[quote=“KA101, post:65, topic:1268”][quote=“Flare, post:64, topic:1268”][quote=“Reaper, post:63, topic:1268”]Flare,
Yes, two-handed melee weapon keep enemy on safe distance, if enemies is not many and if weapon is not very heavy. Sledgehammer for weak man is not good weapon for parry, but garbage can lid - good. Also in close combat, at point-blank range, defence with large weapon is not easy. For example, if three dogs fast attack you, easier to defend from them with not large stick.[/quote]
A sledge hammer weighs about 10-20lbs. A sword weighs 5-7. There is a massive difference between those two. two handed swords aren’t as heavy as some people make them out to be.
There are also techniques when the opponent gets too close in, what you essentially do is half the sword. You grab the sword by the middle with one hand and turn it into a quarter staff.[/quote]
Yeah, I’ve got a hard/rubber greatsword: it ain’t light, but it’s fairly maneuverable. I’d imagine I could slash some ass with practice, but it’s understandably difficult to find practice opportunities for a frickin’ greatsword in a US city.
That said, grabbing a sword by the blade seems like a bad idea. I hope you’re wearing gauntlets?[/quote]
Even leather gloves would do though not perfectly reliably.
As for sword practice I would recommend looking into recreational martial arts places. My social circle are all geeky martial arts enthusiasts so I have a good idea of what a Chinese broadsword or two can do against a great sword.
Flare: The leverage of a long weapon can easily be used against you, as discovered by a friend who tried to swing at my legs in a sparring match. I stepped on the tip of his two-hander and slapped him with my rubber arming sword a few times. It’s definitely a menacing weapon- power, reach and versatility matter for much but when you’re making use of the power or reach you always risk overextending yourself and leaving yourself open. Two-weapon attacks can be used to strike from two angles, making it incredibly difficult to parry, and they can also be used to parry and attack as a single motion, something a two-handed weapon cannot.