The Armour Archive

Howdy,

After the long discussion (thank you!) on glaives and polearms, I got to thinking about half-swording.

If I substitute the two-handed sword, fought half-sword, for my polearm:

[size=150]1. Hitting with the “haftâ€Â

The halfswording rule in SCA combat only roughly models what I have seen in the manuals. In the manuals the primary use for halfswording is to thrust, block and lever, swung blows to cause a strike with the blade while halfswording are not really representative according to what I have been taught. Also the “murder strokeâ€Â

HI Aaron,

I echo everything ASbjorn has said regarding the period use of halfswording. If you want to see some info on line check out this link:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/dieschlachtschule/

You might also want to try and find a copy of the recent TI with Count Rhys' article on halfswording in an SCA context.

Cet,

Waiting for authorization from the moderator.

Looks like fun!

Thank you,

Aaron

I'm in!

Thanks!

Now, does anyone on the Archive have any advice....?

Asbjorn pretty much sums up my thoughts on this matter, although I would like to draw your attention to this line:

primary use for halfswording is to thrust, block and lever, swung blows to cause a strike with the blade while halfswording are not really representative according to what I have been taught.

...'cause its important enough to bear repeating.

I agree with Asbjorn, but I will state things in a different manner.

We have almost no evidence for fighting prior to the age of plate. This is significant because SCA combat is mail combat, pre-dating plate. The only manual we have from before the age of plate shows unarmored combat. Halfswording is not in evidence (though grabbing your opponent's blade is).

This is important because it speaks to context. People who want to halfsword are attempting to more closely approach a documented fight scenario. So they (I'll say we because I'm one of those folks) would probably apply other rules to the scenario to make sure that half-swording was used in the proper context and, thus, more in line with what the evidence suggests.

In the age of plate combatants were nigh on invulnerable to an edged weapon. Exceptions abound but, in general, a longsword (aka bastard sword) was no real threat to a man armored head to toe. The solutions to this dilemma are:
1) Get a new weapon. Like the poleaxe.
2) Use your sword (which is still a major threat to the vast hordes of folks not wearing plate armor) in a new way.

Option #2 is half-swording. By grasping the blade you gain much greater tip control. This allows you to place that tip into the small unarmored targets that plate doesn't cover: the eyes, the elbow, the armpit, the groin, etc... It also gains you a lever to use in grappling. Once you have thrown your opponent to the ground you've got a real significant advantage over him.

The murder strike, it appears to me, serves two purposes. First, it turns your sword into a half-assed poleaxe. Second, it allows you to hook your opponent, again, another tool for grappling.