Cavalry swords, two-handed swords, and cutlasses - these swords are used commonly for hacking and slashing - so they are swung in arcs or from side to side, not thrust forward.
Rapiers and small swords are one-handed weapons that are thin and light, but often quite long. They are used for thrusting and slicing, but as you can imagine they aren’t much use in actual battle, but commonly used for sparring.
The third type is a mixture of the two - but less commonly found.
#2. Terminology
Fainting/Feinting - A false attack intended to create an opening for the real attack.
Parrying - When a swordsman uses his blade to deflect his opponent’s blade when he is being attacked.
Advance - A short forward movement
Fuller - A groove down the side of the sword to release suction when stabbed into a person’s body.
Hilt - The base of the sword near your hands that isn’t the blade
Pivot - Turning 180 degrees while keeping a foot planted
False edge - the “back” of the sword that isn’t sharp and what you don’t usually fight with.
#3. Common myths
A secret move that leads to victory - There is rarely such a “secret” move. Like chess, swordfighting is won through strategy and careful thinking, as well as physical prowess, not sEcRetT mOveS.
The Dramatic PauseTM - Nope, doesn’t happen in real life. No one actually glares at each other in the middle of a swordfighting match when their priority should be, yknow, surviving.
#4. The Learning Curve of swordfighting
Unlike an ordinary learning curve where you slowly get better at something, in swordfighting, an untrained novice is much better than someone practising for a few months. This is because their actions are almost always wild and unpredictable. When a student receives training, their skill will actually decline over the next few months, because they will be trying to fight by the rules and are naturally not good at it. It takes at least two years to become a good swordsperson.
#5. The actual swordfighting itself
Footwork - Forward and back, in a line, in a semi-circle, a pivot. The basic goal of footwork is to give you a balanced center from which you can lunge, advance, retreat, attack, and parry. It also helps maintain the appropriate distance from your opponent and percieve.
Timing - How fast/slow is your opponent? How fast is your reaction time?
Every fighter has a different style. Some may naturally be inclined to use a certain move over and over, and have weakpoints in say, their reaction time. It is important that your character has a proper swordfighting style.
Predictability - How good are your characters/opponents at anticipating and learn each others fighting style? That determines the outcome of the fight!
