The Bardiche is a type of pole weapon known in the 16th and 17th centuries in Eastern Europe. The blade varied greatly in shape, but was most often a long, cleaver type blade. It was attached to the shaft by two sockets (one at the top and one at the bottom). Infantrymen generally respected the nature and capabilities of the bardiche.This weapon's high damage and long reach makes an overhead strike that can often kill lightly armored foes instantly, making it a significantly easier-to-land alternative to the fairly hard-to-land sprint attack. The Bardiche was standard equipment for the Streltsy (literally "shooters") corps (foot, mounted and dragoons) and also for the Polish infantry. Another common use for the Bardiche was
