From: jwadsley@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Throw away your greatsword! ( Big vs. Small Weapons )
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:57:01 +1000
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

FRP characters use the largest weapon they can find. In general this
results in only two desirable configurations: 

a) Large one handed axe, club, spear or sword and large shield, or
b) Large two handed axe, club, spear or sword.

Characters are usually restricted by what they can afford and what they have
been trained to use. In some campaigns it is necessary to own and be able to
use smaller weapons because it is legally or socially unacceptable to use large
ones. 

Are social and economic reasons the only ones to use a small weapon? In the
simplification process necessary to make a game playable, practical
considerations that make smaller weapons desirable fall by the wayside. IMHO,
there are real reasons why smaller weapons are a good alternative, even if
there is no social or economic reason to use one. I am not talking about
concealability either. 
[ I have included ways to introduce these things into a game: ]

o Speed of drawing: 
It is possible to fast draw a sword or dagger but not a poleaxe or greatsword.
In a surprise situation, a man with a greatsword strapped to his back would be
at a disadvantage compared to a man with a sword at his belt. Even if the
weapons were drawn, but not ready, the man with the smaller sword would act 
faster.
GAME: Penalty to initiative ( or increase to 'surprise' time ) for characters
attempting to attack with large weapons.

o Keeping your hands free:
Many large weapons, especially polearms, are very hard to put away. You have to
carry them all the time. This would tire your arms in a long march. Also, if
you have to carry the polearm, you can't carry a bow or anything else useful.
GAME: Extra fatigue for carrying a heavy weapon.

o Space required:
D&D is fond of 30 foot ceilings and 20 foot wide corridors. This is a lot of
room. A more realistic underground dungeon would have smaller rooms and
corridors. An orc warren would probably have 4-5 foot high ceilings at best and
3-5 foot wide corridors. Polearms just don't fit in this situation. Even swords
and axes of more moderate size would be at a disadvantage.
Even in large rooms and corridors, a greatsword user can not come within 5-7
foot of a wall or ceiling and expect to swing his weapon.
What about spears? The problem with long thrusting weapons in a confined space
is that you can not defend or attack anywhere but near the end of the weapon.
If they come from behind, you are stuffed. In addition, such long weapons are
easily pushed aside against a wall and rendered useless.
It is not just dungeons. You average house, hovel or even castle is made up of
small rooms cluttered with junk. This will seriously cramp the style of the big
swinger.
GAME: Radically increase the fumble chance near walls. For example, 1 in 4
chance to hit a wall for large weapons. Alternately, reduce skill by half for
large weapons employed too close to a wall. This applies to parries as well.

o Protecting your friends:
Large axes and swords have a big backswing arc and follow through. No one wants
to be within 5-7 feet of a greatsword wielder. It is the fighting style for the
individual against the many. Any friends who happen to be fighting alongside
are likely to be hit unless the greatsword user cramps his style into
uselessness. In a 10 foot wide corridor, the greatsword user must fight alone.
GAME: A 1 in 10 chance of hitting each friend around you by accident. If there
are 5 friends and 1 enemy you had better be careful.

o Speed of attacking and parrying:
The lighter and more manoueverable a weapon is, the faster it may attack and
parry. Smaller weapons may also recover more quickly from attacks or parries.
Smaller weapons are fast enough to enable feints and complex attacks. Larger
weapons rely more on a single heavy blow. This is the rationale behind the
buckler. Reducing the size and weight of the shield reduced it's basic
protective value. The extra speed of the parry and counterattack compensated.
GAME: Use a more complex attacks per round system or reduce the number of 
attacks per round for large weapons.

o Endurance:
It is a lot more tiring to swing a polearm repeatedly that a rapier. Imagine
playing squash or tennis with an artificially heavy racquet. You would tire a
lot faster.
GAME: Increased fatigue for using a large weapon in battle.

Note; These ideas do not make small weapons suddenly better than large
weapons. Large weapons still have more reach and do more damage.

Please comment if you do or don't like these ideas.
Thanks to Matt for bringing up the topic.

James Wadsley.