But then you'd break all gaming style, because of plate armor, and I couldn't do my swashbucklin' schtick anymore
You could they would just need to make the side sword the weapon it really is.
Sure I've got 78 head Armour with that +3 Wiemar and +3 gpb on but the front is still full to bursting with vision slits so you just need to get a good poke in
Swords are rat balls against plate armour, the only way to take people wrapped in plate out with a sword is to pry the bastard open or jam it into a weak point like under the arm pit or through the visor, which both sword are capable of.
When you read about people like
Richard Neville getting taken out in battle, aka the dudes with the cash for an arse load of awesome plate they tend to get a) killed by mobs of guys with hammers or b) get brought to the ground and have their visors opened and then get stabbed to death as in the aforementioned Richard Neville incident.
This whole Katana isn't good against plate but long swords are business is complete horse shit. Both are sub par weapons at killing a guy in plate. You need a dirty great big hammer.
For your viewing pleasure.