General What does your Blade look like?

[Black Vulmea]

I'd go with a sharpened machete.

Machete is always what I have thought.

IIRC the survival kit in DA4 Marooned/Marooned Alone includes a machete; the description says to treat it as a Blade for combat purposes.

The canon text suggests the Blade's more like a main-gauche, but since the machete is treated as equivalent, you could bring in similar blades such as a parang, a panga, or a facão Sorocabano - I've used the same stats for a kukri, frex. The only question is a skill one then: is Blade-1 the equivalent of Machete-1, and is the reverse true as well?

 

[Condottiere]

Currently, weapon skills are a big tent.

 

[whartung]

The only question is a skill one then: is Blade-1 the equivalent of Machete-1, and is the reverse true as well?

The bigger question is what do edges weapon skills represent.

I can understand how skill in a Foil may be more like skill in Fencing itself. Skill in a broadsword is being able to cope and maneuver the blade properly because of all the weight.

Maybe that's the difference between a Cutlass and a Blade. A Blade is not a Dagger, as I understand it, it's bigger. A slashing/chopping/blocking weapon than a slicing/stabbing weapon. A Cutlass is heavier than a blade (I would think), but otherwise maybe fights similar to one. What about a Kukri? Where would that lie?

I'm sure some bruised and scarred SCA veteran can chime in with the differences.

 

[Quint]

Honestly, per the book (size-wise), a machete would be more equivalent to a Cutlass than a Blade. I'd probably call it a Cutlass-1 if I wanted to tweak the stats.

Fightwise, length and weight count for a whole lot. A Cutlass and a Blade will fight nothing at all like each other, whereas a Cutlass and a Club would (see Escrima where you can substitute a machete or other longer, thin blade for a stick relatively easily). Blades and daggers will fight more similarly, but the additions of basket hilts change things up considerably (see also: the karambit with a ring on the end, which could come in both Dagger and Blade sizes) because of the defensive advantage.

Kukri come in a very wide range of sizes, you could probably get one in both Blade and Cutlass equivalents. I'd probably call either a +1 variant of each (that blade profile + chop/slash is nasty).

LOL, the real question is where does a Kama (or any the modern variants) fit it?

D.

 

[willtron3030]

LOL, the real question is where does a Kama (or any the modern variants) fit it?

Some kind of boarding axe, maybe? There is a mention of it in a review for "Traveller's Aide #1" on the Freelance Traveller site.

 

[Quint]

Some kind of boarding axe, maybe? There is a mention of it in a review for "Traveller's Aide #1" on the Freelance Traveller site.

A Kama is more akin to a sickle than an axe, and size wise is more like a small handaxe compared to woodsman's axe. I have one of the modern combat tomahawks and even that is grossly past the size and function of a kama (or the handful of modern variants).

D.

 

[willtron3030]

A Kama is more akin to a sickle than an axe, and size wise is more like a small handaxe compared to woodsman's axe. I have one of the modern combat tomahawks and even that is grossly past the size and function of a kama (or the handful of modern variants).

D.

::nods:: I was overgeneralizing, certainly. I tend to overgeneralize in Traveller, because there's only so much wiggle room to differentiate melee weapons in a 2D6 game mechanic. Sometimes those differences end up being cosmetic in nature. The weapon *looks* like it was made to slash, chop, and aggressively make holes in things like light armor, vacc suits, and sophonts.

And I did get the relative size of the weapon quite wrong in my head. Thanks for noticing that.

 

[Enoki]

Something like this:

Made of exotic materials like ceramet (ceramic-metal composite), double edged to allow cutting in both directions, pointed for thrusting, and bigger than a large knife. It is about 25 to 30 cm long.

At higher tech levels might include various electronics etc., that enhance penetration and cutting, add non kinetic damage, etc.

I see most of the examples above as either large knives or short cutlasses as they have a pommel guard and single edge with limited ability to be used as a thrusting weapon.

 

[willtron3030]

Something like this:

Made of exotic materials like ceramet (ceramic-metal composite), double edged to allow cutting in both directions, pointed for thrusting, and bigger than a large knife. It is about 25 to 30 cm long.

At higher tech levels might include various electronics etc., that enhance penetration and cutting, add non kinetic damage, etc.

I see most of the examples above as either large knives or short cutlasses as they have a pommel guard and single edge with limited ability to be used as a thrusting weapon.

Exhibit A is gorgeous... like a slim gladius.

Exhibit B looks like it originated in Klingon anime (hot-take: non-Klingon aficionados would prefer subs over dubs), and would give any belligerent not similarly armed reason to pause and consider the chain of decisions that led them there. Hopefully there is an off switch for the razzle-dazzle. No need to stand out in a crowd unnecessarily.

 

[RossWinn]

IMTU the basic bladed weapon (called a cutlass) is basically a ninjato with a 25cm handle and a 50cm blade.

 

[Enoki]

I have simplified the weapons tables considerably myself. Instead of a plethora of different edged weapon and firearm skills there are far fewer categories and what replaces that is you get the full skill level for weapons you have owned for more than a minute. New ones and something you pick up in the middle of a firefight get -1 skill level if you have a skill in using it (min = 0).

The idea is that you are skilled with the weapons you own and practice with. So, if you have blades and a skill in "Edged weapons" you get the full skill. You grab a sword that isn't yours to use immediately for the first time, it's -1 to your skill level.

This avoids becoming pigeonholed by rolling up weapons skills. I see little difference between many of the firearms in the game in terms of usage and that someone familiar with say semi-automatic rifles being likely to understand how to use a fully automatic rifle but not being as proficient in its use due to some unfamiliarity. The game over complicates weapons skills IMO.

 

[Condottiere]

Scabbard - breathing device.

Also, drinking straw.