Pole Arms: Halbards do not have a hammer

 

There seems to be some misconception amongst Gamers as to how a Halbard is used.

That is not a hammer, though if the pole arm broke you could use that end as a hybrid Axe/Hammer/short stabbing spear.

That hammer is in fact a leverage foot. You spear the armoured opponent knight lifting them from their horse, the point likely penetrating a space between plates and then use the foot as a point of leverage prying open a hole in the armour by pushing down on the long arm of the lever. With flesh exposed you might continue to spear holes in him, or use the axe as a blade edge to slice into exposed flesh through an opening between plates employing an in and out motion against flesh. 

It might also be used as a foot rest to drive the pike point into the armour increasing the size of a hole through the plate using your own physical weight.

Basically the halbard is a can-opener used to reduce an opponent to a prone state on the ground where they can be dismembered and their armour broken up.