A melee weapon, hand weapon, close combat weapon or fist-load weapon is any handheld weapon used in hand-to-hand combat, i.e. for use within the direct physical reach of the weapon itself, essentially functioning as an additional (and more effective) extension of the user's limbs. By contrast, a ranged weapon is any other weapon capable of engaging targets at a distance beyond immediate physical contact.[1]
The term melee originates in the 1640s from the French word mêlée, which refers to disorganized hand-to-hand combat, a close-quarters battle, a brawl, or a confused fight; especially involving many combatants.[2][3][4]
The 1812 tabletop war game Kriegsspiel referred to the hand-combat stage of the game as a melee.[5] Later war games would follow this pattern.[6][7][8] From there, gamers would eventually begin to call the weapons used in that stage melee weapons.[9][10]
Categoriesedit
Melee weapons can be broadly divided into three categories:
Pointed weapons, which cover spears, pikes, lances, and military forks. They typically have a sharp point designed to inflict penetrating trauma, even against heavily armoured opponents, and the length of such weapons gives a range advantage. Certain variants may also hook at enemies to disrupt and disarm them, or pull them from atop horses.
Edged weapons, which cover swords, daggers, battle axes, and war scythes. These weapons are designed to cause sharp trauma such as laceration, dismemberment, and exsanguination injuries, and are most effective against minimally armoured opponents. These are used to cut, hack, slash, thrust or stab.
Blunt weapons, which cover clubs, maces, war hammers, staves, and flails. These weapons are designed to cause blunt trauma, even through armour that would protect against penetration by pointed or edged weapons.
Many weapons fit into multiple categories, or fit in between them; many polearms such as halberds, lucerne hammers, and guisarmes add edged and blunt methods of attack to a spear base, and various hooked weapons such as billhooks, fauchards, falxes, and becs de corbin evade simple classification; while flexible weapons such as whips don't fall into any of these categories.
^Michele Byam (2010-11-30). Arms and Armor, Discover the story of weapons and armor-from Stone Age axes to the battledress of samurai warriors. New York: Dorling Kindersley.
^"the definition of melee". Dictionary.com. from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
^"Definition of MELEE". Merriam-Webster. from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
^Oxford English Dictionary. 2015. mêlée. "A battle or engagement at close quarters, a skirmish; a confused struggle or scuffle, esp. one involving many people. Also hist.: a tournament involving two groups of combatants."
^W. R. Livermore (1882). The American Kriegsspiel(PDF). Riverside Press, Cambridge. p. 105. (PDF) from the original on 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2019-08-14. The first point to be considered is the number of combatants on either side and the relative advantages under which they are fighting; the second the losses and duration of the melee
^H.G. Wells (1913). Little Wars. Frank Palmer Publishing. We did at last contrive to do so ; we invented what we call the melee, and our revised rules in the event of a melee will be found set out upon a later page
^Trevor Timpson (August 3, 2013). "Little Wars: How HG Wells created hobby war gaming". BBC News. from the original on October 7, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
^Luke Plunkett (September 18, 2012). "HG Wells Practically Invented Modern Tabletop Wargaming". Kotaku. from the original on October 7, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
^. Gamebanshee. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03.
^Michael J. Tresca (November 10, 2010). The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games. McFarland. ISBN9780786460090. from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
January 01, 1970
melee, weapon, melee, weapon, hand, weapon, close, combat, weapon, fist, load, weapon, handheld, weapon, used, hand, hand, combat, within, direct, physical, reach, weapon, itself, essentially, functioning, additional, more, effective, extension, user, limbs, c. A melee weapon hand weapon close combat weapon or fist load weapon is any handheld weapon used in hand to hand combat i e for use within the direct physical reach of the weapon itself essentially functioning as an additional and more effective extension of the user s limbs By contrast a ranged weapon is any other weapon capable of engaging targets at a distance beyond immediate physical contact 1 3 different melee weapons a fighting boomerang blunt Yari pointed and Pattern 1907 bayonet bladed Contents 1 Etymology 2 Categories 3 List of melee weapons 4 See also 5 ReferencesEtymology editThe term melee originates in the 1640s from the French word melee which refers to disorganized hand to hand combat a close quarters battle a brawl or a confused fight especially involving many combatants 2 3 4 The 1812 tabletop war game Kriegsspiel referred to the hand combat stage of the game as a melee 5 Later war games would follow this pattern 6 7 8 From there gamers would eventually begin to call the weapons used in that stage melee weapons 9 10 Categories editMelee weapons can be broadly divided into three categories Pointed weapons which cover spears pikes lances and military forks They typically have a sharp point designed to inflict penetrating trauma even against heavily armoured opponents and the length of such weapons gives a range advantage Certain variants may also hook at enemies to disrupt and disarm them or pull them from atop horses Edged weapons which cover swords daggers battle axes and war scythes These weapons are designed to cause sharp trauma such as laceration dismemberment and exsanguination injuries and are most effective against minimally armoured opponents These are used to cut hack slash thrust or stab Blunt weapons which cover clubs maces war hammers staves and flails These weapons are designed to cause blunt trauma even through armour that would protect against penetration by pointed or edged weapons Many weapons fit into multiple categories or fit in between them many polearms such as halberds lucerne hammers and guisarmes add edged and blunt methods of attack to a spear base and various hooked weapons such as billhooks fauchards falxes and becs de corbin evade simple classification while flexible weapons such as whips don t fall into any of these categories List of melee weapons editEdged and bladed weapons Knife Machete Switchblade Dagger see List of daggers Shuriken Kunai Tomahawk Sword see Types of swords Sabre Epee Rapier Polearms Spear Trident War scythe Dagger axe Swordstaff Alpenstock Poleaxe Lucerne hammer Quarterstaff Blunt weapons Knuckleduster Kakute Shield Japanese war fan Boomerang Bolas Nunchaku Kusari fundo Sai Hook sword Baton Baston Bō Sceptre Walking stick War hammer Mace Club Non lethal weapons Ultrasonic Dog Chaser Electroshock weapon Pepper spray Kubotan Sports equipment utilized as an improvised or makeshift melee weapon Baseball bat Cricket bat Hockey stick Cue stick Golf club Racket Frisbee Bowling ball Boxing gloves Net Paintball marker Hardware and utility tools utilized as improvised melee weapons often used for criminal purposes or depicted in fiction Hammer Adze Crowbar Pipe wrench Saw Pruning shears Hook Harpoon Ice axe Ice tool Ice pick Cleaver Axe Sickle Scythe Pitchfork Rake Pickaxe Shovel Hoe Lasso Whip RopeSee also editCold weapon Melee gaming Knife fight List of premodern combat weapons List of martial arts weaponsReferences edit Michele Byam 2010 11 30 Arms and Armor Discover the story of weapons and armor from Stone Age axes to the battledress of samurai warriors New York Dorling Kindersley the definition of melee Dictionary com Archived from the original on 2 March 2021 Retrieved 10 June 2017 Definition of MELEE Merriam Webster Archived from the original on 2 March 2021 Retrieved 10 June 2017 Oxford English Dictionary 2015 melee A battle or engagement at close quarters a skirmish a confused struggle or scuffle esp one involving many people Also hist a tournament involving two groups of combatants W R Livermore 1882 The American Kriegsspiel PDF Riverside Press Cambridge p 105 Archived PDF from the original on 2020 06 04 Retrieved 2019 08 14 The first point to be considered is the number of combatants on either side and the relative advantages under which they are fighting the second the losses and duration of the melee H G Wells 1913 Little Wars Frank Palmer Publishing We did at last contrive to do so we invented what we call the melee and our revised rules in the event of a melee will be found set out upon a later page Trevor Timpson August 3 2013 Little Wars How HG Wells created hobby war gaming BBC News Archived from the original on October 7 2017 Retrieved October 6 2017 Luke Plunkett September 18 2012 HG Wells Practically Invented Modern Tabletop Wargaming Kotaku Archived from the original on October 7 2017 Retrieved October 6 2017 Interview with Gary Gygax Gamebanshee Archived from the original on 2009 02 03 Michael J Tresca November 10 2010 The Evolution of Fantasy Role Playing Games McFarland ISBN 9780786460090 Archived from the original on March 27 2023 Retrieved October 27 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melee weapon amp oldid 1221508996, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
