in this skill tree. People could end up losing hours and hours trying to "git gud" on something that wasn't intended to work anyways.

[Dashel84]

Originally posted by error:

Two handed swords are meme weapons both in game and historically. Don't use them in a real battle, EVER.

True. But also this is a game, so it shouldn't be true. Hopefully at some point during early access Two-handed swords will get a balance pass.

Poster is right, two-handed swords are totally useless. They have less reach then one-handed cavalry swords, swing twice as slow for a paltry 5 extra damage.

Also whats up with the lances? they attack faster then spears for the same amount of damage except better reach and you get the couch bonus? wheres the balance? never use spears or pikes, always lances.

Also do not like the change to couching, thrusting makes no sense, thats like the opposite of what it means!

[Budoshi]

twohands only good if you fight in a big chaotic battle or coming at someone in the back or flank you can do lots of damage to someone fighting someone else.However on one vs one its suck even more so now that the auto block is off, against a shield user its pretty much good bye for you he will just block close the gap and wait for your swing then counter.

[jamesc70]

Two handed is more about range and movement from the brief time I've tried it.

You simply cannot stand toe to toe, but try to hit those 1H/shield guys from the max distance you can every time (takes a lot of practice - I'm nowhere near as good at this as I want to be) and then back away as they try to come in at you. You didn't pick a 2H to tactically battle, but to do a lot of damage from a distance better than 1H weapons. You will need Athletics btw.

Using kicks seems to be mandatory also when you can't back up fast enough, and I had better outcomes pairing a 2H with thrown weapons rather than just using the 2H the full time.

[Actionjackson]

People in my friend list who play very easy 1/3rd seem to only use 2h weapons and make tons of kills with them in battles.
If you want to go without shild in higher difficulty you have to be able to fight properly with them. Sticking to your troops in siegese and overhead attack at the enemy from a distance while they busy with my AI worked out very good in warband for me.

[Azell]

nah i love my 2H sword ive taken 5 guys that where stuck on me before and it looks sick

[Clive Hawkins]

Lances work well on Horseback. On foot they are absolutely horrible (IE. Seige Battles). Anything that steps inside your 200-250 reach range will cut you down instantly. You'll be unable to extend your weapon and do 0 damage in return. That's when you switch to a 1 handed spear and Shield while still keeping all the perks from your Polearm tree.

[Flatbuffer]

Originally posted by jamesc70:

Two handed is more about range and movement from the brief time I've tried it.

You simply cannot stand toe to toe, but try to hit those 1H/shield guys from the max distance you can every time (takes a lot of practice - I'm nowhere near as good at this as I want to be) and then back away as they try to come in at you. You didn't pick a 2H to tactically battle, but to do a lot of damage from a distance better than 1H weapons. You will need Athletics btw.

Using kicks seems to be mandatory also when you can't back up fast enough, and I had better outcomes pairing a 2H with thrown weapons rather than just using the 2H the full time.

Interesting, I'll have to give that a try

[Actionjackson]

Originally posted by Clive Hawkins:

Lances work well on Horseback. On foot they are absolutely horrible (IE. Seige Battles). Anything that steps inside your 200-250 reach range will cut you down instantly. You'll be unable to extend your weapon and do 0 damage in return. That's when you switch to a 1 handed spear and Shield while still keeping all the perks from your Polearm tree.

In sieges i bring the 2h polearms, billhook for example, cheap and very deadly on foot and horseback.

[ViperV]

Two Handed Heavy Executioner's Axe!! It has cleave effect and helps clear enemies in a crowd. just go behind the enemy lines and slice them off 3 at a time! I hope this does not get patched out because its awesome as hell! :D

[Zairev]

Autodirection of block comin soon, so 2H weapons will be viable again. It will be more about timing then swingin mouse chaotically around, so it will be usable on realistic like in warband.

[Buldor]

Originally posted by Clive Hawkins:

Lances work well on Horseback. On foot they are absolutely horrible (IE. Seige Battles). Anything that steps inside your 200-250 reach range will cut you down instantly. You'll be unable to extend your weapon and do 0 damage in return. That's when you switch to a 1 handed spear and Shield while still keeping all the perks from your Polearm tree.

Polearm perks. Hit an enemy? No matter the damage, they get knocked back. They block with shield? Knock back.

2 handed weapons only do 5 extra damage? That's down to you. I got a bastard sword 2H that does 131 damage with 121 reach. This can be used with a shield during early sieges. Everything has their place. I find 2h better either in 1-1 or in large infantry fights such as sieges where you can just go behind the enemy and 1 hit enemies. 2 at once if you use axes.

[jorvinn]

I didn´t employ a two handed weapon for the longest time. I also think it is unfortunate you cannot use a shield with most lances in the game - only spears. Being able to use a shield with a lance on horseback - but not on foot - would probably be a good fix for that. Before you find decent armor you are so flimsy that without a shield the Looters go all "he said Jehova!" on you in the larger groups.

Then I decided to mash up a few points in 2-handed weapons to flesh out a level.. bought a cheapish 600g heavy executioner axe.

Holy.. ♥♥♥♥♥♥.. I went from killing maybe 7-8 of the 30ish sized Looter groups to killing about 24-ish. It cleaves so it is excellent for packed up groups.. it gains speed bonus from mount. I don´t care what armor you have... getting hit with one of these babies will ruin your day.

In fact I have found axes, both 1-hand and 2-handed to be better melee weapons than swords while on foot at least.