Lances were often employed by men at arms fighting on foot in the 14th and 15th centuries, both in massed formations and single combat. When armies battled, men-at-arms on foot made slightly different choices, and frequently utilized the identical lances that mounted soldiers used, with no changes. In battle, men-at-arms fought on foot to protect themselves from injury and death at the hands of powerful horses. Foot soldiers also enjoyed some advantages over riders. They could move more quickly, especially if they were armed with a pike or halberd. A man-at-arms could be killed by a single blow from a sword, axe, or mace; a foot soldier would usually be killed by several deep wounds from multiple weapons or axes. However, men-at-arms were trained to fight on horseback so they could keep up with the rapidly moving lines of battle. During the early stages of war, when armies still had time to arrange themselves into formal ranks, they did so across open ground. Men-at-arms on foot carried small wooden shields called sallets to protect themselves from enemy blows. They also wore armor for protection, although this was rarely worn during the first stages of war when armies were forming up. As battles became more intense, men-at-arms advanced into close-quarter fighting on one another's heels. In these situations, they discarded their shields and carried heavy spears called lances.