What is wrong with the axes?

[Kreegan]

I don't think it's bad luck any more. I've tried to develop Rage gladiators three or four times already but their performance is always terrible and I end up selling them. One of them was dual-axes, the other two (or three) - two-handed weapons, armed with the basic Great Axe from the armoury. Their stats looked perfect for Rages - 75+ Strength, 70+ Chi, 70+ Agility and so on and the fact that they were losing 2 out of 3 fights no matter the strategy (and the win was usually due to overly-active opponent who burned their endurance too fast) looked puzzling, to say the least. The damage dealt during the fight was minimal, even the criticals with the Great Axe never scored more than 50 damage (that's with 2-3 activity and 5-6 bloodlust). So today I armed my last Rage with a Great Sword instead of a Great Axe and... the next fight ended in no time. 2 hits x 100+ damage and the opponent was down. Now THAT is what I was expecting all along. Then I remembered that there was one occasion when I bought my two-handed War a seemingly cute two-handed axe and his damage dropped twice, even thrice (lost several fights due to this)...
So - what is the problem with the axes? I don't think I'm supposed to tell my gladiators to lunge or bash with such weapons but slashing doesn't help either. Could I be doing something wrong?

[crow]

Axes are a bashing weapon. Yes it has blade end on it. Think of it this way. Would you slash at a piece of wood or would you chop at it. And chopping is a bashing motion.

[Kreegan]

Well, when I see an axe, I think "chopping" and that's much closer to slashing than to bashing in my book. But thanks for the tip, I'll change the attack type and see how it goes.

[Cynaidh]

Try berserk too, weapon type wont matter then.

Very rarely do i not start off my rages running berserk and even at level 1 i always run rages with a high activity level. If your weapon skill is above 6, try: 8 activity, berserk, 6 blood lust and see how that works for him.

[Dainoji]

Well, when I see an axe, I think "chopping" and that's much closer to slashing than to bashing in my book. But thanks for the tip, I'll change the attack type and see how it goes.

Next time you are chopping wood do me a favor and try and slash at it and then let me know how much wood you manage to chop! An axe is basically a club with a blade on it.

[Kreegan]

Well yeah, and the sword is a stick with sharp edges. Whatever. I have the answer to my question anyway.

[CaineDeSoulis]

good luck getting any questions answered or tips from me.

[Kreegan]

Wow, that's certainly an unexpected reaction. What did I say? Let me clarify - I'm not a native English speaker and in my language "bash" will never be translated as "chop", unlike "slash" which is pretty close to it. I'm not gonna get heartbroken because some of the resident veterans sulks at me but I can't find anything offensive in my upper posts so I don't understand what could provoke such a response.

[BlkTmplr]

Well yeah, and the sword is a stick with sharp edges. Whatever. I have the answer to my question anyway.

Even over the internet everyone can see the venom behind these words, it was uncalled for.

[Kreegan]

What venom???
Actually forget it. I didn't have the intention to offend anyone so if someone felt offended, I apologize. Hope this finally settles it.