Melee Weapon

Melee weapons are weapons designed for hand-to-hand combat.

Overview
For most societies, melee weapons played a pivotal role in warfare up until the development of firearms, which saw melee weapons gradually fall out of use until they more or less disappeared entirely from the battlefield. While ranged weapons remain the cornerstone of a modern army, advanced in technology have seen melee weapons make a resurgence on the battlefield as effective tools, particularly in urban combat and ship-boarding operations.

Bladed Weapons
Bladed weapons are the most diverse form of melee weaponry as blades can be built to perform specific actions. Broadly speaking, most bladed weapons can fit into one of two categories:


 * Edged Weapons: Edged weapons emphasize cutting power. They are generally effective against lightly-armored opponents and groups. Edged weapons include axes, most types of swords, and sickles.


 * Puncture Weapons: Puncture weapons are designed to pierce into a target. They are more effective against armored opponents than edged weapons but are comparatively ineffective against groups, being better suited for one-on-one engagements. Puncture weapons include most knives & daggers, bayonets, pole weapons, and some swords.

Utility Blades
Utility blades are standard metal blades with no enhancements. Such blades are used more for utility and ceremony rather than for combat, though they can be laced with poisons and germs.

High-Frequency Blade
High-frequency blades increase their sharpness by having the blade vibrate at a high frequency. They are relatively subtle, producing only a quiet humming when activated. High-frequency blades require a battery to operate.

Plasma Blade
See also: Plasma Weapon

Plasma blades come in two varieties. The first variety is an otherwise standard bladed weapon which produces a plasma blade. The more advanced variant uses an electromagnetic field to produce a blade of pure plasma. Regardless of whichever one is used, plasma blades are devastating against flesh and armor alike, though they are less effective against energy shields.

Revolving blade
Revolving blades utilize either saw blades of chain-blades. Standard revolving blades readily cut through flesh, inflicting often lethal wounds, and are modestly effective against energy shields, but they are almost wholly incapable of reliably piercing armor plating. Their armor-piercing capabilities can be increased by having the blades vibrate or by encasing the blade in an energized field.

Electroshock Blade
See also: Lightning Weapon

Electroshock blades electrocute their targets upon contact. This function is primarily used to drain a target's shields; to increase their actual lethality, most electroshock weapons feature high-frequency blades.

Crystal Blade
Crystals blades are made of pure Marganite and can be honed into either edged or puncture weapons. Crystal blades are both razor-sharp and incredibly poisonous, with even small cuts potentially proving lethal.

Blunt Weapons
Blunt weapons include weapons such as clubs, maces, hammers, flails, and quarterstaves. These implements rely primarily or entirely on blunt trauma, which can severely damage a target's organs, shatter their bones, trigger internal bleeding, and dent their armor, which can impair both their mobility and ability to breathe. Their effectiveness against armor can be amplified with the addition of flanges, knobs, and/or spikes and hooks depending on the weapon. Blunt weapons may also feature blades for extra versatility.

Standard Bludgeon
Standard bludgeons do not feature any enhancements. Their effectiveness depends heavily on the user's physical strength.

High-Frequency Bludgeon
High-frequency bludgeons feature flanges, knobs, spikes, or hooks which vibrate at a high frequency for increased armor penetration.

Electroshock Bludgeon
See also: Lightning Weapon

Electroshock bludgeons deliver an electrical shock to their targets. The electricity is primarily used to quickly overload a target's shield.

Gravity Bludgeon
Gravity bludgeons produce a kinetic shock wave upon contact with a target, substantially amplifying the force of the strike. Such weapons can potentially fling their target across a room and shatter their entire body in a single blow.

Hybrid Weapons
Hybrid weapons combine a melee weapon with that of a ranged weapon, sometimes by having the weapon transition from one form to another. Hybrid weapons are a rare sight on the battlefield due in part to their cost and complexity compared to most other weapons.