Shield-Walls and Polearms

As has been mentioned before, a character with a polearm (or long spear, or javelin) can stand behind a character with a shorter weapon and attack the same targets that his ally is attacking. That's one of the principal advantages to the polearm, but it's ignored all too often in AD&D® game campaigns.

This is the way it works:

The character with the polearm positions himself behind an ally, preferably a fighter with a shield. Because the polearm fighter must work around the friend in front of him, he suffers a –2 to attack rolls anyone on the other side of his friend. However, he isn't limited just to the enemy of the man he's standing behind: If our polearm hero is standing behind a line of three men (who are side-by-side), he can strike at anyone who is close enough to attack any of those three men with a medium-length weapon.

This is useful in a combat because the polearm wielder can attack targets without being right in their faces, or engaged with them. That means he can switch targets without any fancy footwork. When one of his buddies is foundering, or taking a beating, the polearm wielder can begin attacking that buddy's enemy.

And don't forget the polearm vs. polearm Parry, as described above under that maneuver's description.

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