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Author Topic: Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?  (Read 619 times)

Digganob

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Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?
« on: December 10, 2023, 12:07:09 am »
As above.
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Bumber

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Re: Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2023, 05:21:12 am »
Why wouldn't it be? You're not really going to use the whole side of the sword, else you'd lose a bunch of momentum. I assume the curved shape of the axe head figures in also.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2023, 05:35:09 am by Bumber »
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Quote from: Ispil on August 30, 2018, 01:17:08 pm
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Digganob

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Re: Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2023, 10:39:51 am »
Quote from: Bumber on December 10, 2023, 05:21:12 am
Why wouldn't it be? You're not really going to use the whole side of the sword, else you'd lose a bunch of momentum. I assume the curved shape of the axe head figures in also.

Since contact area in a strike is determined also by how small the limb you're attacking is, the contact area of a edged attack only really matters if you're hitting a larger creature, in which case, having more is usually better as you can do more damage (and dismember limbs). So you're not going to be using the whole sword, or axe even generally. It just seems to me the contact areas are switched. The shortsword being 20,000 and the axe being 40,000.

A curved axe head actually decreases the contact area of a strike, which is partially why curved axe heads are used in various applications. It means that there's always a small contact area to start with with a strike, which makes it easier to penetrate, and the area then increases after penetration to allow more damage. The curve also means the strike is always going to hit squarely along that vertical axis, even if your axe is tilted forward or back a little.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2023, 08:51:57 pm by Digganob »
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Bumber

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Re: Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2023, 06:58:33 pm »
Quote from: Digganob on December 10, 2023, 10:39:51 am
The shortsword being 20,000 and the axe being 60,000.

Short sword 20000
Battle axe 40000
Long sword 60000
Great axe 60000

(Looks like scimitars have identical contact area to short swords.)
« Last Edit: December 10, 2023, 07:01:55 pm by Bumber »
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Quote from: Ispil on August 30, 2018, 01:17:08 pm
Reading his name would trigger it. Thinking of him would trigger it. No other circumstances would trigger it- it was strictly related to the concept of Bill Clinton entering the conscious mind.

THE xTROLL FUR SOCKx RUSE WAS A........... DISTACTION        the carp HAVE the wagon

A wizard has turned you into a wagon. This was inevitable (Y/y)?

Digganob

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Re: Why is the battle axe chop contact area larger than the shortsword slash?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2023, 08:51:39 pm »
Quote from: Bumber on December 10, 2023, 06:58:33 pm
Quote from: Digganob on December 10, 2023, 10:39:51 am
The shortsword being 20,000 and the axe being 60,000.

Short sword 20000
Battle axe 40000
Long sword 60000
Great axe 60000

(Looks like scimitars have identical contact area to short swords.)

Oh whoops, that was a typo. I knew it was 40,000, I was probably thinking about longswords at the same time. I'll edit that.
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