Yeah pretty much, which is why the axe was actually used and flails as we know them are fantasy weapons. The flail has the intimidation and cool factor but otherwise I’d rather have an axe.

The flail might have more reach, but the longer the chain the slower the weapon and more skill required to land a blow.

The haft with a long chain and ball on the end is fantasy. However, I fought with one for a couple of years as a combat actor/choreographer and ren-faire reenactor and would say that the flail is a duelist’s weapon only. And in a duel its chief function is to remove your opponent’s shield.

A well placed flail strike will go around the guard of your opponent and potentially break fingers, hand, wrist, or arm.

You can also try to use it to disarm their primary weapon but it’s less reliable in this regard as it becomes a tug of war strength contest.

Use your flail to break their hand and make them drop their shield and then drop the flail and draw your side sword or whatever else you happen to have.

Too slow and clumsy of a weapon to fight against a group or near allies.

This is solved by bringing back Domain Level Play, and making spell components a meaningful resource again.

Most spells have a martial equivalent. Give martials access to those effects.

Most spells also used to cost something to cast other than a spell slot. When your only limitation is 8 hours of rest, magic scales wildly out of control.

Or play a system with better design instead of trying to force the wargame to be anything other than what it was designed to be.