Those of you who know me know that I was for many years a martial artist. Specifically I specialised in renaissance swordplay - rapier, sidesword, montante, dagger and others. My favourites was single rapier but I also loved sword and buckler as well as rapier and dagger (ooh and spear and rotella). If you get me started on any of the above combinations (or sword and cloak or dagger and small ax or, or or, I'll go on at you for ages not just about the mechanics of fighting and how different weapons work and how they all emerged as part of an arms and fashion race.