Azure City and Pole Arms

[t209]

Just a nitpick.
I am wondering why Azure City's soldiers are armed with western-style halberds (https://i.giantitp.com//comics/oots/oots0432.gif) instead of Naginata (https://www.spanish-swords.com/3806-large_default/naginata.jpg) or Guan Dao (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31gdKGPM8DL._AC_SX425_.jpg)?
Just being curious.

[Squire Doodad]

The best answer I can think of off hand is that they're a quasi-East Asian community, but not in absolutely all respects (like Miko Miyazaki, with Miko being her given name despite the surname typically coming first). They have contact with the Northern Lands and may happen to like halberds for some reason. Maybe they invented halberds in this world.

[Fyraltari]

Just a nitpick.
I am wondering why Azure City's soldiers are armed with western-style halberds (https://i.giantitp.com//comics/oots/oots0432.gif) instead of Naginata (https://www.spanish-swords.com/3806-large_default/naginata.jpg) or Guan Dao (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31gdKGPM8DL._AC_SX425_.jpg)?
Just being curious.

Clearly, contracting the Starshine family (https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0136.html) was a mistake.

[Peelee]

Just a nitpick.
I am wondering why Azure City's soldiers are armed with western-style halberds (https://i.giantitp.com//comics/oots/oots0432.gif) instead of Naginata (https://www.spanish-swords.com/3806-large_default/naginata.jpg) or Guan Dao (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31gdKGPM8DL._AC_SX425_.jpg)?
Just being curious.

They are armed with southern-style halberds, since Azure City is in the south.

[Metastachydium]

Just a nitpick.
The large polearms wielded by Azurite soldiers are not halberds. Western-style halberds (and the similar Chinese weapons, qinglong ji and fangtian ji) are multirole weapons: besides the axe head (which tended not to be quite as large as the axe head of the Azurite polearms), they also have a (generally longish) spear tip (and in the case of western-style halberds, a hook on the reverse).
The (otherwise lovely) weapon the Azurite army uses is basically just a large, two-handed battle axe.

[Vinyadan]

It was necessary, so that the legend of That Guy With a Halberd could be born.

[InvisibleBison]

Just a nitpick.
I am wondering why Azure City's soldiers are armed with western-style halberds (https://i.giantitp.com//comics/oots/oots0432.gif) instead of Naginata (https://www.spanish-swords.com/3806-large_default/naginata.jpg) or Guan Dao (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31gdKGPM8DL._AC_SX425_.jpg)?
Just being curious.

Presumably for the same reason that they speak Common instead of Chinese or Japanese - because Azure City isn't part of a real-world Asian culture.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

It was (rolls a d12) tiger's turn (https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0274.html) to make a design decision, and he chose that style of pole arm.

GW

[Metastachydium]

Just a nitpick.
The large polearms wielded by Azurite soldiers are not halberds. Western-style halberds (and the similar Chinese weapons, qinglong ji and fangtian ji) are multirole weapons: besides the axe head (which tended not to be quite as large as the axe head of the Azurite polearms), they also have a (generally longish) spear tip (and in the case of western-style halberds, a hook on the reverse).
The (otherwise lovely) weapon the Azurite army uses is basically just a large, two-handed battle axe.

I must remind you, nevertheless, that as such, these axes resemble the Japanes ono (large two handed battle axe with an oversized head) quite a lot.

[hewhosaysfish]

Because Naginata and Guan Do aren't in the PHB, maybe.

[Synesthesy]

Chinese dagger axe (https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Dagger-axe) are close enough to me. And as someone already pointed out, western halberd were actually made a little differently.
I image that A) it doesn't matter for the story, that isn't set in ancient Asia B) in a stick comic, close enough is close enough.