How Greatswords Beat Pikes in Battle - Or Did They

Part 1 (Yes, Giant Swords Existed, BUT...) The Landsknecht (“servant of the country“, a German mercenary) is mostly known for his flamboyant outfits and the iconic Zweihander, AKA greatsword, a large two-handed sword. On the battlefield they supposedly used those to chop pikes and break up enemy formations. The evidence we have for this is surprisingly limited though. So let's take a closer look at some historical depictions and written reports from the 16th and 17th centuries. I also added some personal speculation and an improvised demonstration for visual reference. Take it with a grain of salt, as I'm not an expert on military tactics of the time. I did as much research as time permitted, (which is linked below) but there may be things I've missed. More thoughts on cutting polearms The foam greatsword I used as a prop is the Doppelsoldner by Calimacil ?aff=55 ***