Nordic war sword is a very good sword if you want something with a thrust attack but aren't particularly good at thrusting. If you get a sword with high pierce and don't use thrust well it's a huge waste. High speed, decent length but not quite 100+ (I dislike swords 100 length or higher anyway they have trickier sweetspots and glance more). Grosse Messer is a similar design but trades +2 cut damage for -10 length so it's about if you are more comfortable with 85 or 95 length.
Also Langes Messer slots in nicely between Grosse Messer and Nordic War, while having the best thrust attack of the three. I agree with Turbo about the 100+ length swords; they don't quite work right, especially in siege where you are always fighting in close quarters.
I go back and forth between the Langes and Military Cleaver as my favorite 1h-ers. 1h thrust is so terrible, but when I don't have it, I miss it. There's nothing more satisfying than killing someone with the thrust, since it is so damn hard to pull off. Military Cleaver is probably the best 1h weapon for flat out killing people, but lower cut damage swords actually get you more points/valour (since you can get more points per kill, thanks to rounding).
