Why the big swords anyway?

[SlowShootinPete]

As I already said, the amount of damage a gun can do varies depending on the kind of foe it's used against.

Spoiler: Your argument is invalid.

But this advantage can be nullified easily enough through the use of strong enough armor or clothing

Armor you say? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armor-piercing_shot_and_shell]

Armor slows you down, by the way.

or if the sword wielder is fast and agile enough to avoid being hit.

And this is of course assuming that the one using the gun is even a decent shot.

This does not nullify the inherent advantage of using a gun. If one guy can run fast enough to dodge bullets, there will be another guy who knows how to lead a moving target.

This would be an especially significant issue in the case of handguns.

Effective range of 50 yards versus effective range of 1 or 2 yards.

Contrary to what you may have seen in movies, on television, in books, or in video games, hitting a target with a handgun is nowhere near as easy as it looks. Among the factors to consider are the the way you hold the gun, the way you grip the gun, the way you pull the trigger, and your stance.

If one guy is competent at using a sword, there will be another guy who understands basic marksmanship.

Many guns also have to deal with the issue of jamming. On top of that, guns are often rendered useless if they get wet, which is yet another issue that sword wielders don't have to worry about.

Legendary reliability [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47]

"A particular requirement of the competition was the reliability of the firearm in the muddy, wet, and frozen conditions of the Soviet frontline."

Guns have the advantage of range. But one could plausibly argue that that is a gun's only advantage, and one which there are numerous ways to counteract.

Mo' dakka? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmB-ME8i2bA&feature=related#t=49s]

Big swords do look pretty cool, though, sometimes.

 

[Lady Nilstria]

In any case, anyone whos trained in weapon combat will tell you: any weapon that requires full body motion to swing is a weapon you WILL die with.

Precisely!

If I was against someone with such a ridiculously large sword, I could probably kill them with my rapier before they got close to me. Or dodge. You can't really feint with something like that, I think.

(And sorry about the podao thing. My bad. )

 

[maninahat]

The most iconic sword in JRPGs is the Nodachi (meaning either Field Sword, or Great Sword), the sword that Sephiroth carries. The sword was used as a massive anti-cavalry tool, cutting up the riders as they passed. While it had a scabbard, the scabbard was not brought to the battle, and the blade was carried over the shoulder, because of the difficulty of drawing such a long blade. It could also be used as a kind of javelin if need be.

A Buster Sword (the sword that Cloud carries) would weigh almost 20 lbs, and could concievably cut down a horse in one swing, if enough momentum for a full swing was obtained. A wielder of this kind of weapon would spin in place once to increase the speed, then cut through the target. If one full spin could be achieved before swinging, the formula for net power (Power = Mass x Acceleration) would ensure that any flesh target hit would be killed outright.

Sephiroth's sword is a full 3 feet longer than a real Nodachi, and it should be noted that even the Japanese saw it for the unwieldy hunk of metal it was. Its use was limited and it was largely outclassed by several easier to produce weapons.

As for Cloud's sword... where do you get those numbers? It has at least a four foot blade, with an approximate one inch thickness in the back, and is twelve inches wide from front to back. 20 pounds? Whats it made of, aluminum alloy? All the steel calculator, once fudging the numbers to make it as light as possible, list the lowest conceivable weight at around 90-105 pounds.

Where did you get your math from? I'm curious now.

In any case, anyone whos trained in weapon combat will tell you: any weapon that requires full body motion to swing is a weapon you WILL die with.

The Nodachi was a superb training sword, and like any weapon, was deadly in the hands of someone who had mastered it (See Sasaki, Kojiro).

When I say 20 lbs, I'm talking Cloud's original blade, not his toilet paper Kingdom Hearts version. The original blade was probably made of carbon steel, and had a blade thickness somewhere near 1/2 inch. It was about 4 feet long (shown by it stretching from Cloud's just above his neck to just below his knees, and according to the guide, Cloud was 5'9. With this, a weight between 20 and 30 pounds is easily realistic.

I posted a video of some guy trying out Cloud's sword - the results were pretty...ineffectual. And this was a big guy holding that damn sword as well. Basically it is too long, heavy, and unergonomic to weld effectively. You're better off trying to club the enemy with it than chop them, but even then, you'd lose a fight to a guy with a stiletto.

 

[CD-R]

WORDS

What about his sword in episode 1? It's as tall and wide as he is.

This guy can wield it.


Sort of.

 

[Nooners]

Why?

Spoiler: Because big swords are fucking awesome.

Realll, they're just so stupidly over the top that it's fun. They're completely impractical and unrealistic, but, as AlphaOmega said, Rule of Cool applies.

Absolutely perfect.
Practicality? None.
Stupidly cool? Heck yes.

And Hooray for Jack Rakan, patron saint of Stupid But Cool.

 

[maninahat]

Many guns also have to deal with the issue of jamming. On top of that, guns are often rendered useless if they get wet, which is yet another issue that sword wielders don't have to worry about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47

"A particular requirement of the competition was the reliability of the firearm in the muddy, wet, and frozen conditions of the Soviet frontline."

Add to that the fact that swords also deteriorate in bad weather. Swords require as regular servicing as most guns to prevent them blunting, rusting or cracking.

 

[Con Carne]

My thought behind it is that, if you're wielding a huge sword it displays your level of bad-assery. Because most characters that wield these huge swords are very skilled, very quick and doing it all one handed.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

For the same reason massively huge guns look more attractive to gun nuts than pistols, despite pistols are more effective for your daily activities (if you're a robber who uses them that is)?

 

[SlowShootinPete]

Many guns also have to deal with the issue of jamming. On top of that, guns are often rendered useless if they get wet, which is yet another issue that sword wielders don't have to worry about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47

"A particular requirement of the competition was the reliability of the firearm in the muddy, wet, and frozen conditions of the Soviet frontline."

Add to that the fact that swords also deteriorate in bad weather. Swords require as regular servicing as most guns to prevent them blunting, rusting or cracking.

And swords can break in extended battles.

 

[Tazz Azreal]

I always wondered why a character would choose to wield a sword when guns are around as well. Realistically, a gun can do just as much damage as a sword, if not more. It makes no sense.

because with a sword you can literaly taste the fear of your enemy

 

[Jfswift]

Guns run out of ammo. Large swords not only would be intimidating to the enemy but (I'm assuming) would be very damaging in battle.

That'll explain why every army in the World favours and equips their men with swords. [/sarcasm]

*grins* I'll have to give my unrealistic retort to this. What about zombie invasions.

 

[Zedzero]

Japanese anime ain't got nothing on reality.

*Snip*

Meet the Zweihander, or Greatsword! They were used primarily as a weapon to break up pike formations with their massive reach and weight, but found other uses as well. One famous rebel soldier named Pier Gerlofs was renown for the massive sword he wielded, and was said to be capable of beheading multiple enemies in combat with one swing.

Anime 0
History 1

The man must have been a living giant, with the strength of 10 men!

 

[SlowShootinPete]

Spoiler

Guns run out of ammo. Large swords not only would be intimidating to the enemy but (I'm assuming) would be very damaging in battle.

That'll explain why every army in the World favours and equips their men with swords. [/sarcasm]

*grins* I'll have to give my unrealistic retort to this. What about zombie invasions.

Everyone knows that when zombies are knocking at the door, you break out a chainsaw and a boomstick.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Guns run out of ammo. Large swords not only would be intimidating to the enemy but (I'm assuming) would be very damaging in battle.

That'll explain why every army in the World favours and equips their men with swords. [/sarcasm]

*grins* I'll have to give my unrealistic retort to this. What about zombie invasions.

Because grappling with zombies with a sword is just too cool for school (Or, more aptly... Too cool too stay out of the morgue).

My motto... Providing realistic answers to unrealistic questions for no reason but fun since 1999.

/spoiler]


Everyone knows that when zombies are knocking at the door, you break out a chainsaw and a boomstick.

You'd think it would work... but no.

Only Bruce Campbell can pull this off I'm afraid. And God bless him for it. In Bruce we Trust!

 

[MonkOfDoom]

I believe the logic is that big swords do more damage, and look a lot more impressive.

Swords do more damage than bullets?

 

[The3rdEye]

1) Compensating for lack of endowment
2) Compensating for lack of character depth
3) Math. If I can kill one guy with a sword that has a blade edge measuring 3/4 meters and weighs 5 lbs, I can kill three guys with a sword that has a blade edge measuring 1 1/2 meters and weighing 15 lbs.

But as a matter of personal opinion, having the strength to wield such an UNwieldy weapon is pretty awesome. It's a matter of spectacle.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Japanese anime ain't got nothing on reality.

Meet the Zweihander, or Greatsword! They were used primarily as a weapon to break up pike formations with their massive reach and weight, but found other uses as well. One famous rebel soldier named Pier Gerlofs was renown for the massive sword he wielded, and was said to be capable of beheading multiple enemies in combat with one swing.

Anime 0
History 1

The man must have been a living giant, with the strength of 10 men!

It's a bit hard to tell how long that isd but it looks to be atleast 6 feet long ... that's no sword ... it's a freaking spear with a sharp metal haft O.O

 

[RN7]

Big swords are so 2002. Tiny daggers are where its at now.

 

[maninahat]

Oh yeah. The guns are way bigger than the biggest sword too, when you think about it.

What good is a sword when this sucker can take you out from seventeen miles away?