Well. Here we are. Here's some things.
Nnnnnooooooooo. No. Ok. Here's the thing about shortswords, particularly the ones we see in Eorzea. Those, for reference, look like this.
These are explicitly for thrusting. They're modeled after this thing here, which you'll recognize as a gladius. Which...y'know. Could cut and sweep, but it was a straight, sturdy blade with an obviously tapered point that was used, by the Roman legion, for thrusting.
So why is a shorter blade better for thrusting? I'll happily answer my own rhetorical question, none of you can stop me.
It's pretty simple, really. When you make something long, it has to endure more stress along it's lever. Here's another thing: When people move, they don't move in straight, perfect lines. With a longer weapon, there's always some degree of twisting involved upon contact and withdrawal. A shorter weapon means less force applied in the torsion on the blade (which comes from 1)Driving it in there, 2)Our own imperfect nervous systems and 3)Resistance of the material you're attempting to puncture).
Then of course there's the simple fact that thrusting with a longer weapon means your center of control is farther from the tip, and you are therefore, inescapably, less accurate.
Basically, you can thrust with a longer sword, sure. These are made for it. You can stab guys all day long, put that sword tip right where you mean to, and not fret your weapon.
And here's where XIV gets really fucking weird. The Spatha is actually a longer weapon than what we would call a "short sword". It was comparable to a one-handed Waister, and we can have ourselves a look at it's length in comparison to the Gladius here.
What XIV presents is more like a big Pugio. Those look like this.
Now. The shape of this weapon would suggest that it's still for thrusting, but it wouldn't be measurably better or worse for the job than it's "short sword" counterpart. There's not enough variation in length and width for either to fail where the other succeeds.
(08-02-2014, 07:48 PM)Enzo Wrote: The Short Sword
*Straight wide blade still has thrusting as an option, but its length makes it more difficult of a task then other swords.
Nnnnnooooooooo. No. Ok. Here's the thing about shortswords, particularly the ones we see in Eorzea. Those, for reference, look like this.
These are explicitly for thrusting. They're modeled after this thing here, which you'll recognize as a gladius. Which...y'know. Could cut and sweep, but it was a straight, sturdy blade with an obviously tapered point that was used, by the Roman legion, for thrusting.
So why is a shorter blade better for thrusting? I'll happily answer my own rhetorical question, none of you can stop me.
It's pretty simple, really. When you make something long, it has to endure more stress along it's lever. Here's another thing: When people move, they don't move in straight, perfect lines. With a longer weapon, there's always some degree of twisting involved upon contact and withdrawal. A shorter weapon means less force applied in the torsion on the blade (which comes from 1)Driving it in there, 2)Our own imperfect nervous systems and 3)Resistance of the material you're attempting to puncture).
Then of course there's the simple fact that thrusting with a longer weapon means your center of control is farther from the tip, and you are therefore, inescapably, less accurate.
Basically, you can thrust with a longer sword, sure. These are made for it. You can stab guys all day long, put that sword tip right where you mean to, and not fret your weapon.
(08-02-2014, 07:48 PM)Enzo Wrote: The Spatha is an even shorter weapon than the Short Sword yet is still preferred by many gladiators and sword swingers alike. The reason being that it is more structurally stable with its own fuller despite the short blade and it is not straight. It features the slight curving which would make cutting and absolute breeze. This weapon with its rounder tip can stab but not the most efficiently. It can be found in cheap and moderately cheap quality materials, but is one of the best slashing swords right under Scimitar's and Shamshir's.
And here's where XIV gets really fucking weird. The Spatha is actually a longer weapon than what we would call a "short sword". It was comparable to a one-handed Waister, and we can have ourselves a look at it's length in comparison to the Gladius here.
What XIV presents is more like a big Pugio. Those look like this.
Now. The shape of this weapon would suggest that it's still for thrusting, but it wouldn't be measurably better or worse for the job than it's "short sword" counterpart. There's not enough variation in length and width for either to fail where the other succeeds.
