tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post7138774335232651351..comments2024-03-26T22:17:42.458-04:00Comments on Semper Initiativus Unum: Cutting It Short: A Case for Short SwordsWayne Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-855551446582203232015-05-09T00:04:21.373-04:002015-05-09T00:04:21.373-04:00From a strictly mechanical standpoint, a shortswor...From a strictly mechanical standpoint, a shortsword in dungeon exploration might be an incredibly valuable tool simply due to the small distances encounters occur at. Of course, all of this in original D&D is abstract (and why I love it!).<br /><br />...But what if one uses the initiative by weapon length rules in the ready ref sheets? Sure, round one may see the longer swords win. If you can survive to round two, though... and close the distance, as the poster above stated?<br /><br />I believe any referee would be well within rights to instate reverse initiative by weapon length in that scenario. Tightly confined quarters, shield-on-shield action... initiative goes to the short and deadly, while larger weapons need the wind-up time. There was a reason the Romans used the gladius!!Burton Simshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139325727020928325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-27204156303612945402015-02-26T20:03:47.474-05:002015-02-26T20:03:47.474-05:00Back in my larping days I had 2 swords (one slight...Back in my larping days I had 2 swords (one slightly longer than the other) a short sword and a dagger. Along with throwing knives and javelins. If I knew we were going .to be inside I would ditch the javelins and one of my swords. The short sword went from almost never being used to being my primary weapon ,in tight quarters a longer sowrd becomes an inferior spear. JDsivrajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10674833512849495283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-27257187336458852422015-02-24T06:39:09.180-05:002015-02-24T06:39:09.180-05:00I'd rather not complicate the terminology over...I'd rather not complicate the terminology overmuch in the case of the term "backsword," which referred to a particular type of single-edged sword. (The "back" has to do not with the wielder's back, but with the blunt back side of the blade.) Backswords were frequently as long as arming swords, and were generally thinner blades than the grosses Messer or the cutlass.<br /><br />Arming sword is the current term for knightly single-handed swords from the 10th to the 15th centuries. The thing is, there's a tremendous amount of mystique about such weapons, and "arming sword" just has no romance to it as a term. I prefer knightly sword.<br /><br />Claymore of course is a particular term for the Scottish two-handed sword; I actually prefer the German Zweihander. It really underlines that this was a massive battlefield weapon, which was probably used against pikemen. Claymore is sometimes confusingly used to refer to the single handed single edged basket-hilt broadswords that were popular with Scottish gentlemen through the Renaissance and right up into the 18th and 19th centuries.Wayne R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04118962136054206381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-89884565769581460072015-02-24T03:12:55.058-05:002015-02-24T03:12:55.058-05:00Short swords shall be called Backswords because th...Short swords shall be called Backswords because they can be kept at the back or under a cloak. <br /><br />Long swords shall be called arming swords. <br /><br />Two-handers are called claymores. Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067161332003628237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-61938598947488507022015-02-23T17:14:19.557-05:002015-02-23T17:14:19.557-05:00Linked to my blog....
stupid autocorrect... Linked to my blog.... <br /><br />stupid autocorrect... David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-73290494675367665512015-02-23T17:13:48.032-05:002015-02-23T17:13:48.032-05:00Spot on! And not just cause you liked to my blog! ...Spot on! And not just cause you liked to my blog! :-)David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-29029205052473378582015-02-23T15:46:56.751-05:002015-02-23T15:46:56.751-05:00And the frankish or anglo-saxon seaxAnd the frankish or anglo-saxon <i>seax</i> porphyre77https://www.blogger.com/profile/07620350717226228078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-41070460464943047662015-02-23T14:10:12.284-05:002015-02-23T14:10:12.284-05:00Don't forget that shorter swords were still us...Don't forget that shorter swords were still used by many peoples allover the world, even up to the 20th century. Swords like the Kris or Bolo, the infamous Khyber Knife, and the Qama were very effective weapons. Just ask the Romans who well they like their gladius.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03984288086117088359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-80176875857928950582015-02-23T11:35:11.751-05:002015-02-23T11:35:11.751-05:00I took three years of german longsword fencing and...I took three years of german longsword fencing and my fencing instructor was quite skilled with smaller weapons such as the messer and the dagger. I would rather face him ANY DAY longsword-to-longsword. Whenever he had a messer or dagger he was amazingly skilled at closing the distance and ending the fight - usually within 7 seconds or so.James M. Spahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11463241531100082880noreply@blogger.com