How Useful Would a Bat’leth Really Be?

Mostly layman's opinion? Versatile. I could see a lot of use of one in many different methods. But the range would be a significant drawback - like taking the longsword range problem and multiplying it. (I can't imagine using one with a single hand would be very agile.) Also - anyone else using a bladed weapon, coming in at the correct angle, is going to take advantage of your lack of handguards, and you'll have no fingers quickly. Might even lose a hand.

True.  I didn't even think about it from an armor standpoint.   If Klingons developed armor technology somehow before weapons tech - I could see this being a potentially useful solution.  Cross in-armor fighting with methods of the berserkers - and you might have a good explanation that would fit in the Star Trek universe for why the bat'leth was created/used.

(And it just looks really cool.  It's on my LONG list of fantasy stuff that I want some day.)

Most of the time I saw overweighted stainless steel types, but once a store here offered a slender under 2kg carbon steel sharpened one that looked interesting.
It's not a weapon for swinging or fencing like a normal sword.
It's half staff and half axe, or a dane axe with an axe head on each end, not really a sword.
And Klingons wear armor!
Qapla'!

Word to the wise: They won't stop a phaser !  




Old Klingon Proverb  " Never bring a batleth to a disrupter fight "

It would be good at defending and bad at attacking I think. You could use it like a quarter staff to parry, but you cant easily generate power because your hands are always gonna be close to the portion of the blade that makes contact with your opponent.

I think it's a horrible design. No reach, no real offensive power, no advantage of the shortness of the blade (e.g. a cutlass or long knife would be better than this because you can use your off hand with no disadvantage at all, with this you have a poky thing to worry about if you use it with one hand), and you really don't have much cutting capacity. I mean you'd have to be within licking distance to actually get a good cut in that penetrates deep enough, and the received blade could make it difficult to get a good "flow" going in cutting motions ala tulwar. Thrusting would leave you wide open for any kind if afterblow unless you retract and get back faster than they can swing or complete their swing.

Even in its own context, being used in the confines of a ship it is still poorly designed. Imagine swinging it darthmaul style down a corridor, and then add in parry and block and other mechanics. A long knife, short sword, even a thrust centric sword like a spadroon or smallsword would make for a better weapon.

What's that thing called, a mekleth? That's a good weapon. Basically a cutlass without any ability to thrust.

I see it as an obvious close quarters weapon, and despite its lack of reach it could (hypothetically of course) defend your midsection where dual wielding might leave an opening. I saw a custom made “carbon steel” model recently, and I debated picking one up. If for nothing else, for nostalgia’s sake!

I think you guys are all correct. It COULD have certain advantages, in my mind mostly CQ, but I believe the Klingons have other more single handed weapons. They have several ceremonial long knives, and some high ranking Klingons had fighting daggers. I was wondering what, if any, current martial arts might use such a weapon (i.e kali, kenpo...etc).

It's a fantasy weapon and I have never seen a similar real weapon,  but who knows all the strange Asian or African  bladed weapons.
The combat system that I see as a possibility for a batleth is longsword for armed combat/harnischfechten.
(... and you could attach more pommels!)