There is something I want to point out about bayonets and bayonet fighting and its current representation in-game. The thing to be remembered is that muskets are long and heavy weapons, about 10+ pounds of wood and metal and a 1-2 pound bayonet at the end of it. The speed with which a bayonet can be thrust, feinted, and blocked with and any sequence of the three is insane, the bayonet is just tossed around like it weighs less than a feather. The bayonet is not a graceful weapon, it shouldn't be treated like one. I suggest that bayonets have the "unbalanced" trait which makes recovering from thrusts longer, it keeps the thrusting speed but when recovering from a thrust, the reaction will be slower due to the character struggling to regain control of the 12+ pound pole that he just shoved forward as hard as he could.
Another thing I want to point out is that saber briquets and shortswords have as much effect as a dull butterknife striking steel. I understand that a saber briquet is not an ideal combat weapon but striking somebody with a direct hit to the face should not be any less lethal than a bayonet to the face. The damage a long blade like that can do to the human head is horrifying, and if stabs to the stomach (which is an infamously slow and painful death) can be instant kills, slashes to the face and neck should be too. I'm not asking for the saber briquet to be a super weapon or to even be on par with bayonets, just that they be realistic.