Halberdier

The halberdier of the Renaissance carried arguably the most versatile pole arm ever devised: the halberd combined an axe blade for chopping, a spear tip for thrusting, and a hook for pulling riders from their saddles — all on a two-meter shaft. Originally developed by Swiss communities in the thirteenth century, it rose to prominence when Swiss infantrymen used it to demolish Burgundian cavalry at Grandson and Murten in 1476. The weapon required strength and training but in skilled hands defeated both armored cavalry and heavy infantry alike. The Papal Swiss Guard still carries the halberd today as a symbol of that heritage. In the game he is a flexible heavy infantry fighter effective against both mounted and armored opponents, though the spread of firearms is already signaling the end of his era.