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Old 12-02-2011, 06:31 PM   #71
Polydamas
 
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Default Re: Unarmed parries while wielding a 2h weapon

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Originally Posted by Verjigorm View Post
Sword and board has been the norm of sword use through-out history. There a few notable exceptions, but they are brief periods and outliers, rather than the standard to judge from. So your objection on that point is rather flimsy: Both "hilted" and "non hilted" swords have seen use with shields throughout history.
Not in Europe from the late 16th century to the early 20th century, or in Japan for the last thousand or so years. Its likely that European swordsmanship before the high middle ages relied on the shield as the main offensive/defensive weapon, with whatever tool you had in your right hand to strike with, so there was little contact between blades. The styles we do have are designed for long, agile swords and small shields, and use the sword as the main offensive/defensive weapon with the buckler, targa, or rotella for support and the odd beat or strike.

I think that optional rules for working from the bind could work (the Beat rule implies one a rule for when one's weapon is extended) with a bonus for weapons with crosses or prongs like a boar spear, high medieval sword, or bill. Such a rule could absorb many of the curent benefits to fencing skills (the more complex your hilt, the more you can extend your sword while you wait). Just remember that the GURPS combat rules have to work for a swirling melee between robots and ensorceled giants; lots of things that make duels more realistic don't work in all cases.
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Old 12-02-2011, 06:56 PM   #72
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Unarmed parries while wielding a 2h weapon

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Originally Posted by Polydamas View Post
I think that optional rules for working from the bind could work
I agree. ;-)

"...and a completely new top-to-bottom take on grappling with weapons." (From the Technical Grappling Call for Playtesters)
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Last edited by DouglasCole; 12-03-2011 at 02:31 PM.
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Old 12-03-2011, 02:26 PM   #73
Verjigorm
 
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Default Re: Unarmed parries while wielding a 2h weapon

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Originally Posted by Polydamas View Post
Not in Europe from the late 16th century to the early 20th century, or in Japan for the last thousand or so years. Its likely that European swordsmanship before the high middle ages relied on the shield as the main offensive/defensive weapon, with whatever tool you had in your right hand to strike with, so there was little contact between blades. The styles we do have are designed for long, agile swords and small shields, and use the sword as the main offensive/defensive weapon with the buckler, targa, or rotella for support and the odd beat or strike.
Well, I'm saying that for about 2000 years, sword and shield was pretty common and an effective fighting style, and a lot of the body mechanics involved in it are not tech level dependent. Different warriors used different swords and styles of fighting, but swordsmanship emphasizes footwork and the ability to move. Unlike spears, swordsmen who pack together grow weaker.

A parry with a sword typically will occur at a distance from the hilt that the hilt cannot be involved in the parry. The idea of "sliding a blade down and lopping off some fingers" is not nearly as easy to do as one would think due to the way leverage works. As the point of contact shifts closer to the defender, the defender becomes strong in the parry, and can control a weapon much better. Hilts can help, this is true, but they are far from necessary, and if you make a habit of trying to parry with the quillons of a hilt, then you're going to get hit in the hands more often.

Quote:
I think that optional rules for working from the bind could work (the Beat rule implies one a rule for when one's weapon is extended) with a bonus for weapons with crosses or prongs like a boar spear, high medieval sword, or bill. Such a rule could absorb many of the curent benefits to fencing skills (the more complex your hilt, the more you can extend your sword while you wait). Just remember that the GURPS combat rules have to work for a swirling melee between robots and ensorceled giants; lots of things that make duels more realistic don't work in all cases.
I wouldn't mind such an optional rule. It wont always be needed: in a game with robots and giants, the finer points of swordsmanship might not matter. But in a low-tech, low fantasy game, these finer points become matters of character niche and diversification.
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