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Old 10-24-2017, 08:48 AM   #61
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Default Re: Are swords worth it?

Note that the Gladius was used in close, but not in what GURPS really thinks of as 'close combat' - the guy you were stabbing was still on the outside of you shield, and possibly behind their own shield (that you'd probably bound up with yours). The fighting was mostly at the inside edge of 'range 1', rather than at 'range C' - for that you had a dagger.

This is assuming the late Republic professional Roman Army, mind.
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:48 AM   #62
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Default Re: Are swords worth it?

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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Yeah, the long knife will do that. But if you look at a gladius, I have a hard time thinking of it as a "long knife". The things are pretty big.

The French army issued a fascine knife that looked and was intended to look just like a gladius once.
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Old 10-24-2017, 10:16 AM   #63
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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Yeah, the long knife will do that. But if you look at a gladius, I have a hard time thinking of it as a "long knife". The things are pretty big.



True. Rome only started using the Gladius during the republican period and switch back to proper spears during the late empire. During this time they conquered most of their empire, fought the most famous of their civil wars, and generally were the most iconic of the Romans. Rome spans a long time, but their greatest victories were won with their front line troops using the Gladius.

The Pila is meant to be thrown, not sparred with. s.
But it's still the weapon that the legionary will walk onto the field with, meaning one big advantage that a shortsword had for them was that it fits into a sheath while your hands are busy. I remember when I played Runequest that was exactly how typical warriors operated. They brought something to throw or shoot, along with a sheathed blade.
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Old 10-24-2017, 10:26 AM   #64
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Default Re: Are swords worth it?

Swords are in my view the best weapon, due to their flexibility. But as with any weapon, it depends on the user and how suited the weapon is for his build.

If im making a strong character, im gonna go with the 2h sword route and try to buy the penalty to use 1h swords with 2h sword skill, unless I want a halberdier.

Then it comes down to how much ST you have. If im doing a low ST character (as in, I dont ever plan on getting his ST above 17), then Im probably go the fencing route, for the defensive bonuses, throw a large shield in there and be a bastion of defense.

But if I plan on having ST higher than 17, id go for the pure sword route, try to start with ST 18 and use a quarterstaff as a 1h sword (you can use a staff with the 2h sword skill, and the above mentioned adaptation would allow it to be wielded 1h) with a shield, and progress up to as much ST as possible, in order to use a greatsword 1h with a shield.

Being a weapon master, and using this combo, I feel like you get to a critical mass of awesomeness and flexibility that is hard to beat with 0U heavy swing weapons, even the impaling ones. Meanwhile, theres a good selection of 1h swords with reach 2, such as the longsword and the edged rapier.
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Old 10-24-2017, 10:55 AM   #65
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Default Re: Are swords worth it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Yeah, the long knife will do that. But if you look at a gladius, I have a hard time thinking of it as a "long knife". The things are pretty big.



True. Rome only started using the Gladius during the republican period and switch back to proper spears during the late empire. During this time they conquered most of their empire, fought the most famous of their civil wars, and generally were the most iconic of the Romans. Rome spans a long time, but their greatest victories were won with their front line troops using the Gladius.

The Pila is meant to be thrown, not sparred with. I'm not saying that you couldn't use it like that, but the military doctrine would not have it used as a melee weapon.

Some troops retained the hasta, or melee spear, particularly early on, but these were specific types of units, not the bulks of the troops, and the spear troops were either expected to be skirmishers or to enter combat after the troops with the Gladius.
The M4 is meant to be fired, not sparred with. This doesn't make the M9 bayonet any less of a secondary weapon.
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:15 PM   #66
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Default Re: Are swords worth it?

I've always had a problem with the Spear not having a SW damage. It reflects a western thought that a spear is for poking only. Personally I find the spear to be the better weapon.
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:27 PM   #67
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I've always had a problem with the Spear not having a SW damage. It reflects a western thought that a spear is for poking only. Personally I find the spear to be the better weapon.
I am trying to think of what you are talking about that isn't covered by using staff stats to strike with the butt or tip slashes. What can non-Western spearmen do with spears that GURPS doesn't allow?
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:46 PM   #68
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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
I am trying to think of what you are talking about that isn't covered by using staff stats to strike with the butt or tip slashes. What can non-Western spearmen do with spears that GURPS doesn't allow?
Don't you suffer the -4 to -2 skill penalty for doing so?
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:58 PM   #69
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Don't you suffer the -4 to -2 skill penalty for doing so?
For striking with the butt? No. For tip slashes, yes but how does being non-Western make that easier?
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Old 10-24-2017, 01:07 PM   #70
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For striking with the butt? No. For tip slashes, yes but how does being non-Western make that easier?
Every RPG game I've played allows spears to be thrust or thrown only unless it is an "Eastern" setting.
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