What Polearms should I give my companions?

[Seekster]

No matter how many times I play my companions almost always use their polearms more than anything else and so end up with a high proficiency in polearms. I have also noticed that they almost never use the polearms for anything except stabbing at the enemy and will even try to stab at close quarters which has lead me to give them shorter spears in the hope that they will be more effective than the Heavy Lance that I like to use.

Has anyone else had similar experiences and what polearms seem to work well for close in stabbing that the companions seem to do alot?

 

[DDRaider]

Give them long heavy swords or axes they don't better in those.  Spears and such in this game are not as good as axes and swords.

 

[tangodown72]

Glaive

 

[fragonard]

You could also try taking away their shields since they are always trying to block and that screws up any chance of a couching attack. (or give them no-shield polearms) 

 

[AvaRice]

Awlpike works well.

 

[Seekster]

Give them long heavy swords or axes they don't better in those.  Spears and such in this game are not as good as axes and swords.

Real Nords don't use weapons at all.

ROFL 

Ok thanks for the tips, ill try giving my companions polearms that can only be used without the shield and see how that works. Awlpikes, glaive (im not so sure about the glaive it seems too long and too slow to be good at close quarters stabby action from horseback but ill give it a try and see).

 

[PurplePuppy]

隐藏

(picture)

These seem pretty good.
Nice stats, too.

Edit: Broke it. Sorry.

 

[OlG-fr]

Awlpike works well.

I prefer to give them Ashwood Pikes for the extra range, and the difference in thrust damage isn't noticeable (the extra 10 range might not look much, but when you test the two out it's often the difference which allow your target to hack your horse before the pike connect).
Anyway with both they do couch damage, so yes Pikes all the way.

 

[Gerin]

I gave Bunduk and Ferentis halbards, and Klethi got a glaive.  They seem to do alright, I guess.

 

[Tachyon]

I noticed that if you give your companions a shield and a spear (one handed spears) , they usually don't couch and instead stab the enemy. If you can't afford a two-handed spear (like poleaxes), give them a one-handed spear without a shield so they'll couch.

 

[pennywise83]

No matter how many times I play my companions almost always use their polearms more than anything else and so end up with a high proficiency in polearms. I have also noticed that they almost never use the polearms for anything except stabbing at the enemy and will even try to stab at close quarters which has lead me to give them shorter spears in the hope that they will be more effective than the Heavy Lance that I like to use.

Has anyone else had similar experiences and what polearms seem to work well for close in stabbing that the companions seem to do alot?

uhm if you really want to go polearm on companions, you should use Balanced War Spears or Balanced Spears.

BUT, i suggest you to give your companions shields and 1hand sword/axes. Companions sux with spears... only Swadian Knights and Khergit Lancers can do fine with couchin lance and fighting with spears.

IMHO i usually go with 4 or 5 companions with good shield/1hand and 2 or 3 with 2handed axes or greatswords. let do the job to the polearm pros like swadian or kherg or even you.

Remember that companions AI is crap so its better give em speedy weapons and a shield. Shields keep em alive and shield+polearms sux dismounted.

Not to mention that shield is really handy in a siege assault/defence.


with 10companions lvl 25-30 shield/sword and 60-70 huscarls you can take cities with 10-20 wound/losses.

 

[GhostHawk]

1 slot sword or axe
2 slot jousting lance
3 & 4 slots throwing, bow, or crossbow.

When they get up to speed most of the time if the lance is in slot 2 and they are moving fast they will equip it.

OR you can hit the "use blunt weapons only" command and they will ONLY use the lance.

The only time I don't give my companions the jousting lance is for sieges.
Then a glaive, Poleaxe, or military scythe works better.

 

[macethump]

Balanced quarterstaff (very fast) - they couch with this on their way into battle
Balanced war spear
Either:
fast onehand and balanced bastard sword
or
xbow/bow and bolts/arrows

Lots of prisoners this way.

 

[mfberg]

Balanced Poleaxes all around. Range and damage. I also arm them with siege crossbows for the ranged work on castle assaults.

mfberg