Ending Him Rightly: Mordhau and Pommel Throws in GURPS

 
This post was inspired by a friend of mine who practices Fencing asking about what was possible with a Longsword in GURPS.

Pommel Throwing

Many swords throughout history had removable pommels, which could be thrown to disorient an enemy. Treat as thus:
 Removing a pommel takes 2 ready maneuvers and requires 2 hands. A fast draw or sword skill roll may change this to 1 maneuver but it failure by 5 or more drops the pommel on the ground at the swordsman's feet! Removing the pommel also removes its weight from the weapon.
Removing a pommel makes the weapon very unbalanced (-4 to skill), but it may be retrieved and reattached.
Not all pommels may be removed! Some blade construction uses the pommel to hold the grip onto the blade; the construction of the hilt may fall apart without it. At the GM's decision, a removeable pommel costs +$10 or $20. Katanas usually did not have pommels at all.

Throwing (DX-3)

Weapon	Acc	Damage	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulkl
Shortsword Pommel	0	thr -3/die cr	x0.5/x1	0.5 lb	1	T(1)	5	-1
Broadsword Pommel	0	thr -2/die cr	x0.5/x1	1 lb	1	T(1)	6	-2
Greatsword Pommel	0	thr -1/die cr	x0.8/x1.5	2 lb	1	T(1)	7	-2

 

Mordhau (Murder Stroke)

This is similar to half-swording. The Mordhau grip inflict the weapon's damage as appropriate for a mace of its size, or swing +2, +3, or even +4 crushing. A proper Mordhau is a Committed Attack  or All Out Attack, with the Strong or Determined options, against a grounded or otherwise disoriented throw. Both hands must be on the blade. If a foe catches the hilt, he may jerk the blade to attack the hands at half penalty on his turn, though a normal defense is allowed.

Extra Detail

These rules  are especially useful when the Blunt Trauma and Edged Weapons rules from Low Tech p102 are in effect. A GM who wishes to make them more effective may allow an extra +1 to crushing damage, and make the mordhau gripped swords unbalanced.

Having your Bell Rung

Strikes that don't penertrate armor can still have serious effects with head strikes. Optionally, the GM may decide that crushing face hits that deal Damage equal to DR ring plate helmets like a bell. This requires a HT roll to avoid Stun, and failure by 5 or more inflicts knockdown!