Actually, if it helps at all folks, I might shed a little light on bastard swords.
A bastard sword was originally just known as a hand-and-a-half sword. The grip was longer than a normal one-handed sword, but to wield it two handed required the gripping of not only the remaining grip, but of the pommel as well.
It was actually not often weilded two handed, but could be for situations that merited it, usually hacking down foliage.
Because of the discomfort with using it two handed, plus the fact it never really met the standard design of a one hander or a two hander, it eventually was called a bastard sword because it was the "bastard child" of a marriage of the two sword types.
The statement above that people didn't use them and shields at the same time is false - they were most commonly used with the other hand consumed with something else.
When used two handed, they were hefted (in D&D terms, slashing).
When used one handed, they were used more like an Epee (rapier).
They were also one of the first swords that featured a blade guard that curved down behind the fingers - but not to protect the fingers. It was actually used to grip the sword half-sideways in order to be able to quickly slash something one handed without breaking your wrist.
And there folks, is more than you ever wanted to know about bastard ...
... swords
The stuff I've tried makes Limburger and Stilton seem mild.
)
