Reducing the number of weapon skills

[Polydamas]

Back in 2016 here was my take

If GURPS was being written from scratch by historians of fencing, the Fencing skills might well be replaced with an option that represents leading with the weapon, point in line with the enemy, and trying to return to that stance as often as possible. This would offer bonuses to defence and in Who Strikes First, but expose the weapon and weapon hand to attacks and Beats and give some penalties to cutting attacks (damage penalty? bonus to parry them? I don't know). Historically, some fencers recommended relying on [i]guardie basse e strette[i] (low guards with the point in line) when fencing with the staff or sword alone, and others did not ... they have many good features but some disadvantages, especially if the sword does not protect the sword hand very well.

At the end of this rules change, the skills Staff and Spear and Lance would probably be replaced with a single skill, just like Broadsword, Rapier, and Smallsword would become one.

I think most martial artists would agree that GURPS requires hand-to-hand fighters to learn too many different weapon skills with too harsh defaults from one to another, but building a better system is work. I have not used all of these weapons just the common ones like spears and swords and knives.