Two handed flails- are they real?

[Silverbeard]

I'm curious about whether or not there's a historical precedent for the two handed flails that the B&E DLC added. I love the realism of this game's weaponry as a whole- swords doing lots of damage to unarmored targets, maces doing lots of damage through armor, e.t.c- but I haven't been able to find anything about two handed flails actually existing in history. I'm wondering if any of my more knowledgeable/ HEMA-oriented brothers might know more.
From my perspective the design of the weapon seems quite unsuited to combat. You'd need an absolutely massive head with an equally long chain connecting it to the shaft. Carrying the thing would be tricky because the head would be constanty bashing against the wielder's fingers when not being swung away although one could carry it over the shoulder- which would again lead to constant chafing against the back unless the wielder has armor- which still stands to be damaged from the head knocking into it. Overall the design seems too troublesome for the ancients to have bothered using.
Anyone know more?

[Eriktion]

there is no recorded history of two handed flails because noone was left alive to record it

[Stal Hamarr]

I found something about peasant flails. 2-handed agricultural tools that could be used as weapons, mostly by militia units or in peasant uprisings.


image of a farmer in the german peasants' war of 1524[www.britishmuseum.org]

[IspartaPratapon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-CKv7tjxOg

There are a few surviving depictions of two-handed flails in manuals and in art, but no examples have ever been found.

[GrindEP]

that ancient knowledge perished with the orcs

[thebadman]

Basically 1h T0 flail should be 2h one, as for combat... well good luck with that considering how randomly you can kill or knock yourself out with flail irl in combat, most ppl simply used mace or axe instead because they do not need to constantly be on guard not to harm self(aside from being "noob" friendly weapon).

[Styxwash]

This guy can answer most of your questions (he basicly coined the term HEMA) There's also a test video with a 1 handed short flail.

I think he talks about 2 handed flails in one of these videos. But it's like the link Shizu put in. They were wooden threshers normally meant for agriculture.

It's not likely there were any big all-metal heavy 2 handed flails. Would have been too unwieldy for most fighters to handle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGf7n7iUF_k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B85tEumvz3w

[Silverbeard]

Gotta admit, Matt Easton and Skallagrim were my first choices when I tried to look this up myself. Still, good videos from you all. My thanks.
Guess this is one of the weapons we can chalk up to 'might have existed'!

[Styxwash]

From all the theories those guys pass on to us, it seems quite unrealistic. The head on the 2 hander flail in BB is just massive and the entire thing is made of iron. Feels like one of those oversized axes with way to much metal and broad blade.

They feel pretty cool when wielded by orcs though. Like they didn't have enough brutal oversized weapons to kill us with =P

On the chain and the head hitting yourself - that actually wouldn't be a problem with a long flail, using a short chain, like the BB one. The head would always be out of the way no matter how you held or swung it.

[Estieukua]

I've got a 2-handed, 2-headed flail. It sucks.

[Primitive Dog Owner]

The 2handed flail is a very well attested weapon used in the middle ages, try googling "peasant flail"

It's like a staff with a hinged head, so it seems pretty easy to use

The ball and chain 1 handed flail is more exotic and has been the subject of some debate, although it looks like it did exist at least in Eastern Europe

[Panzerechse]

Yes, a peasant weapon....which means, the item itself was a tool before...for threshing wheatstraw. But when times of turmoil appeared and the need for self defence or even more attacking was urgent for the peasant, then he went to the village blacksmith and let him hammer some nails into the tool´s head. Voilá, a weapon. Other improvised weapons like that are war forks and war scythes <----also a job for the blacksmith and hammered straight to be used as a polearm.

[Styxwash]

Billhooks also a typical peasent weapon, normally meant for cutting hedges and trees.

Not named Billhook in the game for some reason. Like the "fencing sword" isn't a Rapier.