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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pawsplay" data-source="post: 5312884" data-attributes="member: 15538">Although, of course, an arming sword could be a hand-a-half sword, to the point where it could be considered a bastard sword... (you present the parallel situation for Japan below)Much as in most times and places, the general term for sword was appropriated for describing whatever passed for a common military weapon in those times and places. Thus you end with situations where the term "rapier," used for swords generally in some times and places, gets appropriated for a certain type of thinnish blade, and the other "rapiers" become "longswords" because they resemble the longish, hilted weapons of older fencing manuals...In reviewing for this little discussion, I learned a number of new words for swords. I didn't even know there was an "okatana" or however you want to render that. I think you jumped a notch there. Although the tachi was bigger, it doesn't follow that tachis, in general, were much bigger. I'll argue that during the tachi to katana transition, they tended toward similarity in size. If someone wants to purposefully emulate antique Japanese blades in the game, it's worth noting that not only where they larger, they were distinctly curved rather than compromise-curved as most katana, tended to lack chisel-points for stabbing, and generally had simple welded hilts rather than the more elaborate and decorative hilts associated with katana. As for what to do with a katana or tachi in one hand, although two hands is more powerful and faster, one-handed allows a greater range of motion. I've seen numerous katana kata that show one-handed moves, as one might use in close quarters. That's probably a distinction of little consequence in-game, but there you go. Why would a samurai purposefully use a tachi one-handed? While mounted, of course, but let me add to that, in conjunction with other weapons such as a lance, javelins, shuriken and shaken, and axes, which might also be used from horseback. On foot, two-handed would generally be preferred, as with Western swords.</blockquote>

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