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[Lonely Vazdru]

Originally posted by Nick@Aug 14 2005, 07:16 PM
I have a strong desire to learn some basics in swords fighting. :Titan:

Poor you !

Wrong century. You can get fencing classes (at least in France, it's quite popular), you can get Kendo classes (at least in Japan, it's very popular), but basic sword fighting has been dead some centuries now. Guess you'll have to watch movies, and train yourself, being the student AND the teacher. If you ever succeed, feel free to contact me, so we have some basic fighting. I trained like hell in baseball bat fighting for years after being over-receptive to the "Warriors" movie.

[Doc Adrian]

Might want to check with some of the makers of the weapons themselves...you might have to look a far distance..but they still have some people that know the fine arts of steel out there =)

[moogle]

Personally i think something along the lines of like a rapier is good, because its light and quick, and is good for thrusting, which is always good.

[blastradius14]

If you want a big, clumsy weapon that is easily made you can get a Falchion. That is also a 1 handed weapon, but it is way bigger than a broadsword. k:

That at least allows you to protect yourself, where swinging swords won't bring you anything useful. Just my opinion...

If the knife is big enough, people will leave you alone. (except maybe cops)

[taikara]

I used to train with medieval style swordfighting... armor, shield, sword sort of deal, when I was in college. I wasn't extremely good, but it was a lot of fun, and the group I learned with was a historical recreationist society rather than a fantasy RPG group, so the techniques you learn are based on historical accounts and anthropological data.

My advice, if you're interested in learning European (and some Eastern) sword fighting, in just about every style from Florentine to two-handed weapons to rapier, look up your local chapter of SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism).

They have complete safety regulations, training, tourneys to participate in, as well as wars and skirmishes, and well, and I can't emphasize enough that it was just a whole lot of fun (and it's a global organization, so there's a chapter of SCA in just about every country).

http://www.sca.org

[Kon-Tiki]

No SCA in Belgium, it seems. Closest one's Utrecht, which's too far away. We have the Order of the Hagelanders in a city nearby, but they're more balletdancers that pick up a sword, do a little choreography, then booze.

[gregor]

Originally posted by moogle@Aug 15 2005, 02:39 AM
Personally i think something along the lines of like a rapier is good, because its light and quick, and is good for thrusting, which is always good.

i like sabre a lot more. it's faster and you can strike and chop opponent head off (at least in your mind).

I've been fencing for over 8 years now. but if i had to choose another more mediveal type i would choose Samurai style. i admire their swords, way of life and technique. although i am still not sure if they would beat an european in a street fight in that time. rapier and sabre are much lighter and can also be quicker. not to mention that the hand is far more protected (a quick flip on his wrist would severly damage their ability to continue the fight, whereas another one on his knee would knock them down).

[moogle]

Ya sabers are good too, the samurai swords are interesting,but theyr 2 handed, and thus not quite as fast....

[Nick]

Originally posted by Eagle of Fire@Aug 14 2005, 08:47 PM
...real two-handed swords are so long and so heavy that you probably won't even be able to swing it properly. Better use a longsword or at least a bastard sword (a sword you can use both with one or two hands).

Yeah, you're right. Maybe I made a reservation.
I meant, of course, longsword, that you can hold in two hands and made of wood. It's just because it is easier to made and to handle. BTW, can anybody spare some draughts of longsword? What proportions, length and so on.

[Eagle of Fire]

It's often proportional to the person swinging it.

I'd say, a short sword is about half your arm and a longsword is about the lenght of your arm to your shoulder. And I'm talking about the steel here, not the guard and holding area.