Spearmen were common and were used well until the end of the Second World War by many cultures on earth because the spear itself was an economical yet effective weapon. Compared with axes and clubs which were unwieldly and swords which were too costly and thus the weapons of the middle class and upper crust of society, spears were easy to create (using far less resources than a sword) and very easy and versatile to use, as a ranged weapon to keep melee units at a distance, making spears useful in many situations. With a spear, one can either fight defensively (ie "holding a line at Marathon") or use it in an offensive capability. The only drawback however is that spears leave the user exposed once opponents can evade the spearpoint, and also spears could be heavy, leaving warriors vulnerab