scaramouche
Explorer
For me this kind of kind of thought is primarily about making the fighter (and other martial characters) more tactically interesting. I am not particularly interested in realism. I would rather link to to a class ability than a property of weapons. I just think that fighting styles for fighters and maneuvers should be more linked to weapons. In the right hands, a war hammers should push the target back 5 or 10 feet, swords should be able to parry, two handed weapons cleave, etc
Wouldn't this be answered by the 'Mastery' feats from UA? Fell Handed, Blade Mastery, etc. They're specifically designed to showcase specialty effects from various weapon classes, and Fighters get the most feat opportunities in the game. Taken together (the UA feats + GWM + PAM + Sharpshooter + Crossbow Expert), you have a pretty significant field of weapon abilities already. Not too hard to build a few more for things you feel have been forgotten.