Just an info about scimetars : In reality, scimetars are riders'
weapons. The shape of the blade is intended to strike from up to down
and the large edge has the same effect (by weight) than a hammer : it
give more strengh to the hit.
Antic soldiers used more often gladius and other kind of
"shortswords".
This is the reason why, looking at the illustration in "Children of
the Red Goddess", I think that the Tulwar is a more apropriate weapon
for infantry. Scimitars could be reserved to cavalry and why not to
some leaders who, because of their origin, could have learned to fight
with such a weapon on hoseback and are used to it even if they fight
on the ground.
For the great scimitar, it's of course an infantry weapon, and more
probably an heavy infantry one. But I don't think that an unit could
be equiped whith it and spears, because of the weight of such an
equipment. I would use this weapon as an elite unit's weapon or like
the great sword in middle age, as a secondary weapon for cavalry men.
And, as long as I can remember, the only soldiers wich used great
swords were some landskecht (XVI° cent.) or some "eunuques"(in french)
and they had no other big weapons...
But I'm not an historian and I could make some mistake.
Hopping you will understand my "english"...
Greg
(not the great one)
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prax_at_chello.fr
http://pavis.free.fr/prax
Anciennement "RuneMaster.Greg"