Rapiers and Scimitars are backwards. Rapiers should be the slower weapon, but with a greater precision, as the rapier is lighter, and has a better grip: allowing for easier placement of the blow, and Scimitars have a curved blade, which lets you swing faster since you never have to "pull" your blow, it's a straight arc. Been bugging me for weeks now.

EDIT: Also, the same applies for hammers and morningstars. Morningstars are simply smaller flails, meaning you simply smash and pull. A Hammer is generally used for precisely slamming through an opponents armor with the "pick" of it, which means it takes longer to get out.

IRE combat is not made of win, or sense.

The whole point of a rapier is to be a light, quick weapon. While it is more precise in terms of hitting specific spots, a scimitar would probably be better at removing a tendon, which is what Lusternian precision represents.

The reason it's build to be "quick and light" is so that you can move the blade quickly, to properly strike with a rapier you need to use either a Fleche, or a Lunge, to get in the range for simple Extension you need to either be fighting a very inept foe, or have excellent footwork.

But eh, I'm applying actually fencing to a Game

Yep, I've realized it for a while too .

:Shrug: Whatever though.

Fencing is arguably to abstract to apply, since most fencers don't consider movements to either side.

Or the old fashioned handful of sand to the eyes...

who uses a rapier outside of fencing?

Naval officers?

Cool people.

REAL MEN DON'T CARRY KNIVES.

REAL MEN CARRY SABRES.

Fencing uses a foil which is not a rapier. Rapiers are classified as sabers. A real rapier has a sharpened edge as well as point, and 'tradtional' fencing styles are as much about precise stabs as they are about fast slashes.

Rapiers were developed because swords couldn't penetrate armor, so they made a narrow, light blade capable of quick strikes at the seams between armor plates--a consideration completely missing from modern fencing. As far as range goes, there's no reason you can't get as close to the other guy as the other guy can get to you. Having a scimitar does not mean you get to stand closer. In Lusternia, you get a knighthood skill to stand toe-to-toe while fighting effectively. In the days when the rapier was developed, that usually meant fighting with locked shields. Having a scimitar does mean you have to swing the blade, rather than use a smaller, wrist-dominated motion.

Rapiers were historically civilian weapons, designed for self-defense or dueling. Bypassing armor wasn't really ever their purpose, warriors had other weapons for that (though some were similar in design to the rapier, and may have been the forerunner of them).

As for who uses a rapier besides modern fencers, they're becoming a common sight at SCA events. I'm actually looking into learning rapier and dagger at some point once I can meet the armor requirements.

I know a guy who today wears one whenever he gets all dressed up.

If you go to the University of Oxford, traditional campus rules permit you to carry a sword as it is the mark of a gentleman.

You can also request for a bottle of Port on your desk whenever you sit an examination. However, the last guy who tried it was refused because he wasn't wearing his sword. No joke.

Correct, warriors simply used longswords as blugdeons, or had true blugdeons made. Fighting generally consisted of wearing the opponent down and then simply slicing them. Hence, Maces were often favoured. The Warhammer that is so often mistaken for a Mace was a pick-like object that was used to slam through the plate.



The rapier was, as sylphas noted, developed with the coming of Crossbows and Arquebuses, which made conventional armor useless. As such, powerful weapons such as the Longsword or Mace were discarded in favour of the lighter and easier to manuever small swords.

ALSO: Fencers use three weapons, Epee, Sabre, and Foil. The Rapier is most reminiscent of the Epee, as it used only the point. The common Sword-Rapier and the Rapier are commonly mistaken for one in the same.

This post may be less lucid then I first thought, but I was hungry.

Rapier is a modern term, during the period the sword was in use, it would be called Epee, oe Espada (All of which are considered words for sword.) or several other names, none of which were rapier. The Epee of today is a modern invention as is the foil, both have no historical basis outside of modern fencing, nor do the styles used with them. As to using only the point, this comes down completely to style choices. A few styles advocated point use only, but most saw nothing wrong with slipping in a slash here and there, and for good reason, if you are in a fight where your life is in danger, you use every advantage to you. Also unless you are referencing spada da lato's which are a predecessor to the rapier.


Information gathered from the US Navy History of Arms text in use at the US Navy Academy Annapolis as of 1991, as well as various other minor contributing sources. Secondary source to the History of Arms is an historical archaeologist who specializes in 15-18th century Navy History. (Rapiers while not military weapons to the Army, were common at sea, as well as the espada de lato mentioned above, cutlasses (mid 17th-18th), light sabers, and occasionally scimitars, and the 'scottish broadsword' (Long blade with ornate basket grip, not the braveheart claymore.).