[Timo Nieminen]

[Roger Hooper]

Folks, this character is no longer an assassin when she gets the new sword.

[Jean Henri Chandler]

I see it as a burlier battlefield version of a smallsword, like the spadroon, much as a colichmarde is a heavier dueling version, though I admit it's not entirely the same thing since the walloon can cut. All these types seem to overlap to me.

And smallswords could be up to 36"

J

[Roger Hooper]

Well, we will have to agree to disagree. The only similarity that I see is that they both have plated side-rings. Some Walloons have just a knucklebow in the hilt, though others have a number of sidebranches.

By this reasoning, a hanger is just a robust smallsword

[Jean Henri Chandler]

Depends a lot on the hanger...

J

[R Ashby]

Well, my wife just looked at all of this, and she reckons that if you are a woman in a man's world, you'd want to avoid "pansy" weapons as well as things that would be too big and cumbersome, and that would make you look a bit silly. I showed her the walloon, the long swords, a couple of different rapiers and so on, and then she caught one look at a messer and said- "Now THAT'S the blade I'd want. That'd make an impression on people." She liked the fact that they are robust weapons without being too big, like a greatsword, and she also pointed out that they are similar to a katana but more flexible in their use.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Bruno Giordan]

As an author of a fantasy novel you can give her whatever stuff will suit your readers, whose tastes won't be for sure as refined as that of historical sword lovers.

I'm in a reenactment group whose members for the most part come from the fantasy sector, i have learned their tastes well, they will accept everything of the plot is exciting enough.

So I think you could give her the sword that best suits your ... fantasy, regardless of its real world behavior and purpose.

Maybe one of the fantasy swords produced by various good makers, some membres could point you at that stuff.

You could use one of them for the cover of your book as well, with your heroine sporting one of that twisted skull hilted blades many people strangely find so fascinating.

[R Ashby]

[Luka Borscak]

I just remembered yataghan. It could work well.

[J.D. Crawford]

You mentioned that your heroine would be facing various types of armor. Swords would be fine against leather, but the consensus around here lately is that they are of little use against someone fully clad in plate or even mail. So perhaps she should consider mixing things up a bit. For some reason I picture her with a small war hammer or axe in one hand:

http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole005.html
http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole006.html

And a Cut-and-thrust sword in the other hand, e.g.

http://www.arms-n-armor.com/sword036.html
http://www.arms-n-armor.com/sword192.html

This versatile combination might make for some unique dramatic possibilities as opposed to the usual (and false) notion of a hero with a razer sharp sword cutting down everything in his/her path.

PS - you might want to think about giving her a shield, helmet, and some armor as well - no matter how good she is, she will get hit. Even Conan needed armor to save his skin (in the original stories, not the comic book).

[Toke Krebs Niclasen]

I recall a rather amusing scene from a tabletop rpg, where faced with a huge troll the dwarf player swung his pickaxe through the trolls foot and into the floorboards.
It allowed a quick escape.

The axe above would fit that.

[R Ashby]

[Colt Reeves]

Just as a point of interest, keep in mind duel-wielding weapons, anything, is difficult. There is a reason throughout history most people preferred using a single weapon, and that is that the human mind and body has trouble focusing on more than one thing at once.

I'm not saying that the character shouldn't duel-wield, but I'd have other characters mention how amazing it is that she can do this. (Unless of course everyone duel-wields, in which case I guess it's just the culture and how they do things.)

[Dan Howard]

Dual wielding is useful for one on one combat where rules are involved (e.g. SCA, duels, etc). In any other situation it will get you killed (e.g. the first time someone shoots an arrow at her). Get a shield.

[R Ashby]

[Dan Howard]

No sword can punch through metallic armour. Longswords were used to thrust at areas that were not covered with armour.

[R Ashby]

[Nat Lamb]

A narrow kniting needle might, but you might want to check out
http://www.myArmoury.com/feature_mail.html

[Ryan J. Kadwell]

Good evening,

Let me start by saying I am too a fantasy writer, and a pedantic one at that. When I am not trying to properly outfit my own bastardised version of some sort of 13th century Roman Legion, I am also having thought experiments with regard to assassin-type characters, and the first trick I learned was this:

Never start with weapons.

Take your assassin-chick, for example. Taking out her target isn't the beginning or the end of her mission. She has to get to the mark, take it out, and get out again. This may mean that it won't be up to her what tool or tools are needed for the job, because that will depend on all the other factors.

She has to get to the target. So, if this means somehow infiltrating a fortress, she might have to adopt a persona or disguise, and getting into the place with an obvious weapon like a katana will make her conspicuous. So, she might have to use something subtle, small or but benign enough upon first inspection that she can get it past any security or nosy individual. Or, she might have improvise with something once inside the fortress, like cutlery.

A good kill is one you can walk away from, not run away from. Spilled blood might give her away, because it is pretty messy stuff, and her target might scream like a cheerleader, so she might opt for something relatively quick and silent, like poisoning, asphyxiation, or the good ol' 'pillow and a hammer' trick.

Then, she has to get out of there, hopefully while chaos and confusion is at it's highest and people in panic might not notice a serving girl slipping through the servant's corridors, out the kitchen and into the cold night.

So, I don't think she would let her proficiency with a weapon or weapons to determine how to take out her target. Therefore, you shouldn't expect yourself to do so either.

Her primary goal is to avoid detection, suspicion and conflict. They are not like soldiers. They will gladly retreat from battle if they can, joyfully run and hide, they will happily stick a stiletto in an unaware neck, and don't give a hoot about engaging in dishonourable combat.

So, rather than wanting to counter someone's weapons with weapons, or countering armour with weapons, and if disguise, deception and evasion is no longer an option, she will use dirty tactics such as throwing dirt or blinding powder in their eyes, maybe get in nice and close to grapple the enemy, break a few digits or noses long enough to find another escape route. To make this job easier, she might just need a simple utilitarian dagger that might not be uncommon for anyone to wander about with.

As for her post-assassin years of adventuring and questing and whatever, I think she only needs to bring those skills with her to look after herself, maybe a shortbow and some arrows for hunting game or whatever.

Her guile, ability to improvise, overcome and adapt, will be as much of a weapon to her as anything.

And beware of the woman with a small dagger, for she may know well how to use it.