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Inactive Forums => The Riddle of Steel => Topic started by: daagon on March 13, 2004, 08:22:37 PM

Title: Boromir!!!
Post by: daagon on March 13, 2004, 08:22:37 PM
I'm about to start a Lord of the Rings campaign using TROS rules, and I was just wondering what sword Boromir used in the movie?

Is it a bastard sword? It's shaped like an estoc but I'm not sure...
Title: Boromir!!!
Post by: Tash on March 13, 2004, 08:51:22 PM
From what I recall (can't find a good image) Boromir's sword resembles a cut and thrust style blade more than a bastard sword.  Recall the death scene when Aragorn gives him the sword, it has a shorter blade with a broad, trangular shape, and the grip completely fills his palm.  A bastard sword would have a longer, more narrow blade (more a thrusting weapon but still and effective cutter), and a longer grip for two hand use.  Both Gandalf and Aragorn use what look like bastard swords to me (Gandalf pairing it with a Staff).  

On a semi related note, I'm really ticked (though unsurprised) that none of hte replica's from the films are functional blades.  I held the "official" replica of Anduril a few weeks ago.  It was a beautiful peice asthetically, and much better than I'd expected, but the balance was off and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't hold up to regular use in forms practice, let alone as a sparring or cutting tool.
Title: Boromir!!!
Post by: Lance D. Allen on March 13, 2004, 09:15:33 PM
Tash,

technically what you just described is precisely what a bastard sword is. A bastard sword is so called because of the shape of the blade, which is triangular in precisely the way you said.

Typically, bastard swords were longswords, and so it's most commonly considered that all bastard swords are long.

The way I see it, both from a practical point of view and a game one, the bastard is to the longsword what the cut and thrust is to the arming sword.