Quote:
Originally Posted by Polydamas
I can see a reason for reducing swung damage, but not thrust. The tip is the same size (probably wider for a Thrusting Broadsword than an Edged Rapier or Short Edged Rapier), and guards with the point in line allow powerful thrusts.
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Unfortunately, GURPS thr imp damage has little to do with the size of the tip or even the design of the blade. There is absolutely no logical reason for why a broadsword should do more thrusting damage than a shortsword.
But I'm fitting intermediate steps on the weapon tables into the currently existing rules and adding some fiddly details, not reworking the GURPS weapon stat model completely. So if I'm not going to fix the existing damage scores, I have to incorporate them in some semi-logical fashion.
With that said, I don't think that most of the weapons that would fit under Edged Rapier are any worse at thrusting than typical arming swords. To the contrary, I think they might be better adapted in many ways. But they still get a -1 thrusting damage relative to the broadsword.
That being said, my decision was motivated as much by the desire for every weapon skill to have its own role. Allowing Broadsword skill a higher damage than Rapier skill, even using the same weapons, is good for characterisation, even if there are few real world justifications for it. Just note that if you are going to base thrusting damage on anything from the real world, you'll have to rework all damages completely from scratch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Polydamas
The difference in cutting between fencing in Fiore dei Liberi's day and fencing in Salvator Fabris' is more about weapons and guard positions than grip (hooking a finger over the crossguard or placing it along the blade is attested a long way back). The stretta (point towards the enemy's chest or head) guards of 17th century rapier require you to raise or lower your point before delivering a cut, and the start point of a cut tends to be more conservative than in 15th century martial arts because of this (the time you spend preparing the cut is a tempo for your opponent to strike you in). Also, 15th century styles accompany most blows with a pace, which makes it easy to put your hips into a strike.
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I agree that the difference between fencing and not-fencing in GURPS are not always obvious. It's not purely a matter of stance, weapons or anything else, but rather a composite of all these things which translates into increased benefits for mobility, but greater sensitivity to encumbrance.
One thing I've introduced into my games is the Mobile Parry Perk, which effectively makes the weapon skill you select it for
almost a fencing skill.
Mobile Parry†
Your lighting footwork complements your defensive work. When unencumbered and wielding a balanced melee weapon other than a Fencing weapon, you may add an additional +1 to the Retreat bonus to Parry.
You must specialise by melee weapon skill.
If you have the Perk Armour Familiarity for the chosen weapon skill, you may benefit from this Perk at Light Encumbrance.