Scimitars and Sabers
Scimitar--A curved sword with a medium blade 30 - 34 inches long, 1 1/2 - 2 inches wide. This sword was designed to slice an opponent as the wielder galloped by, hence the curve to the blade. Sometimes found with a partial second edge on the backside. Not the best weapon for hand-to-hand combat. Found amongst the Desert tribes on Gor.
Saber-- much the same as the Scimitar though a little lighter in weight with a longer and less curved blade. Believed used in Turia or Ar.
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"I observed the scimitar. It was a wickedly curved blade. On such a blade, I knew, silk dropped, should the blade be moved, would fall parted to the floor. Even a light stroke of a blade, falling across an arm, would drop through the flesh, leaving its incised record, a quarter of an inch deep, in the bone beneath."--Tribesmen of Gor, page120 "I gather that the Wagon Peoples, if they wanted sabers or regarded them as valuable, would be able to acquire them, in spite of the fact that they have no metalworking of their own; there might be some attempt to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Wagon Peoples, but where there are gold and jewels, available merchants, in Ar and elsewhere, would see that they were manufactured and reached the southern plains. Most quivas, incidentally, are wrought in the smithies of Ar. The fact that the saber is not a common weapon of Wagon Peoples is a reflection of the style, nature and conditions of warfare to which they are accustomed, a matter of choice on their part rather than the result of either ignorance or technological limitation."---Nomads of Gor, page 124 "Ibn Saran, scimitar poised, smiling. Then suddenly he cried, "Ho!" and leapt forward, the blade, in rapid, diagonal figure-eight strokes, backhand upswept, shallowly curved, blade turning, forehand descending, shallowly curved, tracing its razor pattern. His right, booted foot stamped forward, his body turned to the left, minimizing target, his head to the right, maximizing vision, his rear foot at right angles to the attack line, maximizing leverage, assuring balance."--Tribesmen of Gor page 120. |
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two very difficult weapons to use, the odd balance and curved blades make thrusting exceptionally complicated...unpopular among Warriors generally; it is regarded as being too long and clumsy a weapon for the close, sharp combat; and too light and short to replace an Axe or Longsword