Half Swording, split

[bergh]

No swinging when half swording?!?

Why does the halfsword mode intry, in the doppelhander profile then have a CUT profile?

[Salamander]

No swinging when half swording?!?

Why does the halfsword mode intry, in the doppelhander profile then have a CUT profile?

That's right bergh, you cannot swing a sword when halfswording.  It's not done becuae the benefits are just not there. You loose a lot of energy that could go into the swing as your hand on the blade reduces the enegry into the swing and as Jake has already said, you could do more harm to yourself than good. Halfswording is basically choking up on the weapon to lend the blade more rigidity and put more power into the thrust. When you do this you make it less usable in the swing. Try this with a pool cue or something dull and far away from innocents. You'll understand once you do it.

[Salamander]

Also, as Jake has informed you, the +3 to the thrust only applies against hard armours.

[The Heretic]

So, once again. Whats the damage if I half-sword against an unarmored oponnent? with a doppelhandler? with a longsword?

Im preparing to run a game and just want to keep things straight.


A. S.

[Drifter Bob]

According to the description you are wielding it like it was a spear,  with hands seperated by a foot or so for really strong thrusting...  in my mind this doesn't bode well for parrying or for swinging damage....  

In my experiences with half swording you can defend, including parrying, very well, it is something like fighting with a staff.

JR

[Muggins]

Yup, longstaff play, but close range where wrestling comes into play.

I always think that the most horrific contest one can imagine is two blokes going head-to-head at the halfsword, UNARMOURED! Survival time, probably less than 10 seconds from engagement.

Of course, during normal longsword play I will close in at the halfsword, but only at the right opening (and when I can get the other bloke's sword thoroughly trapped!)

James

[Richard_Strey]

10 seconds?!
Man, are you usually having a chat beforehand, or what? From personal experience during training (and yes, we use hysterical techniques and padded weapons full-speed, full force), once both opponents *want* a decicive victory, we get to about 6 attacks a second between the both of us. A "lucky" fight will take that long, most won't.

[Drifter Bob]

I wonder if anyone else besides me thinks that the wavy bladed dopllehanders, called sometimes flammard or flambard, or erroniously by RPG and replica makers, flambard, are actually for draw-cutting (slashing) while half-swording?

One point I would like to make too, is that there are a lot of wierd half-sword techniques, some of which extend the range (wierd slip-thrusts), others let you try really bizarre things like attacking with the pommel.

JR

[Salamander]

I wonder if anyone else besides me thinks that the wavy bladed dopllehanders, called sometimes flammard or flambard, or erroniously by RPG and replica makers, flambard, are actually for draw-cutting (slashing) while half-swording?

Some more learned scholars are of the opinion that the flammard blades were for rattling the pikes out of the enemy's hands, others believe it may have been a way to try and better cut through the thick clothing of the time, some a combination of both. Then there is me... Wishing I could afford a flammard to go and see for myself through research and experimentations on non-living subjects (pikes shafts and dummies dressed in heavy clothing, etc...)

One point I would like to make too, is that there are a lot of wierd half-sword techniques, some of which extend the range (wierd slip-thrusts), others let you try really bizarre things like attacking with the pommel.

JR

Attacking with the pommel from the halfsword, cool. I haven't got that far along with my halfswording or morteschlag work, but have seen some nifty stuff demonstrated. My fave morteschlag trick is overrunning with the cross and dragging the opposite's blade down and smacking him in the face with the pommel with a thrust. I have been thinking about halfswording for awhile. I just gotta find time (and light!) up here to get out and do some work. Maybe tomorrow... If I get home in time...

[Lance D. Allen]

I spent a lot of time at the half-sword at War. Even with my totally un-historical experience, I will speak for the validity of the maneuver in close melee.

That's something I never really hear mentioned from the WMA among us.. Do you ever do all-out melees?

Yanno, nevermind that question. I think it's fodder for a new thread.

[Jake Norwood]

That's something I never really hear mentioned from the WMA among us.. Do you ever do all-out melees?

Yanno, nevermind that question. I think it's fodder for a new thread.

Yeah it is, and yeah, we do.

Jake