Can you help me name a shieldsword?

So... It's something that lets you defend as well as attack.

Hmmmm... So you can strike with it, but also counter an attack with it?

Well, Counter and Strike in Latin are Occurro and Offendo. So, maybe, Occodo?

Well, I recall that the Tallhoffer fighting manual included instructions on how to use a bladed shield. I don't remember what its called though.

And I don't really think that such a thing would be usefull. I'm not sure you want the edges of your shield to be sharp, because you are more likely to cut yourself with them than the enemy. Not to mention the added weight would make it unweildly, and the bulge that you are talking about would throw the balance off, making it more difficult to hit with the edge. Even the leverage would make it tough. Would the wielder have to keep switching his hand position? A shield you want to grip in the center, while a sword you want to grip at the end, because of leverage.

Maybe I'm interpreting what you wrote wrong. Can you draw a picture?

You know, when I saw the title of this thread I didn't see a darn thing wrong with shieldsword. It was catchy enough to catch my interest.

I spent a couple of weeks agonizing over what the name the song a sword sang in one of my novels. I ended up with 'swordsong'. Go figure.

Keep it simple, especially when the name itself gives instant visualization to the reader.

Its not a matter of arm strain, its a matter of a person hitting the shield, and driving the point of your own weapon into your own body.

The strongest parries are made when you hold your blade diagonally to your body, causing the force of your opponent's strike to be directed away at an angle. If you try to block it perpendicularly, you risk the shock travelling through your blade to your own body.

Have you ever studied fencing?

From a practical standpoint, it sounds silly.

It is much easier to dodge a sword strike or slash than block. Why would you want a shield in the middle of the sword? I can't imagine a situation where that would help. It would make the sword even heavier. You can effectively block with the sword itself. How were you planning to use it in your story? Does it have a legendary significance?

Sarpedon said:

Have you ever studied fencing?

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For this case I would imagine it would be more appropriate to study medieval combat. I don't know much about fencing, but it doesn't use a sword and shield style of fighting right? Maybe a sword breaker with a rapier.

Two handed weapons are unweildy enough as it is. To try to use this as a sword and strike the opponent, then withdraw fast enough to put it into a defensive shield position... that's a lot of work. The swordsman would get tired awfully fast.

The point of having both a sword AND a shield is that the shield protects you when you are most vulnerable, during strikes.

The guys are right. The moment of greatest exposure for a swordsman is that of full extension because your entire body is committed to the stroke and unprotected. A two-handed sword in particular leaves the flanks, torso, back and various necessary arteries in the neck and thighs completely vulnerable. Although the speed of medieval one to one combat is far less than that of fencing, you have to be able to consider the practicality of your weapon and if it's physically possible to use it.

You'd better give her inhuman speed and a good healer-mage while you're at it then.

i have studied fencing, Medivel combat, and a little (midgitated little) amount of bushido. from a practical stand point it does sound silly. all the reasons why have already been said.

however, thats where super human strength, magical encantements, mithril (wonderful for weapons that would otherwise be too big) and elven swords smiths from a forgoten age come in.
Make it light, make it strong, and make your MC strong, and it may work.

but back on the practical, most stances start very close to the body, so that you can hide your starting motions. so a large sharp bulge would be bad for you.

you could make it a one handed weapon, a sheild that is strapped to the arm, with the bottom curve of the sheild sharp and a long or bastard style blade protruding from the edge.

this poses its own problems.

(going to stop self before rambling begins)

ZeroFlowne said:

Anyway, I'm not going to get into the mechanics in my books - my MC will just have whatever high level of strength is required to operate this big thing.

"She spun, sending her blade through three soldiers then raising it to high guard to deflect an arrow."

I'll have her do things like that.

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So, she's going to be this monster Brunhilda sort of woman? One of those big Germanic women who can carry around 6 large glasses of beer in each hand?

Because if she's some dainty young thing, I'm going to be taken out of the book completely when she's swinging this 25 pound sword around like it's a baton.

Attention to detail, in this case, mechanics, is important to story telling if you want anyone to believe what you're writing.

ZeroFlowne said:

I suppose my broadsword influences are largely from Japanese videogames like Devil May Cry and Soul Calibur and FF7, games where broadswords can be whipped around like daggers.

I actually took fencing in HS, it was a blast. I sort of miss it, actually...

Anyway, I'm not going to get into the mechanics in my books - my MC will just have whatever high level of strength is required to operate this big thing.

"She spun, sending her blade through three soldiers then raising it to high guard to deflect an arrow."

I'll have her do things like that.

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Just to clarify, board swords did not exist historically. But if you not going for realism, then ok I guess.

Shadow_Ferret said:

Attention to detail, in this case, mechanics, is important to story telling if you want anyone to believe what you're writing.

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Agreed. Personally, I prefer reading books with a higher degree of realism. If I read that "She spun..." line in a story, depending on the full context, I feel I would roll my eyes, go "ya right." If that happens enough, I'd stop reading. When you use phrases like, "high level of strength" it makes it sound like its a game where the character's strength is gauged by numbers. Little details like that, for me, break up the story. Do these characters have blood in their veins? Unrealistic details can mess with the tension. If the characters are too good at fighting, where is the danger?

Not trying to rag on your work ZeroFlowne, but that's the impression I'm getting, influenced by my own biases of course.

Good luck!

Straka said:

Just to clarify, board swords did not exist historically. But if you not going for realism, then ok I guess.

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Well, there were two-handed weapons, but I don't believe they were really used in hand-to-hand combat, not like the lighter weapons. Maybe knights bashed at each other with them, but I think generally they were used to hack down a line of spearmen.

I think, as much as I love Robert E. Howard, he did a disservice historically by making Conan so strong as to handle these large weapons with one hand as if it were a rapier.

The term board sword is a made up modern term. There are plenty of two handed weapons; the longsword and claymore for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longsword

They were used extensively in combat. I actually like fighting with a longsword. It's not as unwieldy as many people might think. Granted, I was not wearing armor either.

Here are some good videos:

http://www.thearma.org/Videos/TPVideos.htm

Yes, I was looking at wiki at the Greatsword and the Zweihänder (german for two hander). My characters generally use lighter weapons.

Except for my Conan-like character.

I was using the term 'fencing' in its proper meaning as any fighting with a hand weapon. 'fencing' being confined to light blades is a modern development.

My characters tend to use the pedestrian gladius of the Roman army. I've always figured that if it worked for Caesar, it would work for me.

The gladius is one of my favorite weapons.

Immensely practical, and is a proven world beater in the hands of a disciplined warrior who's also wearing a shield.

It's also not that heavy which is essential for long battles and/or female MCs.

Actually guys, while we're on the subject....

I've got a female MC who has a small mace. She likes it - not too much finesse involved, just whallop something and see it fall over. As she's quite short, would a chain attached to it ( to give her extra reach ) be useful/ feasible, so she could use it kind of like a nun-chuck-with-a-longer-chain type thing?

Dommo said:

The gladius is one of my favorite weapons.

Immensely practical, and is a proven world beater in the hands of a disciplined warrior who's also wearing a shield.

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Agreed. They were tough to beat as they carried the shield and gladius in addition to 2 javelins and a spear, making them very well rounded soldiers.

IdiotsRUs said:

Actually guys, while we're on the subject....

I've got a female MC who has a small mace. She likes it - not too much finesse involved, just whallop something and see it fall over. As she's quite short, would a chain attached to it ( to give her extra reach ) be useful/ feasible, so she could use it kind of like a nun-chuck-with-a-longer-chain type thing?

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Maces were my weapon of choice, too. They're very good for destroying your opponent's shield, and were often used as off hand weapons. They aren't bad defensively (except they are short), but dear god do they wear you out quick. I also got a really nasty case of tennis elbow from trying to finesse them too much -- once you commit to a direction with them, you have to just go with it. I had to give up using it off-hand for about 6 months until that cleared up.

What you are describing is essentially a flail, and I would never recommend it. I had to learn how to use it, and drill with it a bit, but I was never comfortable with it. Unlike a mace, where you *shouldn't* adjust your swing, with a flail you *can't*-- you don't apply direct force to the part past the chain, so once you get it going it *will* keep moving. I was always nervous that I was going to take out my front knee on the follow-thru from the blows. There are advantages to flails -- not so much reach as the fact that if you try and parry there is a good chance it either won't work or will break your weapon. You can also wrap a blow right over the top of someone's shield. But anyone you have using one should be fairly strong and very skilled.

Sounds like a Gleen to me. (It is a fictitious weapon, right?)