Godendag
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Basic Information

A medieval Flemish weapon, seemingly very similar to the morning star, the Godendag is a heavy, two handed club set with large metal spikes and, from most depictions, topped with an additional, longer spike.

Some depictions omit the side spikes and show the weapon as just a large club with a spike on the end - this may or may not be a more typical version.

Fairly crude, and therefore fast and cheap to manufacture the Godendag was a staple of Flemish arms in several revolts against their would-be masters from France and achieved suprisingly good results even against trained and armoured knights. According to legend, it was also fairly effective against civilians as discontented Flemings took to the streets with their weapons in hand, calling out a traditional greeting of "Goden Dag"1 and attacking anyone who failed to reply - or answered in a French accent. This may - or may not - be the origin on the name of the weapon.

Attempts to recreate the Godendag seem to suggest that it would have been fairly effective in keeping horses at bay - particularly the lighter, largely unarmoured horses of the early middle ages - and that its substantial mass would have been quite effective in driving the spikes through the chainmail that was the normal armour of the period. Mass produced and easy to use, it seems to have been an important levelller.

Sources

Bibliography
1. full source reference

Game and Story Use

  • Useful for a 'fantasy counterpart culture' to the Flemings, Hussites or suchlike who lack access to significant numbers of knights. Might combine well with the pike and crossbow (and/or the hand cannon in later years) for the 'people's army' look.
  • Also a good weapon for 'brute force' non-humans like orcs and ogres in fantasy settings - simple to make but alarmingly effective.
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