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<blockquote data-quote="julius27" data-source="post: 2127623" data-attributes="member: 29441"><p>I work with live steel at a renaissance festival and here's what I think is meant in the game. The broadsword is just what the people who invented the term were referring to; that is, a relatively long (roughly 2 1/2 ft. overall) blade, typically with a basket hilt protecting the knuckles from scraping (though not from the enemy weapon; they were usually a softer metal and were meant to deflect inadvertant contact), and solid construction. A longsword would be slightly narrower, slightly longer (closer to 3 ft. overall), more probably with a wire swept hilt rather than the older basket (these better deflect the blade especially when it is moving much faster than previous fighting styles), and with a fuller (also referred to as a &quot;blood groove&quot;) which makes the blade both lighter and stronger/less prone to break. As to the bastard sword which also came up in this discussion, it typically has a loger blade than either of the other two, may or may not have a fuller depending on the age of the weapon, has enough room in the handle for both hands comfortably, yet is weighted so that it can be used effectively with one hand.As far as functionality and game mechanics, the difference is so slight between longsword and broadsword that it almost isn't even worth mentioning.</p></blockquote><p></p>

[QUOTE="julius27, post: 2127623, member: 29441"] I work with live steel at a renaissance festival and here's what I think is meant in the game. The broadsword is just what the people who invented the term were referring to; that is, a relatively long (roughly 2 1/2 ft. overall) blade, typically with a basket hilt protecting the knuckles from scraping (though not from the enemy weapon; they were usually a softer metal and were meant to deflect inadvertant contact), and solid construction. A longsword would be slightly narrower, slightly longer (closer to 3 ft. overall), more probably with a wire swept hilt rather than the older basket (these better deflect the blade especially when it is moving much faster than previous fighting styles), and with a fuller (also referred to as a "blood groove") which makes the blade both lighter and stronger/less prone to break. As to the bastard sword which also came up in this discussion, it typically has a loger blade than either of the other two, may or may not have a fuller depending on the age of the weapon, has enough room in the handle for both hands comfortably, yet is weighted so that it can be used effectively with one hand.As far as functionality and game mechanics, the difference is so slight between longsword and broadsword that it almost isn't even worth mentioning. [/QUOTE]

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