Swords

**Swords** are a type of melee weapon in Totally Accurate Battle Simulator.

## Characteristics

Swords is an umbrella term for many moderate-length blades wielded in pairs whose appearances share nothing in common yet function identically in all standard attacks. Their attacks deal slightly less damage than average and have moderate speed, but they have moderately long range and their attacks are accompanied by long lunges forward.

## Trivia

* The Longsword used by the Squire seems like a 13th century Norman longsword. Longswords get their name from being longer than an arming sword, and were preferably used with two hands for extra leverage, rather than the popular notion of the weight; in fact, it usually only weighed 2-3 lbs (1-1.5 kg).
* The old Valkyrie sword was assumably an Ulfberht Sword; we can identify the sword based on the old hilt. The name comes from the maker's mark engraved into the blade, which is commonly in the form of "+VLFBERH+T." These swords were unusually good quality for their time and place, and were highly prized by Norse warriors. However, now as of the Legacy Update, the Valkyrie has a different Hilt, now customized with wings on it, but still the same sword altogether.
* The Chariot Rider uses a Gladius. The Gladius was first used in ancient times by tribes in the Iberian peninsula and, following the Punic Wars, became the standard sword of Roman legionaries from the 2nd century BCE as its relatively short and double-edged blade made it ideal for cutting and thrusting in the confined space of hand to hand combat on the ancient battlefield.
* Arming Swords (also called knightly swords), were medieval one handed swords that were easy to unsheath in the midst of battle, especially when the main weapon like a polearm is lost, while allowing the off hand to use a Shield, Buckler, or a sidearm like a Rondel Dagger.
* The Rapier is used by the Fencer; this sword is balanced at the hilt, consequently leading to a heavier feel in the hand, but allows a large amount of control over the blade and, alongside a (usually) thin blade like, makes it very effective at piercing. Broader bladed versions of rapiers existed, known today as SideswordsW.
* The Katana is a form of sword used by the Samurai; real katanas are a little shorter than most longswords, and the one that the Samurai Units utilize are much longer than said swords. The word “Ta” means “fat”, and “Chi” (also written as katana or gatana) means single-edged curved sword, so a Tachi is just a bigger katana. Katanas were not used as primary weapons on the battlefield and served only as support weapons. Instead, samurai used polearms like the Yari and Naginata, long swords like the Tachi and Odachi, and longbows.
* The Zweihander (meaning two-handed sword in german) is a massive sword made in Germany, usually clocking in at 4.4 lbs (2 kg). It was often used against pikes or against crowds, where it would utilize spinning moves like this.
* Giant Katanas, or Ōdachi (meaning Large Field Sword) were the biggest kinds of katanas at 2~3 meters in length, used by Samurai on horseback. the length of the Ōdachi allowed Samurai to easily outrange Ashigaru (commoner foot soldiers). The Japanese Odachi is comparable to the European Zweihander in size and function.
* The Cutlass is a short single-edged sword that was favoured for naval combat due to its shortness favoring the confined spaces of ships. As such, it saw plenty of use with pirates and other naval units.
* There is a LOT of debate about whether or not the Aztec Swords actually are swords, or clubs (bludgeons). There are many points of proof for and against, such as 'sword because it's called a sword' or 'club because it is just wood with sharp bits sticking out'.
* The Khopesh is an ancient Egyptian sword with a sickle-shaped blade. Real Khopeshes were made of bronze, and could only be fairly short due to the softness and weight of Bronze. It's theorized that the Khopesh was meant to be a unit, as there is a unique ability in the unit creator, Khopesh Spinning Jump Slash, that is not accessible without mods and was most likely removed.
* The Shattering Sharpness and it's variants are most likely references to the Lightsabers used in Star Wars. It is unknown if the Elimination Edge is also meant to be referencing this, but it most likely is.
* The Minocentaswordtaur might be a reference to Doom: Eternal, as the shape and glow is similar in fashion to The Crucible, a devastating weapon wielded by the Doom Slayer.