[MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

I wrote-up this historical martial arts style because it is one that I am personally interested in (though I have not had any training in it yet) and also because it fits certain campaign ideas I have. I wanted to offer it up as a resource for anyone interested and also to get some feedback.

Bolognese Sidesword School: (4 points) [Edited in Response to Comment by Polydamas]

The Bolognese Sidesword School is a martial art style taught by several different masters in the city of Bologna, Italy during the 16th century. The style itself traces its lineage back to an early 15th century fencing master and professor of astronomy and mathematics at the Bologna University named Lippo Bartolomeo Dardi. While Dardi did not leave any manuscripts, the similarities of the style taught by later Bolognese masters and the differences of their style when compared to other contemporary Italian styles lends credence to the tradition that the 16th century Bolognese masters are all descendants from one original style.

The 16th Century Bolognese styles focused primarily on the sing-handed cut-and thrust sword with a complex hilt now called the sidesword. The sidesword is virtually identical in handling and use to the earlier, cross-hilt medieval arming sword, with the exception of the additional hand protection allowing for more hand-forward guards. Because of this, the Broadsword skill is used instead of Rapier. However, later Bolognese masters teach more thrust-oriented styles more suited to the Rapier skill.

While the Bolognese masters taught the use of the sidesword alone, they mostly focused on using it in combination with off-hand defensive weapons. Most common were the buckler and the parrying dagger (Main-Guache). They also taught the use of the medium shield known as the rotella (as well as others) and the cloak. However, these off-hand defensive weapons receive much less attention than the buckler and parrying dagger, and are generally based off of the techniques taught with buckler, so they are optional skills (but should be known by a master). Rounding out the weapon instruction is instruction on the Two-Handed Sword (though with much less emphasis than in previous masters) and instruction on the use of various polearms and spears.

In addition to the weapons instruction, unarmed combat techniques are taught, especially against dagger-armed opponents. These are almost exclusively parry-grapple-throw combinations, though disarms, locks, and sweeps are also used.

Finally, one of the main Bolognese masters, Achille Marozzo, taught extensively on the rules and customs of judicial duals, so training in Games (Judicial Dual) is definitely appropriate.

Cinematic stylists should have Weapon Master, at least in Broadsword and Main-Gauche, but possibly in all of the small class of weapons taught in the Bolognese School. Dual Weapon Attack would represent cinematic skill using both the sword and dagger at once, and Dual Weapon defense would also be appropriate. Likewise, Timed Defense would represent a master able to defend himself from attacks from all angles.

Skills: Broadsword; Main-Gauche; Shield (Buckler).

Techniques: Bind Weapon (Main-Gauche); Counterattack (Broadsword); Disarming (Main-Gauche, or Broadsword); Feint (Main-Gauche or Broadsword); Sweep (Judo); Targeted Attack (Broadsword Swing/Neck); Targeted Attack (Broadsword Thrust/Face); Targeted Attack (Broadsword or Main-Gauche Thrust/Vitals).

Cinematic Skills: Mental Strength

Cinematic Techniques: Dual Weapon Attack (Broadsword or Main-Gauche); Dual Weapon Defense (Broadsword, Main-Gauche, or Shield (Any)); Timed Defense (Broadsword, Main-Gauche, or Shield (Buckler)).

Perks: Off-Hand Weapon Training (Main-Gauche); Sure-Footed (Uneven).

Optional Traits:
Advantages: Ambidexterity; Combat Reflexes; Enhanced Parry (Broadsword, Main-Gauche, or All); Enhanced Block; Weapon Master (Broadsword and Main-Gauche or Bolognese Weapons (Small Class))

Disadvantages: Overconfidence

Skills: Acrobatics; Brawling; Cloak; Connoisseur (Fencing); Fast-Draw (Broadsword or Main-Gauche); Games (Judicial Dual); Judo; Polearm; Rapier; Savoir-Faire (Dojo); Shield; Spear; Two-Handed Sword

Techniques: Arm Lock (Judo); Disarming (Judo); Dual Weapon Defense (Shield); Sweep (Judo)

Perks: Armor Familiarity (Judo); Technique Mastery (Counterattack)

EDIT:
There are no stats in LT for a sidesword, the backsword does not quite fit it, it really is a thrusting broadsword with moderate hand protection. Therefore, for your convenience, here is a worked example of a Bolognese Sidesword using the hilt modification rules in LT2:

Sidesword: Broadsword Skill; Thrust: thr+2 imp; Swing: sw+1 cut; Reach: 1; Parry: 0; ST 10; Cost: $750; Weight 3.0 lbs; Hand receives DR4 on a roll of 1-3 on 1d6.

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

You can find my write-up of one of the styles in this tradition at http://gurpswiki.wikidot.com/mas:bol...-dall-agocchie

I definitely would not include any Grappling skill! There is a perk which lets you make off-hand parries with another skill (probably Main Gauche, Rapier, or Shield [Buckler] for this style) but that is not prominent in any of the 16th century manuals I have read. The unarmed defences against the dagger should probably be a separate style, since (working from memory) Fabris treats them as a separate module and since amongst masters of the 16th century only Marozzo discusses them and he also puts them in a separate section. So a wide range of unarmed parries, grips, and throws was certainly not something which every student learned.

Conoisseur (Fencing) is very appropriate, because this was a culture where showing good style was at least as important as getting the most hits on the salle floor.

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

Hmm, good point. I will move Judo, Arm Lock (Judo), Disarm (Judo), and Sweep (Judo) to the oprional skills and optional techniques (where I put the the other skills from Marozzo's different sections). I will also add Connoisseur (Fencing) to optional skills.

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

On the other hand, most masters back then did-quite sensibly-incorporate something rather resembling grappling or brawling into their system for the obvious reason that one cannot tell when one might need it.

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

Fortunately, we can look at what these specific four or five masters taught and how they organized it, rather than try and generalize across three centuries and half of Europe. I have read two of them and trained a bit with some good teachers.

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

Maybe the 'Clinch' perk due to its secondary nature to the style?

Re: [MA] Historical Style: Bolognese Sidesword
 

That would be well enough. As you say it was secondary.