Why were sabres even used? They are completly useless against armor and it's not like Mongols, Arabs...

Why were sabres even used? They are completly useless against armor and it's not like Mongols, Arabs, Turks never fought armored opponents so when did they even use them? Is it some status symbol?

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It's a good cutting weapon, almost as good as katanas (only one level below).

Another dumbass who thinks everyone wore full plate all the time.

1) It suited cavalrymen perfectly who slashed cunts a lot.
2) Because the vast majority of combatants in their locale are unarmored niggers ranging from light infantry to light cavalry.
3) Because even armored combatants are not entirely armored.
4) When sabers became really, REALLY, popular- between 1500s-1800s- people became less and less armored.
5) That is the weirdest fucking sword I have ever seen. I bet its a reproduction. It has aspects and fittings of a Chinese Dao but the tip of a Turkic saber.

>'Just then a French officer stooping over the body of one of his countrymen, who dropped the instant on his horse's neck, delivered a thrust at poor Harry Wilson's body; and delivered it effectually. I firmly believe that Wilson died on the instant yet, though he felt the sword in its progress, he, with characteristic self-command, kept his eye on the enemy in his front; and, raising himself in his stirrups, let fall upon the Frenchman's head such a blow, that brass and skull parted before it, and the man's head was cloven asunder to the chin. It was the most tremendous blow I ever beheld struck; and both he who gave, and his opponent who received it, dropped dead together. The brass helmet was afterwards examined by order of a French officer, who, as well as myself, was astonished at the exploit; and the cut was found to be as clean as if the sword had gone through a turnip, not so much as a dint being left on either side of it.[10]'
It was a pretty nasty weapon desu

yeah dude just fucking slash this guy lmao look at how not entirely armored he is
>When sabers became really, REALLY, popular- between 1500s-1800
they were popular way before that among nomad tribes, Turks and Russians and all of them both wore armor and fought armored opponents

>Not reading my whole post.
What part of "not everyone is as well armored" did you not get?

Especially among fucking Nomadshits. The vast majority of their soldiers were utterly unarmored light cavalrymen.

>they were popular way before that among nomad tribes, Turks and Russians and all of them both wore armor and fought armored opponents
Not as popular as 1600s Asia when double edged swords almost disappeared from everyone's armories because sabers started replacing them.

Even Infantrymen in China had sabers which were effectively backswords because it was said to have been easier to train people in the saber rather than the sword.

in China dao replaced jin in 3th century and in Japan double edged swords weren't used at all

this 17th century you keep shilling seems more appropriate for eastern Europe if anything

They were; super early on when everything of value had to be imported from the continent

>sabers are shit.jpg
>literally every sword used on the battlefield since 1650 was a sabre

Chose one OP

Interesting bit, I've always thought that sabers were never used by Christians in the middle ages. But that doesn't seem to be the case. Pics are Bulgarian sabres from the 6th to the 11th century and they were converted to Christianity in the 9th century. They later switched to standard European type of sword. Which is even more weird considering the logical step would be to switch to a Byzantine style considering it was the closest superpower and the most influential one.

Here's what they switched to in the 12th and 13th centuries.

And later in the 14th century. Not a sign of sabers since the 12th century.

>Why were sabres even used?

Sabre is better than katana, but last one is widely-advertised

Arabs actually had straight swords when they fought the Romans and Sassanian Persians.

The transition for Arabs to use curved swords after the formation of the Abbasid empire when there was exposure to the eastern choice of weapon. The change was done as the result of preference by some warriors and there was an implementation as a result from order by the Caliph al-Mutawakkil in favor of sabres.

>inb4 zulfiqar
The sword of Ali would not have been curved. It's erroneously portrayed as such by people who follow the Shia tradition. The image of the Zulfiqar as a curved source is the result of later minds who assumed Ali had a sword similar to the one commonly used by their kinsmen in their day, i.e a sabre.

Sources are listed in the bottom of this blog: tameshigiri.ca/2014/08/13/a-look-at-early-medieval-islamic-swords/

Few people wore armor post 1700 so they were useful then

If I could have only seen these in their prime.

>in China dao replaced jin in 3th century
Nope.jpg. Dao were popular early in Chinese history but double edged swords still dominated.

Remained so even way into the Ming Dynasty.

A katana is a saber.

This

why they didn't use shields?

That heavily depends on what you mean by "sabre". A weapon like this is often called a "sabre" in English (in other languages things are often different), although besides the hilt and guard it is quite different from what most people have in mind when they hear the term "sabre".
Heavy cavalry more often than not used straight swords, while light cavalry more typically was armed with the curved sabres most people have in mind when they think of sabres. When it comes to infantry you also find both sabres as well as thrust-centric small-sword types, spadroons, etc.

here
I originally meant to post this pic. The other one is fine too though, as it shows heavy cavalry with similar types of swords.

They did though? Not just the spearmen.

You try waving a pike about with a shield.

There are some repros out there.

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456 is the original upon this one is based

You are allowed to carry more that one weapon with you.