Fighting Claws and Expert Swordsman?

Here’s one mostly for the Mod’s. A situation has come up to produce a question. This hasn’t happened in several years, and I can’t remember how we handled it before.



The question has to deal with Fighting Claws and Expert Swordsman skill. The skill states:



Expert Swordsman. This warrior has been expertly

taught in the art of swordsmanship. He may re-roll all

missed attacks if he is using a sword in the hand-to-hand

phase of the turn that he charges.



The Skill says “Swords”, but could this skill be used with Fighting Claws?



Application: In my Possessed Warband, they had captured a Black Skaven with Fighting Claws. Of course, he had to be sacrificed. But what to do with the claws? How about my Four Armed Mutant taking Weapons Training and using the Claws himself? And he has. Well, he has gotten a New Skill and was curious about Expert Swordsman.



Could he use the Claws and Expert Swordsman and Why?

No.

Works with Weeping Blades though.

No, of course it doesn't work. Can you think of any reason it would? It says it works with swords. Fighting claws are not swords. You may as well ask if it works with axes or hammers.

I don’t think it would, but I had to ask just ask to make sure. I’d hate to not maximize the striking possibilities.



Thank you

Since youre mutant has 4 arms, why not give him two swords for the other two hands anyways?

Mainly because a warrior may not have more than 2 HTH weapons, 2 ranged weapons, and free dagger. The combination in this case would be Fighting Claws, Free Dagger, and Fist.



In the past I have also used a combination of 2-handed weapon, sword, free dagger.



I have had discussions with some on SG Forum (Before Shut Down), that a 4 armed, or more, mutant still can’t wield more than 2 HtH weapons at a time. Therefore, he couldn’t even use his free dagger at the same time as 2 swords. Also, since he can use weapons, he could not hit with his fists unless he only wants to hit once per turn. And when I asked about the extra attack for each new arm provides, I was told, he would use his weapon wielding hands instead. And the other arm could just hold shields, bucklers, or just wave. I thought it rather silly to have 4 arms, 3 HtH weapons carried, but could only use 2. Like Tail Fighting for Skaven, using Fighting Claws and Free Dagger in the tail. Again, some said this only works if the Skaven is skilled in Art of Silent Death, where he could fight unarmed and wield a dagger in the tail. Again, I thought it was rather silly.

What about the 'encumbered' rule? If you take the rules literally you cannot carry any other weapons if you have fighting claws.

The reason that a skaven armed with fighting claws may not use other weapons is that the claws are bound to the hands and may not be easily removed. With the claws on the hands it is not possible to manipulate other objects with enough skill to make it matter.

I am not going to bother to dig through any clarifications or errata, but if it hasn't been officially clarified I would certainly house rule that any arms (or tails, tentacles, etc.) not wielding claws could use other weapons.