/vr/ - Retro Games

>>1791969

Okay, well, let's see here.
Pictured is a broadsword--also known as the basket-hilted sword. These swords are actually the descendants of the rapier, and got their name due to being like a rapier (complete with the fancy hand-guard) but with a very broad blade. When you see a typical fantasy sword, this is usually not what they're referring to.

A longsword is, well, a long sword. Like, really long. Two-handed-sword long. Also known as zweihanders, though that's an explicitly german term--no guesses for what they were called in other nations of the world longsword. When you see a typical fantasy sword, this is also usually not what they're referring to.

Now, see, when you imagine a dude like Conan, Link, or etc, picking up a sword and wielding it one-handed, the sword they're usually wielding is an "arming sword". These are the swords of knights, so named because they were paired with armor. All of the typical features of a generic fantasy sword are here--straight double-edged blade, cruciform hilt, looks cool when posing, etc.

Using the three terms interchangeably is the easiest way to troll a historical weapons nerd, and (as mentioned before) is the clip/magazine of the sword world. Just like how a clip is not a magazine and a magazine is not a clip, a broadsword is not a longsword is not an arming sword.