Despite the dominations of the Anatolian battlefield by the so-called ‘grip-tongue’ sword, use of Neolithic-style blunt weapons persisted through the Bronze Age right up to the Trojan War. Maces, hammers, and clubs were unwieldy in the close quarters of a compact melee, but a strong warrior could devastate all but the most heavily-armoured opponent if given enough space for a mighty swing. On the other hand, their weight made their wielders prone to exhaustion, and vulnerable to a well-placed spear thrust or the quick slash of a blade.