comitatus

So how would one cleanly build such an attack?

Re: Filthy Rich Burghers Mutant for Hire basically stated the definitions, except that an area which also had a cathedral was also classified as a city (up until and including the 19th century). I think there are still some places in the world where the cathedral definition still holds (but don't quote me on that.) The very modern definition of a city has changed. I believe to be classified as a city now you need a minimum of 100,000 people. Not that long ago it was 30,000.

Re: Filthy Rich Burghers

Re: Filthy Rich Burghers Huh? Egypt had towns before the advent of Pharaohs.

Re: Another take on fantasy campaigns I remember reading an article a few years ago believing the unicorn (or the origin thereof) had been discovered; A Persian goat whose horns can twist together to give the illusion it has only one horn. Also bear in mind that the earliest depictions of an unicorn are goats. In my copy of a 1220AD Bestiary the unicorn is most definitely resembles a goat (the description even says so.) If you examine the British Coat of Arms the unicorn has a beard, and cloven hooves (horses have a closed hoof, and no beard.) On my list of tasks to do is discover when the unicorn transforms from a goat like creature to a horse like creature. It is rumoured to be 15th century, but cannot confirm or deny.

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons Not quite sure what you mean by the 'other side' It is not so much a thickening of armour, but more armour became better at deflection (especially through a tempering process). As such a plate harness could ignore most attacks from most weapons. Certainly if you were wearing a plate harness the shield would be redundant in actual combat (ignoring 'friendly' contests like the tilt). Two hands on a sword gave superior control.

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons I was under the impression that the 5th ed. of UMA covered Western Martial Arts. That's why I've just ordered a damaged copy of it (I've got 4th.) Under 4th edition MA rules, I was never quite sure how to map something like strezzo tempo

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons Speaking outside Hero game terms, you'd inflict damage by both mass and velocity (and if memory serve the formula is 1/2 mass x velocity squared.) Of course in an arc a longer weapon can pick up greater velocity than a shorter one. I suppose it comes to six of one, half a dozen the other.

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons I presume by broadsword you're referring to a 18th/19th century Scottish sword by that name (sometimes also called claymore too )? All the stats I've ever seen on extant examples weigh little more than 2lbs. Pretty comparable in weight to a knight's arming sword. As for greatswords, I think the heaviest I've ever heard of is 7lbs, with 5lbs being considered on the heavy side (with many at the 3lb weight.) (European) Swords are my passion... As for 20lbs it belongs with those legends of knights needing cranes for mounting a horse (did anyone ever think of the poor horse when they thought that one up?!?)

Re: When to use larger than normal weapons I've once made a sword for a 5ft tall woman. Since I was making it to George Silver's perfect length it was shorter than everyone elses, but not excessively so, nor was it expressly lighter for that matter.

Re: Weapon not up to the Armor It was this aspect of combat that really attracted me to Hero