Little historic advice

[LodewijkP]

Swabians where an elite Fighting unit and highly skilled in fighting with hand and a half sword (Bastard swords) they didn't use zweihanders as standard issue weapon , some of them where equipped with it to break pike formations, Swabians where highly sophisticated in the use of many weapons.

The standard weapons they carried where a Bastard sword, a dagger and a messer ( the last one was paid by the soldier himself).

They Did not carry shields on their back, they relied on heavy armor and their weapon .
In swabian martial art every strike or attack is a defensive and counter at the same time, every attack is a defensive(block etc) and offensive move at the same time, Because of this system they didn't used shields anymore.

Swabians where the best of germany/austria, they numbers where about 1500 around 1200AD and almost 5000(1500 elite cavalry) around 1400AD, they where frequently paid and borrowed by allies and surrounding country's and where trained by numerous masters at arms and famous german fechtmeisters including The jewish wrestler otto and fechtmeister liechtenauer.
Because of this they learned a lot of tactics and on the field they where knowned as master of tactic and fighting .

[Aetius]

The Swabians right now look so much better, than ones with bastard swords will ever be.