Items · Melee Weapons · Combat
Smatchett
A close-quarter combat weapon common in the Locastrian armed forces.
Full Item Description
The Smatchett is a medium-heavy, machete-like soldier's tool. It has a 18-inch leaf-shaped, double-edged blade with a sharp point. The spine of the blade is exceptionally thick, giving the weapon great resistance to lateral torque. One of the edges is narrowly ground, with a razor-sharp, but brittle bite, while the other is shallowly ground, giving it an edge much like an axe's, not so sharp but durable. The contrasting edges gives the blade potential both as a woodcutting tool and a melee weapon - an useful trait for a soldier in the field.
The guard is a simple rectangle of heavy steel, and the pommel is a flattened cylinder of solid metal, suitable for bludgeoning, or to withstand hammerstrokes, if the user would want to drive the Smatchett into frozen ground or wood. The handle is wooden, tooled into a relief pattern to improve grip, and it is not uncommon to see a wrist-loop attached to secure the weapon in combat
Soldiers in training are encouraged to wear their Smatchett on the belt, although veterans seems to prefer to carry them on their pack, horizontally at the small of the back or strapped upside-down between their shoulder blades.
The weapon can also be used as a trench-digging tool, a tent-pick or even (due to the excessive width of its blade) as an impromptu frying pan. It is the Swiss army knife of the Locastrian footsoldiers.
Magic/Cursed Properties
None, although some soldiers, if they have the money, have their Smatchett engraved with lucky charms amd Power Glyphs of varying quality.
Roleplaying Notes
This is my take on the ever-present fantasy sword, which I didn't really think would fit semi-industralized-era warfare. A soldier of a modern battlefield (cannons, muskets etc.) needs an entrenching tool much more than a long, glittery sword. The Smatchett is a real invention by Lt. Col. William Fairbairn (google him if you want some inspiration from real life), although I've expanded the idea beyond a name. The frying-pan idea comes from my own military experience (although brief) - we once had to eat pea soup out of our helmets....
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Also in
Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.
- Interesting Weapons- Non-Magic Michael Jotne Slayer
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Links to this article 1
- Interesting Weapons- Non-Magic Michael Jotne Slayer linked by Michael Jotne Slayer
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Another good piece of detail, if a bit utilitarian.
Useful for any world.
Thumbs up, I like this sub. Expect linkages in the future.
Couldn't this possibly go in the Tools of the Trade freetext as well, since it IS a common soldier thing?
A nice piece of weaponry smelling of modernity... and whatever was fried on it the last time. :)
Is it any good for throwing?
Missed this somehow before. I like it. If anyone is still crazy enough to wear heavy armor into close combat, it sounds like this might go into reverse-blade as a hammer quite well.
I like the way you described this. Basic item, but great detail