The Vanguard class in Chivalry 2 is a perfect blend of the speed of the Footman and the strength of the Knight. The Vanguard is a Chivalry 2 class that is more than willing to rush into the fray of battle, get a few mighty swings in, then duck out before the enemy has time to think.
It's a great Chivalry 2 class for taking advantage of open enemies thanks to the Vanguard's ability to charge forwards with a leaping strike. This strike deals more damage and has a good chance, on a good hit, to instantly kill most enemies.
Updated July 3, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: The Vanguard class is something of a hybrid class in Chivalry 2 with a lot of playstyles available through its three subclasses. It has the heavy-hitting weapons of the Knight, the speed of the Footman, and the access to ranged weaponry of the Archer. Though it isn't quite as good at any of these things as the other classes, Vanguards are still pretty good for most aspects of the game, and are the most versatile because of it. They jump in and out of combat, never staying too long, and can tear through the enemy backline before they have a chance to realize what's going on. Knowing the best Vanguard weapons in Chivalry 2 is a good first step in learning this multifaceted class.
10 Cudgel
The cudgel is a relatively short-range melee weapon available to Vanguards in Chivalry 2. Vanguard excel when they can jump into battle, deal serious damage, and get to a better position for another leaping strike – short-range weapons just don't cut it. The cudgel isn't the shortest-range melee weapon Vanguards can use, but it's the least effective.
The relatively small hitbox paired with the Vanguard's low health makes it a bad choice in most situations. It comes in three varieties with minor differences, being the Holy Water Sprinkler, the Spiked Club, and the War Club. The best Vanguard class to use a cudgel with is the Devastator, though there are much more powerful options that accomplish the same Blunt damage.
9 Hatchet
The hatchet is another short-range weapon available to Vanguards in Chivalry 2, and although the class doesn't do well with short-range weaponry, the hatchet makes up for its lack of reach with its damage output. It can be swung incredibly quickly, faster than almost any other weapon, which can tear through enemies before they have the chance to swing in retaliation.
Avoid leaping strikes with a hatchet, except to get into combat initially, and instead try to focus on swinging often and connecting those hits. The hatchet has two versions, the Hunting Hatchet and Utility Hatchet, and is best wielded by the Ambusher subclass alongside a throwing axe. Both the hatchet and throwing axe are far from the best Chivalry 2 weapons, but paired together can make for a formidable build for players who can connect hits.
8 Short Sword
The short sword is, perhaps surprisingly, not that short of a weapon at all. The two swords available to Vanguards are longer than the Archer and Footman's respective arming sword and broadsword, but their reach and underwhelming damage still pales in comparison to other, more effective weapons for the class.
Short swords are great for situations where a longer weapon just wouldn't cut it, like on maps with small corridors or against teams that like to bunch together. Pair this short-range weapon with the Raider subclass so that you still have a viable Primary weapon to use - in this case, consider using a Blunt Damage weapon in your main slot.
7 Battle Axe
The Battle Axe is the best close-range weapon for the Vanguard thanks to its reliably huge damage output and its usefulness against all class types. It's a great close-range weapon for the leaping strike, though harder to hit with than long-reaching weapons. At the end of the day, it's the only close-quarters weapon that can be justifiably used over a longer-reaching one.
The battle axe, available as the Bowtie Axe or Double Axe, is best used in close combat situations where teammates and enemies alike are battling it out in a cluster of blood and steel. Use the battle-axe to break apart the crowd and thin out enemies without worrying as much about taking out allies on accident thanks to its low hitbox. Use the Battle Axe with any of the three Vanguard subclasses, though weapons with longer reach tend to be more reliable.
6 Maul
The maul is similar to the cudgel in that it deals blunt damage at a relatively short range, but it has a little bit more reach and swings a little bit slower in exchange for more damage. The Vanguard has an advantage on huge single attacks, even if they take a second to cool down from, and the maul usually lets the Vanguard take out an enemy with a leaping strike.
Available with Spikes or without, the maul has a high chance to crush the enemy's head when aimed there, and the giant face of the hammer means you'll be connecting hits above the neckline pretty reliably. It has longer range than the Battle Axe, and is best used in the hands of a Devastator or Raider who can have an alternative damage type as a backup.
5 Glaive
The glaive, or war scythe, is an extremely effective weapon in the Vanguard's hands, as it lets them both chase down enemies and keep their distance from foes at the same time. The downside of the weapon is its relatively low damage compared to other reach weapons, though it is to be noted that its reach outranks several other weapons available for Vanguards.
The glaive is an excellent choice for just about any Vanguard strategy, but it does have downsides that other long-range melee weapons don't have, like its gigantic low-damage handle. If you hit an enemy with any part of the weapon except the head, it all but nullifies the damage. Use the glaive with the Ambusher or Raider classes, as it's not as good for dual wielding as a Devastator as some other weapons.
4 Executioner's Axe
The executioner's axe, specifically the Beheader Axe and the Bowed Axe, are very effective weapons for the Vanguard, though they do have a bit less reach than the similar Dane Axe. The executioner's axe synergizes well with the Vanguard's long jump, though it has to connect at the tip to do any decent damage just like the glaive.
As with all reach weapons, be careful not to get too close to enemies because hitting them with any part of the executioner's axe except the sharp part deals significantly less damage - it's not very forgiving when it comes to accurate hits, either. The executioner's axe is great for the Devastator and Raider, as Ambushers fare better with less finicky weapons as they dart in and out of combat.
3 Dane Axe – Dane Axe, Headsman Axe
The Dane axe, also available as the Headsman axe, is an axe modeled after the long-handled weapons originally designed to break shield blocks. The Dane axe in Chivalry 2 is available to the Vanguard, and despite being a one-handed weapon, is very good for its reach and damage output.
It swings more slowly than other one-handed weapons, but it synergizes well with the Vanguard's ability and its reach makes it easily outclass the Battle Axe and Hatchet. The Battle Axe hits harder and the Hatchet swings faster, but in terms of overall effectiveness, it's hard to beat the Dane Axe. Use this weapon with Vanguard subclasses that can use a Shield like the Vanguard and Raider.
2 Two-Handed Hammer
The two-handed hammer and the greatsword are often tossed up as the best weapon for the Vanguard class. The two-handed hammer is extremely powerful, able to kill Archers, Footmen, and other low-max-HP Vanguards in a single, mighty swing. The downside of the two-handed hammer compared to the greatsword, though, is that the player must take care not to hit their opponent with the long hilt.
Just like the glaive and executioner's axe, hitting enemies with any part except the face of the Hammer deals next to no damage. When you connect with the head of the hammer, you'll know it - especially if you aim above the neckline. Pair the two-handed hammer with any of the Vanguard subclasses, but keep in mind that it swings slower than the Greatsword in exchange for higher damage.
1 Greatsword
The greatsword, including the Zweihander and the normal greatsword, are considered by most to be the best weapons for the Vanguard class. The Vanguard excels at getting to the enemy backline and taking Archers and other players by surprise, and the slashing damage of a greatsword dispatches these unarmored foes faster than any other. While the greatsword deals less damage to armored opponents, it is one of the few long-reaching Vanguard primary weapons that deals significant damage no matter which part of the weapon hits your target.
The entire blade triggers damage normally, and it can be used to thrust, slash, and overhead strike just as well as any more specialist weapon. It might not be as fast as a short sword, and it might not hit as hard as the two-handed hammer, but it has fewer downsides than any other weapon for the class. Its range is just too good, and its stats like swing speed and base damage are at least on the average end of things, whereas many Vanguard weapons have massive downsides like slow swing speed or terrible range.
Chivalry 2 is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S