The Great Axe
The Great Axe (also known as a Dane Axe) is a long-handled axe of Scandanavian descent, perfect for cutting wood or dicing humans. It was the Close-Range weapon of the Viking.
Stats[]
- Short Range
- 5 feet
- 7 lbs
- Wood handle with steel head
Description[]
The Great axe has a wide, thin blade with pronounced "horns" on the heel and toe of the curved bit. The head was moderately light and thin, with the bit being made of harder carbon steel to give it a sharper cutting edge. The wooden handle was up to 5 feet long.
Use[]
The great axe was used for powerful, overhand chops, taking advantage of the Viking's great height. Proportionally, it has more in common with a modern meat cleaver than a wood axe, and was highly effective in battle. It was also used for chopping wood: essential for constructing and repairing Viking longships.
In Show test[]
During the test, the axe cleaved the gel dummy in half in two back to back downward chops, visually appearing to reach beyond the heart and lungs with the axe blade. It was compared to being hit by a train. In the season 1 aftermath it was commented as the most damaging ancient weapon of season 1 in terms of damage done to a test dummy. The axe was tested against the Samurai helmet, where the glancing blow failed to give more than minor trauma, but it was given the edge over the Katana due to the greater force of the hit.
Trivia[]
- Axe heads were frequently used in pagan Europe as commodity money.