Sword (weapon)
.jpg)
Swords are bladed weapons designed for slashing, thrusting or both, typically consisting of a long metal blade and a hilt with a protective guard. They vary widely in shape, weight and length, but for game purposes, all swords can be represented by the amount of damage done, the number of hands needed and their resilience. This produces five specified blade "types," described as short swords, long swords, broad swords, bastard swords and two-handed swords. The category doesn't include scimitars. Swords can only be used in melee.
Contents
Arguments about the “true” weight, size, naming conventions or battlefield effectiveness of swords in the real world often miss the point when applied to game design, where clarity and balance take precedence over historical fidelity. While scholars and enthusiasts may debate whether a bastard sword is more accurately termed a hand-and-a-half sword or whether a Roman gladius should be classed as a short sword or a broad sword, such distinctions tend to clutter rather than clarify gameplay. Simplified, discrete categories are needed so that weapons can be compared, chosen and resolved quickly during play. The rules don't attempt to model the full complexity of metallurgy, grip design or martial context, but instead offer an abstracted system that preserves tactical flavour without bogging down the game in scholarly nuance. In that sense, the listed sword types are functional terms — not definitive classifications, but gameplay tools.
Combat
| Type | Damage | Hands | Breaks | Weight (lbs.) | Length (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bastard | 2-8 | two | 1 in 5 | 10 | 45 |
| broad | 2-8 | one | 1 in 4 | 7½ | 24 |
| long | 1-8 | one | 1 in 6 | 6 | 39 |
| short | 1-6 | one | 1 in 6 | 3½ | 27 |
| two-handed | 1-10 | two | 1 in 5 | 25 | 54 |
In choosing the type of sword wanted, one must consider the benefit of a two-handed weapon where it disallows the use of a shield or the ability to employ a main-gauche. A bastard sword offers a little better average damage than the long sword, while the two-handed sword hits the hardest; but both are heavy, which begs questions about the character's encumbrance. Long swords hit harder than short swords, but they take more action points to draw. The broad sword also causes a little more damage on average than the long sword, but it breaks more easily if fumbled. Each of these elements offers a give-and-take where the specific weapon is concerned.
Due to the length and manner in which a sword is swung, it is impractical for use on a horse; while depictions showing a knight swinging downwards with a sword are common in films, such are highly curated to avoid the cross-swing, which risks cutting the horse's neck, injuring or killing the animal. It is for this reason the scimitar was designed. The sword is most effective in open, level ground where the wielder has room to maneuver and sufficient footing to control balance and momentum. In close quarters, such as narrow corridors or dense forest, its effectiveness is reduced due to limited swing space and the risk of striking walls, allies or obstructions.
Swords require reach and timing, excelling in situations where the wielder can control distance and exploit the edge or point with deliberate action. Against armoured opponents, slashing is often ineffective; thrusting, binding or targeting weak points becomes essential, particularly with longer blades. In formation combat, swords are typically reserved for officers or second-rank fighters, as spears and polearms dominate the front lines. While often seen as an all-purpose weapon, the sword is best thought of as a sidearm — reliable, durable and versatile, but not always optimal for every engagement. It's strength relies in its ability for defenders to stand close together when defending.
Descriptions
Bastard swords are long, tapering blades with a straight double edge and a cruciform hilt, featuring a grip long enough to accommodate one or two hands and often ending in a scent-stopper or wheel pommel. Examples include the Brescia Spadona, the so-called Sword of St. Maurice and the galas of northern Italy. As hereditary weapons, they're commonly employed in Austria, Dauphine, Milan and Savoy.
Broad swords are short, stout blades with a wide profile and a heavy edge, a short grip and simple crossguard, though later forms often feature basket hilts. The blade tends to be broad from base to tip, favouring mass over taper. Includes the Scottish claybeg, the English mortuary sword and the Swedish military broadsword. As hereditary weapons, they're employed in Alsace, Lorraine, Venice and Walloon; they're favoured by gladiators.
Long swords are double-edged, straight-bladed weapons with pronounced tapers and deep fullers, fitted with a cruciform hilt and wheel or disc pommel; grips are sized for one hand, occasionally with just enough extension for a second in support. Includes crusader arming swords, feudal knight swords and Norman cavalry blades. As hereditary weapons, they're employed in Baden, Bavaria, Champaign, Guyenne, Ile de France, Naples and Portugal; they're favoured by crusaders, landed knights, masters-at-arms, stewards and weaponsmiths.
Short swords are compact, double-edged weapons with a broad base and sharply tapering point, often fitted with a small grip and minimal crossguard, optimised for thrusting; the hilt is typically capped with a rounded or flat pommel. Includes Roman gladii, the macuahuitl, the cutlass and Renaissance cinquedeae. As hereditary weapons, they're employed in both English and French colonies and Inca-dominated lands; they're favoured by landlords, squires and toll keepers.
Two-handed swords are massive, double-edged blades with long, tapering forms, broad fullers and grips extended to 12 inches or more, often featuring side rings or parrying hooks above the crossguard. The pommel is heavy enough to counterbalance the extended reach. Includes German zweihänders, Scottish great claymores, Iberian montantes and the khopesh. As hereditary weapons, they're employed in Egypt, Hesse, Piedmont and Saxony.
Regarding hereditary weapons, those regions and professions gain a +1 bonus to hit once they've received formal training in weapons, sufficient to make them soldiers-at-arms.
