Default between one- and two-handed use

[Icelander]

Coded into the GURPS melee weapon skill system is the assumption that one-handed versions of skills default to two-handed ones (and vice versa) at -3 for unbalanced ones and -4 for balanced ones.*

For some reason, this has never pleased me unduly. The practice of two-handing your sword or axe once your shield was ruined or dropped was too widespread for it to feel completely realistic that a normal combatant (skill 12) suddenly dropped below novice level when he did it (for what amounted to a minor benefit to damage).

Martial Arts did a good job making two-handed weapons more attractive. It also introduced the Defensive Grip option, which went some way towards alleviating my concerns. Now someone with an arming sword who occasionally placed a second hand on his sword didn't need to be at -4 penalties when he did it, he was only at -2.

On the other hand, this had the effect that when using a weapon that was designed to accomodate both hands, he'd suddenly be at a greater penalty than when using a less appropriate weapon. This felt wrong.

The -2 penalty that Defensive Grip carried felt right. It seemed an appropriate penalty for a style of wielding that was different, yes, but significantly less different than going to a new weapon entirely. After all, most weapons that can be wielded in two hands as well as one include some elements of such stances in typical training.

I have never implemented such a rule, but I'm considering reducing defaults between one- and two-handed versions of the same weapon to a flat -2 for all weapons.

Do any playtesters or others of either the Basic Set or Martial Arts have thoughts on why the penalties are so steep and/or why I should keep them that way?

*The exception is Spear, which has the unique benefit of combining both uses into one skill.