Blue (on the left) is armed with a one-handed axe and a shield. Red (on the right) uses a two-handed axe, which serves for both offense and defense. The combatants begin at a distance that might seem very far apart, yet the long reach of the two-handed axe means that Red can be within reach of Blue with only a single step.

Red takes the initiative and delivers a powerful overhead attack to Blue's head or neck, hoping to end the fight quickly. If Blue merely defends passively with his shield, Red's axe will likely pass through the shield (as is demonstrated in the article on shields) as well as through Blue's helmet and skull (as is suggested by the sagas).

Blue renders Red's attack completely ineffectual by running in under the weapon. Red's axe is too long to do any useful work, and Blue safely stops it with his shield. Blue attacks to the leg or other available target.

Recap: Red makes a powerful overhead attack to Blue. Blue avoids the threat by coming in under the attack.

Red's overhead attack is a fake. As Blue brings his shield up to defend, Red does a volte step out and back, rotating around his right foot. This technique moves Red's body and leg out and away from Blue's attack, while putting Red in a good position for an attack to Blue.

Red retargets Blue's forward leg, attacking to the knee. Red's body is far enough out of range that Blue has no ready targets.

Recap: Red begins a fake attack to Blue's head, but steps around and cuts to his leg.

Blue, sensing that the head attack might be a fake, is prepared for that possibility. As Red cuts to Blue's leg, Blue brings his leg back, out of range of the attack. He needn't put his weight on the foot; he need only get it out of the way as Red's axe swings by. Blue brings his axe haft down to block, in case it's needed.

After Red's axe passes, Blue brings his leg back into position and his shield follows Red's axe to the inside, to provide protection should Red try to initiate a follow-up attack.

Meanwhile, Blue, using the momentum already developed, brings his axe up and over his shield hand for an attack to Red's head or neck.

Recap: Red's attack to Blue's leg is thwarted by Blue's briefly stepping back to remove the target.

Red uses the momentum of his axe to bring it up for an attack with the horn or edge to Blue's face. Blue follows with his shield, defending against Red's shifting attack.

As his shield comes up, Blue tilts his shield backwards, both to provide additional protection to his head, and to allow him a good view of what Red is doing.

Red carries his axe off to the side to prepare for the next attack. Blue continues to follow with his shield. Red can't see that Blue has brought his axe up behind his shield for another attack. As soon as Blue's shield clears, he's ready to attack to Red's head or neck, an attack that appears to come out of nowhere to the unprepared Red.

Recap: Despite Red's efforts to raise his axe to target Blue's head, Blue still was still able to attack Red's head.

This time, Red is a bit more prepared. As Red brings his axe up, and Blue follows with his shield, Red expects something might be developing behind that shield. Red reverses the axe in his hands to prepare for an overhead parry.

As Blue's shield clears, Red is ready for Blue's attack from behind the shield. Red steps forward and parries the attack with his haft.

Simultaneously, Red is in a good position to drive the edge or horns of his axe into Blue's face to give him a very close shave.

Recap: Red prepares to defend against Blue's attack with an overhead parry, and he plans to follow up with an attack to the face.

Blue doesn't stick around for the shave. When he senses that Red is prepared to parry, Blue sees no more useful work he can do. He retreats with a clearing cut, stepping back while cutting to the space between the combatants. The cut isn't expected to connect, but it makes it less likely that Red will try to follow as Blue retreats.

Red isn't keen to let Blue go and takes advantage of the long haft of his axe. He follows Blue's withdrawal with a thrust with the horn of his axe, an attack that has a good chance of connecting if Blue doesn't bring his shield to the center to defend against the attack.

Comment: As illustrated here, Red's thrust is very half-hearted at best. A more energetic Red would probably change his grip and step in a way to increase the length of the thrust. Additionally, it's clear that Red has many options at this point to prevent Blue from withdrawing.

Blue makes another clearing cut, and Red steps back into a guard.

Comment: As illustrated here, Blue's withdrawal is inadequate; he's still within range of Red's long-hafted axe.

Sources such as the Bayeux tapestry (left) suggest that two-handed axes could be used left-handed. A left-handed attack against an opponent armed with sword and shield comes in on his right, undefended side, where his shield can provide no usable defense.

How does a combatant respond to this kind of attack? The later medieval manuals seem to be silent.

At first glance, this attack would seem to be devastating. The opponent has no defense on the side where the attack comes in. Our attempts to bring the shield to the inside to mount a defense were hopelessly ineffectual. Bringing the shield to the inside limits the mobility of the opponent's weapon, and brings his shield too close to his body. It is far too easy for the combatant with the axe to run in and bind his opponent's shield to his body.

Instead, the opponent must use what he has available on that side. One approach that makes sense is to use the weapon as the defense, controlling the incoming axe and passing it to the shield so the weapon can then be used for an attack. One possible interpretation of this technique is shown in the following speculative sequence.

Brown (on the right) is armed with a two-handed axe. Blue (on the left) is armed with a one-handed axe and shield. Brown adopts a left-handed guard.

Blue carries Brown's ax over his head, controlling the axe by keeping it hooked so Brown can't easily withdraw it to attack elsewhere. Blue carries Brown's axe past the shield...

...and transfers defensive control of Brown's axe to the shield. By carrying the axe overhead, Blue remains safe and retains control over Brown's axe as Blue passes it from axe to shield.

Blue steps in strongly on his left foot and releases Brown's haft...

...to deliver an attack to Brown's head, neck, or upper body with his axe. Blue continues to control Brown's axe with his shield.

Additionally, as Blue steps forward to deliver his attack, he can crush Brown's hand or fingers with the edge of his shield as the shield slides up Brown's axe haft. Brown's axe head is behind Blue, where it is no threat.

If Brown tries to step back to put his axe in play again, Blue can easily step forward to continue pressing his attack.

When an attack comes in, the opponent can use a Krumphauw (crooked cut) as taught by Meyer, Mair, Ringeck, and Talhoffer (left) for the longsword. The opponent steps out from under the attack and uses his weapon to suppress the attack (left combatant in the top illustration), following up with a quick attack to the head (right combatant in the bottom illustration).

A combatant armed with sword (or one-handed axe) and shield can use this same technique against a two-handed axe attack on either side, suppressing the incoming attack and following up with a quick attack to the head or neck.

As when using swords, combatants armed with axes may close the distance during their handwork so that grappling becomes possible and desirable.

Brown (on the right) adopts a left-handed guard with a two-handed axe. Blue (on the left) uses a one-handed axe and shield. The combatants begin out of range.

Because of the long reach of the two-handed weapon, the combatants begin far apart, perhaps farther than shown in this photo, so that Blue is out of range of Brown's weapon.

Brown delivers a left wrath attack to Blue's head or shoulders, stepping forward on his left foot. Blue steps well to the side on his right and picks up Brown's axe haft with a rising cut, to guide it off target.

Although Brown's axehead is now controlled, the butt of his haft is not. Brown makes another forward step to jam the butt of his haft into Blue's groin.

Blue brings his shield low and to the inside to defend, and he disengages his axe in preparation for the next attack.

Blue steps back and delivers an attack over his shield to Brown's head. Brown reverses his grip on the axe and brings it up for an overhead parry, while stepping forward on his left to bring himself closer to Blue.

Blue winds his axe downward in preparation for a low attack to Brown's belly. Brown catches Blue's arm with his haft and his elbow, blocking the attack, and locking Blue's arm. The locked arms prevent Blue's low attack, but Blue has many possible targets by striking with the edge of his shield.

[N.B.: In the remainder of the photos in this sequence, Blue and Brown have rotated relative to the camera, so their actions are more clearly visible.]

Before Blue can use his shield edge, Brown does a volte step, rotating around his left foot. With their arms locked, Brown twists downward carrying Blue down with him. Blue, powerless to resist, is forced down onto the edge of Brown's axe.

Blue tosses away his shield. Using his free hand, he comes under his weapon hand to grab Brown's axe haft.

Blue steps back, jerking powerfully on Brown's haft while simultaneously striking at Brown's face with his axe. If Brown holds on to his weapon, he is pulled directly in to the incoming blow. If Brown releases his weapon, he still ends up with an axe in his face or other vulnerable target.