I think the current version would simulate what you are saying pretty well Fidoric. But, I tend to agree with you, the basics of all melee fighting skills are the same: if you we teaching them you'd talk about space, balance, and positioning until the student understood the basics. When we compare this to the "crafting scale" from that type of skill that would basically be ranks 1-5. Sweeping floors and carrying tools.
I think what Fidoric & I circle back to is that: I get that there is a difference in the expertise between wielding a Sword and a Mace, but I can't believe there is a difference in the basics. ie. balance, footwork, spacing, etc.
Now, to be clear, I'm not necessarily saying to re-write or anything. I'm just kind of noting that it's something that makes sense. Most of the other skills in Novus are generalizations except Weapons/Combat skills. Magecraft explicitly gives you access to several very different skill uses at no penalty. I think we could assume it's because these are the fundamentals of becoming a mage. The only specializations are a collection of Lores & crafts associated with magery (potions, summoning etc).
I believe this approach to be more balanced with the rest of the Novus skills.
For comparison with other systems
In D&D 5E (which for good or ill should be the #1 comparable) you are proficient or you are not. I'd have to check, but, I don't think there is a penalty for not having proficiency I think you just don't get the bonus. So, if I am proficient with Martial Weapons I am automatically proficient with Common Weapons. But, if you are proficient with Common weapons, you are not proficient with Marital Weapons. I think this separation makes sense because your proficiency is reflective of a broad class of weapons you are trained in, not a singular stream. You can use a Common Weapon (dagger, club, short sword, scimitar) with your proficiency bonus, but a Martial Weapon (long sword, flail) you do not get the bonus.
Cortex System uses d2-d12 to represent skill expertise (being a mixed dice game and very good BTW). Many skills are developed as a general skill from a d2 to d6 then as a specialization from d8-d12. This makes a lot of sense because things like Athletics or Influence can be applied generally up to a d6 and then specialized into climbing or duping etc at the d8 level. Weapon skills are treated the same way.
I like this and as cumbersome as it is to develop a single skill to say rank 5 then specialize it afterwards it makes more sense than developing several skills all to rank 5 because 1 is a hilt with a 1 foot blade and another is a handle with an axe head.
I use rank 5 as the benchmark because an average starting "warrior" will likely have at least rank 5 in their weapon skill. So, that means they could use any melee or missile weapon to rank 5, but, if they bought 2 ranks in Morning Star they would be able to use it at rank 7.
One of the things I want to see when v15 is ready is how far the CPs go and what advancement is going to look like. It might not fit in to the flow of the game to have to develop multiple weapon skills. Players would be so busy dumping CPs into various weapons that they would be forced to ignore other skills. Whereas if there is a single melee skill they spend once and move on to other areas.
Hence why although I have had a lot of observations about combat skills I've been trying (no not so well) to wait until v15 is out!
LOL
That's it for now - hope its not too much
