7'3'' jakob nacken (221 cm) the tallest nazi soldier ever chatting with 5'3'' (160 cm) canadian corporal bob roberts after surrendering to him near calais, france in september of 1944 (colorized by me) [1434x1976]

I’m a tall dude, 6’5.

My experience while sparring with tomahawks and unarmed (informally, mind you) is that I have an insane reach advantage. I can maintain distance and attack without exposing myself to danger. My opponent can attempt to close the distance, but that’s risky. It’s difficult to defend yourself properly while moving forward aggressively. Often times the far better option is to block - counterattack, which now puts me in a defensive position that you can press forward on.

The problem is that someone getting closer to me does not reduce my options, it increases them. I can now grapple you, knee you, use my elbows... my options are many and varied. Give me a two handed axe, I have all the above options plus hitting you with the shaft of the axe in a verity if different ways. If you have a short sword, that changes absolutely nothing, because I can still block-counterattack with my axe. Axes are just as fast, if not faster, then most swords unless you’re going for a power swing with both hands positioned near the base.

If I have a two handed axe, and you have a short sword, you will likely die. Give the guy in the OP an axe, you stand zero chance.

You know what a tall guy with an axe can’t deal with well? Spears! And arrows. With a two handed axe you don’t have a lot of options to close the distance on a long range opponent.

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