Mod: Blast from the Past, Return of the Underkings

[Maraxus]

I think what he wants to say is not, that a heavy swinging weapon is a problem for a strong person.

Point is, that it is worse then a small (or) thrusting weapon, because strength actuall matters less on heavy weapons: Those get their force through their own weight and speed.
And the speed they get per acceleration way (as long as you have a minimum strength to lift it), so long arms are an important advantage, while muscle power is a minor advantage (it effects the speed taken to the squareroot, if you what physics F=1/2*m*v² ).

I don't think that armor of the weapon wielder is a factor here: While it hampers your movements in directions it is not designed for, it does not meaningful hamper the moves it is designed for: Swinging a weapon is one such movement.

The armor of the target plays a role, however: I think dwarves will also train to use weapons which are efficient against heavy armor as they have it, and these are swung weapons: axes, military hammers, picks.

I can not agree with the "axe requires more room to swing than a similarly sized sword" because you don't need to compare length here but weigth. Greataxe beats Greatsword in close areas, because it is shorter. Likewise if you compare a longsword with a same weigth axe.

Picks as an alternative to axes?
Sure, they focus the impact on a single point which is why later Warhammers were more like picks then hammers - but the axe has it's advantage, too: A single long spike in your body is not straight out fatal, unless it hits heart, brain, spine. Probably not even disabling. The victim might live with it for another minute but it needs only seconds to hit you. On the other hand, an axe breaks bones where it stikes. Disables the victim better.

I agree that thrusting weapons - spears and maybe shortswords - make some sense for dwarfs as subterran fighters with short arms. However considering their need to also be able to kill heaviest armored targets, I also see the reason to use swung weapons. Among those axe, hammer and pick all have pros and cons and I can reasonably understand if dwarfs would choose the axe to be traditionally important.