heh, now translate that to a spear.
Then, if two handed, you'd need a 5x5 at least, instead of the conventional 3x3 for swordplay, which also means that the spear wielder could stand back and jab. UNLESS, you put into the model for stave/glaive fighting, in which it would be 3x3, but with two attacking ends which move relative to eachother... following?
That would be really complicated, because although it allows for better flow in attacks, it also puts you at a disadvantage with blocking, and offers a REAL issue when compared against realistic stave fighting, i.e. the side block is performed with both ends in the 4, or 5 quadrants, held vertically. Also, having a spear against, say, an axe also brings in the durability issue, i.e. metal chops wood. der.
So if we were to use the first design with the spear travelling in straight lines away from the user, i.e. spear head goes 5,8 on a horizantal grid, (not going to complicate things further by swapping numbers around to accomidate a 5x5 grid, try to keep up) then the basic attacks could allow for inter spear and spear vs sword attack and defence, however, if the person comes closer, then would they change fighting styles to accommadate the new reach? or would it magically grow shorter?
Also!
Could we use this ideal then to allow stabbing through fortiffications, or down a z level?
i've thought about the whip problem, not much, but i've thought on it.
if we're thinking of a simple bullwhip, i.e. completely impractical, then simple backswing and forward swing would work. say it moving from 5,5 (by your side) to 1,2 or something i dunno, the air above and behind, i can't calculate the grids in my sleepy state. and then forward swing which creates the attack point, like a stab, but the attack is delayed.
with a cat o nine or something, which splayes as it attacks, there the problem arrives.