Scottish Weaponry
1308 - 1745
A battle scene reenacted by members, demonstrating how the targe and sword would be used together. Note them using their targes to block the blows, not their swords, as seen in the "movies". That's what you had a shield for! The sword blade was much too valuable to risk dinging up and/or breaking by using it to parry. If you had to parry with the sword, you used the flat of the blade or the guard. "Hollywood" can get away with banging swords together edge-to-edge because they use thick-bladed, blunt-edged stage swords that are made for it. A real sword would have its blade turned into a saw, then broken, by repeated abuse of that type. Note how well the targe protects the body, covering over 80% of it - everything but the lower legs. We found it quite difficult to pierce the defense of an aware opponent!
Copyright 
1999 Historic Highlanders