So my group is playing Warhammer Fantasy (2e?) and I am creating an Estalian Diestro ( think Inigo Montoya). I was looking at the foil or rapier weapon and it sparked me thinking: what was the most deadly fencing weapon historically? The epee, small sword, saber, estoc, rapier, or something else? Most search results focus on fencing as a sport not actual combat. The situation would be single duel/ small group combat not actual war. I would love to hear some opinions!
I’m no expert, but I’d guess that you’re running into a lot of sport-related results because I assume fencing is the name of the sport and not just the one-handed fighting style. I also think that’s going to become a hard line to draw, since there’s no referee on a battlefield to blow the whistle when someone suddenly uses their free hand to add a little force to a blow.
So it depends. Where’s the single combat occurring? On a ship? Axes are great for boarding action as well as chopping rope. Inside a castle or on city streets? A short blade will be better than a long one. In an open field? Why bother with one weapon held in a single hand? Oh, because it’s a duel at sunrise? Well, now we’re basically back to fencing; combat with defined parameters.