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Warmatrix

War Matrix - Estoc

Late Middle Age 1300 CE - 1480 CE, Weapons and technology

Polish estoc
Polish estoc
An estoc a.k.a. tuck is a specialized armor-piercing sword. The blade is not flat and sharp at the edges like with almost all other swords, but thick and triangular, diamond, square, rhomboid or hexagonal for strength. The only sharp thing about it is the tip, so it is a piercing weapon.
The estoc was designed to cope with heavy armor, especially plate, which defies all but the heaviest normal swords. It was not capable or ramming through a plate lame right on, but could be used to pierce weaker parts of armor. Its strength and rigidity allowed it to punch through, unlike lighter fencing blades like rapiers and such. But the lack of a cutting edge made it much less versatile than normal swords.
Most estocs fall in the category of long sword. They are relatively heavy and the majority must be wielded with two hands. Estocs were used by both cavalry and infantry.