What if you replaced swords with lightsabers?

[Pescados666]

I never understood how the duel lightsaber thing worked... You'd have to charge past the opponent for it to actually be effective. If you went to slash them with one side, the other side would cut through you. Unless you went above your head, which is just retarded.

[Stormbringer]

I wonder if it's possible to fit a pistol grip onto a lightsaber/foil...

Given the amount of equipment that had to fit into the lightsaber's hilt, it seems unlikely that one could create something with both the shape and size of the average Visconti. The closest that I know of (or can readily find) are Count Dooku's curved lightsaber, and the more-curved lightsabers of Asajj Ventress (lower right).

I never understood why everone didn't just attack their oppoenent's hilt/hands...

There were only a few materials that could be used to make effective guards - most of them being very rare and even more expensive. On the other hand, I would guess that the combat styles took the lack of a physical guard into account. There are, after all, real-world examples of swords without guards, such as the swordstick and the shikomiuze.

I never understood how the duel lightsaber thing worked... You'd have to charge past the opponent for it to actually be effective. If you went to slash them with one side, the other side would cut through you. Unless you went above your head, which is just retarded.

The Star Wars wiki has an article on the in-story history of the double-bladed lightsaber, and another on the specific combat style to be used.


I feel SO nerdy...

[Nolano]

I never understood why everone didn't just attack their oppoenent's hilt/hands...

Actually, Form 1, or Shii-Cho, originally started with the goal being to sever your opponents weapons, or hands, thereby ensuring victory without causing injury, which was a very Jedi thing to do. However, with the development of form 2, or Makashi, it became less useful, as form 2 was specifically a lightsaber dueling form which always left the hand and weapon well guarded. Count Dooku was a Form 2 master, and it actually reminds me of fencing, a little. Feints are commonly used, and timing, accuracy, footwork and skill are more important than strength. Part of the goal was to defend yourself by doing as little as possible.
And in fact, the Makashi salute very much resembles the fencing salute, although there are two swishes, forming and x in front of you.

I apologize for that outburst of nerdiness.

[whiteandbluefencer]

Um, if swords were replaced with lightsabers it'd be sweet!

But yeah, we'd all probably kill each other...

[needle]

There are, after all, real-world examples of swords without guards, such as the swordstick and the shikomiuze.

Much more common and widely used example would be Шашка - whereas the swordstick and shikomiuze were "oddities", concealed weapons, шашка was a standard issue cavalry weapon for most of Russian army in 19th/20th century, and there was significant body of fencing training centered around it.