Battle Brothers: How to Choose and Use the Pollaxe, Estoc and Executioner’s Sword

Use the Pollaxe at one-tile range and set up stagger

The Pollaxe is a close-range weapon despite its polearm shape: the developer sets its range at one tile, rather than the two tiles used by other polearms. Its hammer attack, Smite, can stagger an enemy. Its follow-up axe attack deals reduced damage but triggers a second free attack against a staggered target. Build the sequence around the target actually being staggered before using that follow-up. The condition matters more than assuming the extra attack always occurs. [1]

Steps

1. Use Smite for its stagger effect, then use the follow-up axe attack when the target is staggered. [1]

Consider the Pollaxe when removing a shield is the immediate task

The Pollaxe also has Split Shield, which the release notes describe as particularly effective against shields and capable of destroying many lighter variants in one hit. Use that tool when the shield is the obstacle you want to remove. “Many lighter variants” is the stated scope: it does not mean every shield disappears in a single strike. This gives the Pollaxe a second distinct purpose alongside its stagger-and-follow-up sequence. [1]

Choose the Executioner’s Sword to finish a target missing health

The Executioner’s Sword is heavier than the other two-handed swords and carries a substantial fatigue penalty. Its Decapacitate attack gains damage from the target’s missing hit points, so the developer presents it as a finisher for high-health enemies after they have been wounded. It also offers an Overhead Strike with slightly increased hit chance and can split shields. Weigh that finishing role against the fatigue cost instead of choosing it solely because the blade is large. [1]

Steps

1. Use Decapacitate’s missing-health scaling when selecting a wounded target to finish. [1]

Match the Estoc’s attack to armour and the user’s initiative

The Estoc is the thrusting alternative. The developer describes its ordinary damage as limited but its armour-ignore value as high. Perforate makes two quick thrusts with a slightly increased chance to hit and is presented for agile or less-armoured targets. Skewer targets weak points, can hit the head and scales its armour penetration with the user’s initiative. When assigning an Estoc, examine that initiative-dependent role rather than assuming the same penetration benefit for every mercenary. [1]

Use the 1.5.2.3 corrections when evaluating the new weapons

Version 1.5.2.3 fixes Estoc crashes when Beasts & Exploration is absent and corrects named versions of all three weapons for Bounty Hunter and ambition counting. If either symptom makes a weapon appear unusable or unrecognized in an earlier build, account for those repairs before judging its intended combat role. [2]