I got into a sword fight with a friend.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I'm not saying they all did that or it was common. It was just the only example I could think of that would be a duel that could decide a nation's fate.

 

Duels happened all the time yes, and even for grand stakes, but your proposed scenario, while could be technically correct, never happened.

 

No King would fork over his entire kingdom waged on the outcome of a duel, his court alone would not permit him to even step on the field if that were the case. His lords and land holders who know they'll loose everything should he loose based on essentially a 50/50 chance? No way they'd stand for that.

 

However, the tradition of combat by champion was very real and actually quite common in a lot of places. In these cases it wasn't entire wars that were decided, but rather (slightly more reasonably) single battles. The two armies would meet, and they would send out their greatest fighters in single combat. The two would fight and the loosing champion's side would grant the victorious champion's some measure of reward. At the very least the winner would take the looser's weapons and armor as a trophy, at the most that decided the entire battle. Even if the loosing side didn't agree to back down, it was often a good demoralizing tactic.

 

"He was the best warrior of us all, and they killed him in two seconds flat!"

 

The Romans, Japanese, many central Europeans, they loved this strategy.

If the King has to fight then they've very likely already lost.  It would mean that not only has the front line collapsed, it would mean that their army has been routed to the point where the battle has reached the back lines and if a king had to fight for their life then that means their personal bodyguard would be too hard pressed to help them.  At that point they would surrender and hope for a  good ransom or fight and die.  

 

That doesn't mean that every so often a king wouldn't want to get his hands dirty, for example King John the Blind, King of Bohemia who fought with the French at the battle of Crecy (many of the French nobility died there, perhaps as high as 4,000 although that count may be unreliable and exaggerated), died because he wanted to jump into the fray and fight. (Dude was blind.) 

 

It's a generalization and there are always exceptions to generalizations, but there ya go.

 

Yes, hence why I said the exception and not the rule. That was, one such exception.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Steel Accord

[Lunia 332]

I would say I'm skilled with my trusty katana. Been practicing with it for 3 years and I love it and treasure it. So sharp it can cut through a human skull. 

[Boyevyye De 244]

I would say I'm skilled with my trusty katana. Been practicing with it for 3 years and I love it and treasure it. So sharp it can cut through a human skull. 

Nippon steel folded 1000 times can cut through beard.

 

 

Duels happened all the time yes, and even for grand stakes, but your proposed scenario, while could be technically correct, never happened.

 

No King would fork over his entire kingdom waged on the outcome of a duel, his court alone would not permit him to even step on the field if that were the case. His lords and land holders who know they'll loose everything should he loose based on essentially a 50/50 chance? No way they'd stand for that.

 

However, the tradition of combat by champion was very real and actually quite common in a lot of places. In these cases it wasn't entire wars that were decided, but rather (slightly more reasonably) single battles. The two armies would meet, and they would send out their greatest fighters in single combat. The two would fight and the loosing champion's side would grant the victorious champion's some measure of reward. At the very least the winner would take the looser's weapons and armor as a trophy, at the most that decided the entire battle. Even if the loosing side didn't agree to back down, it was often a good demoralizing tactic.

 

"He was the best warrior of us all, and they killed him in two seconds flat!"

 

The Romans, Japanese, many central Europeans, they loved this strategy.

 

Yes, hence why I said the exception and not the rule. That was, one such exception.

We still have duels. 

[Mars Orbit 729]

Me and my old friends used to go into target and have little sword fighting tournaments with the toy swords.

We were weird kids.

[Night Wing 387]

i have some experience sword fighting

[Boyevyye De 244]

i have some experience sword fighting

You wanna go mang? Wanna fight?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

i have some experience sword fighting

 

What style(s) or training do you have?

[Night Wing 387]

a few weeks of training with my brother

[Steel Accord 6,660]

a few weeks of training with my brother

 

What exact weapons and what style or school?

[Night Wing 387]

no specific school and a short sword

[Steel Accord 6,660]

no specific school and a short sword

 

I would say that's a very poor way to train, personally.

[yayayayayala 1,668]

I would say I'm skilled with my trusty katana. Been practicing with it for 3 years and I love it and treasure it. So sharp it can cut through a human skull. 

A KATANA? *starts hyperventilating* OOOO! That's awesome!

[Steel Accord 6,660]

A KATANA? *starts hyperventilating* OOOO! That's awesome!

 

Breath friend, the Katana is a good sword but it's far from the perfect weapon.

[Boyevyye De 244]

Breath friend, the Katana is a good sword but it's far from the perfect weapon.

 

A KATANA? *starts hyperventilating* OOOO! That's awesome!

That would be the Szabla. 

[Steel Accord 6,660]

That would be the Szabla. 

 

Still no. There is no such thing as "a perfect weapon." Unless that phrase is followed by "for X."

 

For instance, a Szabla would be a great weapon for a cavalry officer, but it lacks some of the versatility of a double edge longsword.

[yayayayayala 1,668]

Breath friend, the Katana is a good sword but it's far from the perfect weapon.

XD *breathes*

 

That would be the Szabla.

*looks up* Ooh! Wonder how much one of those would cost, lol.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFULL-Polish-Cavalary-Saber-wz-1921-22-UHLANS-SZABLA-POLSKA-SWORD-ARMY-WWII-/361299774419?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541f250bd3

Whooooa! Uh-oh, I hope I didn't just make everyone in this thread drool. XD

 

Still no. There is no such thing as "a perfect weapon." Unless that phrase is followed by "for X."

 

For instance, a Szabla would be a great weapon for a cavalry officer, but it lacks some of the versatility of a double edge longsword.

After all, double-edged swords are always the worst in metaphors, hehe

[Steel Accord 6,660]

XD *breathes*

 

*looks up* Ooh! Wonder how much one of those would cost, lol.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFULL-Polish-Cavalary-Saber-wz-1921-22-UHLANS-SZABLA-POLSKA-SWORD-ARMY-WWII-/361299774419?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541f250bd3

Whooooa! Uh-oh, I hope I didn't just make everyone in this thread drool. XD

 

After all, double-edged swords are always the worst in metaphors, hehe

 

Well a single edge and curved blade weapon, like that of a szabla or even a katana, is very well suited for slashing, chopping, and attacking at odd angles. (You can curve your way around a foe's defense.) Whereas a double edged straight bladed weapon such as a long sword or an arming sword is better at thrusting, close cutting, and can be used in many ways to attack. (Such as half-swording or even holding it backwards.)

Edited June 19, 2015 by Steel Accord

[yayayayayala 1,668]

Well a single edge and curved blade weapon, like that of a szabla or even a katana, is very well suited for slashing, chopping, and attacking at odd angles. (You can curve your way around a foe's defense.) Whereas a double edged straight bladed weapon such as a long sword or an arming sword is better at thrusting, close cutting, and can be used at many angles of attack. (Such as half-swording or even holding it backwards.)

Interesting! What if you had a curved single-edge sword in one hand and a double-edged sword in the other?

[Boyevyye De 244]

Well a single edge and curved blade weapon, like that of a szabla or even a katana, is very well suited for slashing, chopping, and attacking at odd angles. (You can curve your way around a foe's defense.) Whereas a double edged straight bladed weapon such as a long sword or an arming sword is better at thrusting, close cutting, and can be used in many ways to attack. (Such as half-swording or even holding it backwards.)

For that reason a Szabla makes the perfect Cossack weapon. It was a staple for us back when Cossack Calvary was relevant.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Interesting! What if you had a curved single-edge sword in one hand and a double-edged sword in the other?

 

You'd be dead inside of two seconds. Dual wielding is not impossible, but it's a VERY advanced technique and the two weapons are supposed to compliment, not hinder each other. e.g. a rapier and a dagger, a katana and a wakizashi. Or optimally be a matching set of the same weapon such as in many Chinese forms; such as dual dao or dual tiger hook swords. Hell the ladder are made with the express intent to be used in tandem.

 

Edited June 19, 2015 by Steel Accord

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

I've practiced some fighting stances I've seen. Fought somebody once in a store wearing a Halloween costume and won.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I've practiced some fighting stances I've seen. Fought somebody once in a store wearing a Halloween costume and won.

 

Wow, a real life badass.   Good for you. Was he trying to rob the place?

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

Wow, a real life badass.   Good for you. Was he trying to rob the place?

I wish! And no. We were just having a "for fun" fight.

[yayayayayala 1,668]

You'd be dead inside of two seconds. Dual wielding is not impossible, but it's a VERY advanced technique and the two weapons are supposed to compliment, not hinder each other. e.g. a rapier and a dagger, a katana and a wakizashi. Or optimally be a matching set of the same weapon such as in many Chinese forms; such as dual dao or dual tiger hook swords. Hell the ladder are made with the express intent to be used in tandem.

 

Huh.

Whooooa, those hooked swords are BA!

 

I've practiced some fighting stances I've seen. Fought somebody once in a store wearing a Halloween costume and won.

XD Cool!

 

Wow, a real life badass. Good for you. Was he trying to rob the place?

That would be so cool, fighting off a robber with a sword in the age of guns! XD

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

Huh.

Whooooa, those hooked swords are BA!

 

XD Cool!

 

That would be so cool, fighting off a robber with a sword in the age of guns! XD

I wish I could do just like an anime samurai and cut down an army while deflecting all their bullets with my sword and then dash by with it and take someone's head off with a single slash. How cool would that be?