Ed Reppert wrote:
I would add that falchions, rapiers, and scimitars are somewhat specialized weapons. The falchion is a thick-bladed single edged shortsword; the rapier is a thin bladed shortsword designed for thrusting; the scimitar is a single edged shortsword with a curved blade. Like the sabre, it originally evolved as a weapon for mounted combat. The other swords in the current list are basically "not from around here" - that is, not in the European tradition.
Quick correction regarding rapiers: Rapiers were generally quite long, usually slightly longer than "bastard swords", and just as heavy, but with more of the weight in the hilt.
