It's an idiot's thing to slash at a wooden object and automatically expect it to break, regardless of whether it actually would or not. Polearms are usually two-handed with pretty solid stopping power.
Thrusting is the most predictable option, so I'll work from there for both sides. In polearms, you're facing someone with the side of your torso, weapon held at either side. If you're insisting on standing up with locked legs, don't bother continuing unless your opponent is doing the same.
In defending footwork, sidestepping and moving forward to put the point behind you is key, so the stab can't just trace to hitting where it was meant to hit. In the event of using your own polearm, push at the inside of their own to make sure their point is aimed to the side of you, and do that footwork. With this, their weapon is past you, and they can't bring around the other side of their polearm for an attack as easily.
In attacking, I usually let my thrusts be bait: if my poleaxe is held to the right of me, I'll thrust at their right side, so they'll be more likely to send my thrust to their right side. Since they're already moving your polearm in a direction that encourages you to bring the other end around, do so. This often has enough power to whack away their own attack, and you can perform your own step and lunge if they try putting more distance between both of you.
I'll leave it at that - I can give more later, or you can try finding that poleaxe treatise on the internet I talked about earlier.
31-Oct-2014 18:32:08
