tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038300244274385722024-03-14T03:29:08.705-05:00A Knight's ViewLongwinded tales from the frontlines and discussion of the strategies and mechanics of line fighting in Belegarth.Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-16987857571054169212017-10-16T22:48:00.000-05:002017-10-16T22:49:12.344-05:00Building Line Fighting Skills<i>I'm on the road, and don't have any fancy graphics, sorry.</i><br />
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In the past, I've approached the topic of how a small group/realm/team/unit can fight in a line fighting environment. My <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2015/01/small-unit-tactics.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> about it was largely centered on the small unit being a discrete entity (like during unit battles, etc). Instead of answering the question "how do you line fight?", I gave alternative strategies to use against organized groups. Instead of giving strategies for a small group to work off of others on their team that are maintaining the line, I focused on how the small group could succeed on their own against another group.<br />
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After some discussion and a tiny bit of fighting out in the West, I realize that I've missed part of this topic in previous posts. So, instead of talking about how a group succeeds without line fighting, lets look at how to work with an established line, and how to teach people line fighting skills that will help them integrate with a larger team.<br />
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<b>Leveraging Existing Skills</b><br />
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Groups that don't get much line fighting in at practice tend to do a lot of skirmish fighting. While skirmishing doesn't work well when fighting against a line heads up, the fighting style that comes with it naturally blends into flanking and harassment tactics. When working with a larger team, then, it seems natural that a skirmishing group would avoid being part of the main line, and work on flanks.<br />
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The only real change required is in the group's priority. In a pure skirmish, the goal to is to win small chunks until you can mop up in force. On the flank, your goal is just to deliver people to the back of the enemy line while preventing the enemy from doing the same. It isn't a huge change in tactics overall, but it means that the team needs to be looking for the opportunity--if not actively pursuing it.<br />
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I mentioned harassment, which is probably one of the lesser used skills in Belegarth. One fighter distracting a handful of enemies without engaging directly in combat or getting bogged down can create advantages else where. Just when the enemy decides to give up pursing a harassing fighter, the fighter can move up and take a swing or two and back off. Using just enough aggression and throwing a few shots here and there, that one fighter can keep the enemy's attention. This strategy doesn't work quite as well during a large line fight, but works quite well in a battle with many teams (unit, realm, etc).<br />
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<b>Why Line Fight?</b><br />
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So, if so many places do lots of skirmish fighting, why line fight at all? <br />
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The basic building block of line fights is really the pair. In a one on one fight, even a single hit to the arm can be decisive. Working in a pair, though, buys time to recover from such a hit. If we were to consider support weapons in the mix, we also see that the pair can cover multiple ranges in a mutually beneficial way. If a spear was entirely on their own, they would often be rushed, but with a partner, they can overlap their threat ranges and build a more robust defense.<br />
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What if we had a pair of pairs, each with a spear and a sword/board fighter? They gain the benefit of overlapping ranges on the spears. If one of the pairs is rushed, the other pair can provide support. If the enemy fields a spear, the two spears can work together to kill it while their shields prevent them from being overran easily. As we expand that along the line, we start to see that the whole line is really just small groups of 2-3 people working together and supporting other groups of 2-3 people next to them.<br />
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The only real weakness here then becomes the flanks/rear of the line, or any space between the smaller groups of fighters that an enemy could move through with impunity. That's why the flanking and shock trooper tactics are so important on offense and defense.<br />
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Besides the sort of "safety in numbers" mentality to forming a good line, the other primary reason is for spatial control. In the relative chaos of a skirmish, it is very difficult to control a space, such as an objective. Forming a well spaced line prevents the enemy from getting behind it without a fight, making it easier to control the space and enemy access to it. Games like capture the flag or monarch battles can be won and lost by how well a team controls the field.<br />
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<b>Teaching Line Fighting</b><br />
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If the pair is the building block of line fighting, it seems natural to me that doing drills to practice as a pair is a great way to start teaching line fighting. I'm particularly a fan of 2v1 drills for this purpose, I've most likely mentioned it previously. The goal of the pair is to kill their opponent without being hit. This forces the pair to work off of each other's strengths/weaknesses to kill a target. Meanwhile, their opponent gets practice fighting multiple targets.<br />
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A different approach is to use a "stand and deliver" drill. Two teams of people (equal numbers preferable) line up and face each other. Especially with newer fighters, basic sword and shield is the preferred equipment. Instead of a wide open field, the area is either marked slightly wider than the line or has a herald on each end to act as an edge of the world. I have also seen this done with a line in the middle which the fighters couldn't cross instead. The basic idea is that there is no backstabbing or flanking. As opponents die, the fighters shift on their line to aid their allies. When teaching using this drill, the emphasis is on teaching fighters that they are fighting the three fighters opposite them (the one in front, and one on each side of them).<br />
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Either drill can be used to help develop skills for dealing with or supporting support weapons. A pair with a spear in a 2v1 drill, for example, both trains the pair to work together and teaches their opponent how to defend against the spear/sword&board combo. In a stand and deliver drill, both teams learn a valuable lesson on watching their flanks (or the friend's flank) for incoming spear stabs, while support weapons get a taste of fighting each other across a line fight.<br />
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<b>Bridge Battles</b><br />
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<i>If you aren't familiar with bridge battles: picture a bridge spanning a river. Anyone that falls off the bridge or the banks of the river is dead. It's the most basic of <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/06/choke-points.html" target="_blank">choke point</a> battles to set up.</i><br />
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Okay, first off, bridge battles can be dangerous without going over safety with fighters. Even then, higher density of fighters mixing with polearms will eventually cause accidents. However, bridge battles are a way to force line fighting. The narrow space prevents any flanking and causes even a small practice to be a line fight of one form or another.<br />
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If a realm is newer to line fighting or bridge battles, it's probably best to ease into it with limited weapons. Glaives and other reds can be particularly dangerous even with a good bit of experience because it doesn't take much divergence in a swing to end up unintentionally hitting a different target in the head. Starting out, I'd recommend sticking to just sword/board and emphasizing swing safety heavily. Depending on the practice space and fighters, limiting shield bashing and kicking may be useful early on as well.<br />
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Safety disclaimers out of the way, consider what is required to win a bridge battle without any support weapons. Fighters have to work together and maintain a fairly straight line. If anyone gets too far ahead of their neighbor, the enemy might be able to pick them off without repercussions. In order to gain any advantage, the fighters have to work together to draw out enemy swings so they can be countered or to block for a teammate while they swing at an opening. Because the lines are so densely packed on a bridge, fighters get experience being attacked from several opponents and learn to block angles they may not have otherwise.<br />
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Changing the width of the bridge or adding additional bridges of various sizes can change the intensity of the fighting. Foot bridges that are only wide enough for one or two people can add a bit of fun and strategy. Wide bridges can help lessen the intensity if safety might be a concern.<br />
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The whole idea of doing the occasional bridge battle at practice is to get fighters a taste of line fighting that they wouldn't otherwise get.<br />
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<b>Misc Thoughts</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>It is hard to teach "head on a swivel," but it might be one of the most important skills to have. Scanning the area for threats lets you and your team get a better chance of surviving.</li>
<li>Line fighting requires matching the enemy threat. If a great fighter moves off to the flank, your team needs to have someone (or a group) move to challenge that fighter. The line spacing has to adjust to match large threats (like a mass of armored up fighters that look antsy to charge).<br /><a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/06/supporting-your-support.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/06/supporting-your-support.html" target="_blank">Supporting your Support</a>. A spear isn't much good if it gets overran.</li>
<li>As always, communicate. And listen. Alert your team to problems and do your best to respond if others need help.</li>
</ul>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-68470183151544199432017-10-11T21:41:00.003-05:002017-10-11T21:41:42.371-05:00The 2 v 3 Scenario<i>It's been a while, I know. Such is life. I just haven't been fighting enough to have things to rant and complain about lately.</i><br /><br />A friend of mine asked a good question about how to win in a 2 vs 3 scenario as the pair. He left it rather open ended, but I thought it was a pretty solid basis for a blog post.<br />
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I've talked about fighting while <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/05/outnumbered.html" target="_blank">outnumbered </a>a few times before, but what makes a 2 vs 3 interesting is that it is still a small enough fight that you won't have as many vision gaps or confusion on the larger team to work with. Since my friend left it a bit open, lets look at a few different cases.<br />
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<b>The Base Scenario</b><br />
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Lets consider for a bit the most basic encounter like this we might see. All of the fighters are equipped with a large round shield, and a moderate length sword and no armor. The skill level of all fighters shall be considered roughly equal. Heck, lets even say they are all right-handed fighters (dirty lefties always trying to mess up examples).<br />
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From the pair's perspective, what are their options?<br />
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1) Keep it a line fight: stick together and try to whittle down the other team.<br />
2) Divide and Conquer: split up and hope the larger team is slow to react or their third hesitates.<br />
3) Pin and Split: have one fighter try to draw two of the other team into a 2 v 1 fight, so the other can get a 1 v 1.<br />
4) ? Suicidal rush ?: most strategies I can think of are one of the above to one degree or another.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PVr_2bZ3j0s/Wd7NK9FGP7I/AAAAAAAABW8/2FacpiXHTJoArZM5pBLyvjLQAakEwRFSgCLcBGAs/s1600/2v3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="341" height="312" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PVr_2bZ3j0s/Wd7NK9FGP7I/AAAAAAAABW8/2FacpiXHTJoArZM5pBLyvjLQAakEwRFSgCLcBGAs/s400/2v3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Case 1 isn't bad, but if the skill level is equal, it isn't going to be good either. By keeping it a line fight, all advantage rests with the larger team. The pair has to fight on the defensive, and the larger team is usually going to be free to send one fighter off to attack from an angle. One thing to keep in mind though, is that by using better positioning (similar to a 1v2 fight), the pair can mitigate most of the offense of one of the triplets. By shifting to the right a bit, the triplet on their left flank can't swing as easily at the pair. In order to win the line fight, the pair has to move together really well to sort of approximate the same approach a single fighter would when outnumbered--changing directions when one of the triplets is out of position, without splitting up enough to get overran individually.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mp2EWqsiLuo/Wd7NaZG6RxI/AAAAAAAABXA/HuEM588BL70vys-RGyFEREws1PxDNk8kgCLcBGAs/s1600/2v1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="950" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mp2EWqsiLuo/Wd7NaZG6RxI/AAAAAAAABXA/HuEM588BL70vys-RGyFEREws1PxDNk8kgCLcBGAs/s320/2v1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Think of how this might look with a 2 v 3 fight. The goal of the pair is to get the triplets into this "Really Not Good" position that the two blues are in here. They want the triplets to be in each others way and out of swinging range as much as possible.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Case 2 has some potential. Start the fight off as a line fight, then split quickly in opposite directions. The person in the middle of the three person team has to decide which direction to go in a hurry. By going in opposite directions, each of the triplets end up having to show their backs to one of the pair. When the third person chooses a direction, if the pair member doubles back from the opposite side, it could be a chance to kill one or two outright.<br />
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Case 3 isn't much different, but it is a more intentional attempt by the pair to choose which direction the third person goes. One member throws swings and feints at two of the enemy while his partner shifts away a bit to draw the 1v1 fight. The drawback here, compared to case 2, is that it doesn't force any confusion in the larger team. There isn't as likely to be a moment where the 1v1 fighter can get free to backstab the two people his partner is fighting.<br />
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So it would seem that for our little base scenario, a divide and conquer approach might be the way to go. It gives the pair a little more control over the fight and puts the triplets on the defensive for a second. There is also a chance that sticking closer together can work, but it really depends on how well the two of them can move and act together to contain the triplets.<br />
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<b>Support Weapon Scenarios</b><br /><br />Now that we've looked at a simple scenario, lets see how support weapons might shift things. Swapping one of our triplets to a polearm doesn't really change things too much. The pair still is better off trying to divide and conquer if they can because facing a polearm head on isn't favorable for them at all in a line fight or as a pin for a pin/split.<br /><br />However, if we give one of the pair a support weapon, things get a little more interesting. If the two tried any strategy that required them to split up, the support weapon might be easily overran. So, in this particular case, the pair should try to stick together and do their best to keep it a line fight. By leveraging the extra reach of a polearm, the pair has a much larger advantage in the range game if they can keep the triplets from splitting up too much. It actually reminds me of one of my favorite <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-battle-of-lakepoint.html" target="_blank">stories</a>.<br /><br />What if both sides had a polearm? The triplet's polearm negates the range advantage the pair might have had. If they try to split up, the pair's support is still in danger of being overran; OR the pair's sword & board fighter ends up taking on a polearm and friend while the third triplet fends off his support. Even though the situation isn't favorable, it's still probably best for them to stick together and line fight as best they can.<br /><br />What if all three of the triplets have a polearm? Both of the pair? Okay, I'm not actually going to go through every combination here. I think we can kind of see the pattern already. The real choice for the pair is all about how well they would survive individually if they would split up.<br /><br /><b>Skill/Armor Disparity</b><br /><br />How might our little scenario change if we swap around some fighters and add in a more skilled fighter or one that is fully tanked out in armor?<br /><br />As our support weapon example indicates, if we give advantages to the pair that can help them win a line fight, they might be better off sticking together. Put a top-tier fighter in full armor on the pair, and they might as well stay close to each other. However, a pin/split might also work, as the more skilled fighter will have an easier time both drawing the extra fighter and surviving/winning the 2v1; OR have a much higher chance of beating the single fighter if his buddy can pin two in place for a second.<br /><br /><b>General Thoughts</b><br /><br />
<ul>
<li>As always when outnumbered, mobility is key. The pair must keep moving, always attempting to get one of the triplets out of position. "Keeping it a line fight" probably requires the pair to back up, at the very least, but more likely requires them to strafe back and forth.<br /></li>
<li>Typical line fighting teamwork techniques are important to keep in mind. Feinting towards the middle fighter might move their defenses over so your partner can take a swing at them. Faking for a swing might draw out a counter that allows your partner to snipe an arm.<br /></li>
<li>By getting even a single leg hit, the pair can turn the fight into a 2v2.<br /></li>
<li>Teams of fighters fight differently than individuals. The larger group may not swing as often per person as the smaller group. When outnumbering, they often look for counter swing opportunities . Feints may be particularly effective at drawing them out.<br /></li>
<li>Targets of Opportunity: if the triplets mess up, punish them for it. Regardless of the plan, killing one outright because they have a poor guard or turned incorrectly might happen. Be on the lookout.<br /></li>
<li>Communicate! Even simple words like "split" or "shift right" can help a ton.<br /></li>
</ul>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-16891708036114903612017-04-09T21:41:00.001-05:002017-04-09T21:41:25.002-05:00AggressionEvery once in a while I hear someone say "I need to be more aggressive when I fight." After the most recent occurrence, I realized that I had never really compiled my thoughts on being aggressive in fighting, both in a duel and on the line. A few posts might suggest specific aggressive maneuvers or tactics, but don't really address aggression directly. Shock trooper tactics, in particular, are generally aggressive in nature, especially on the offense. The aim of this post, then, is to look at how aggression works as a general concept rather than what tactics might be aggressive.<br />
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<b>Aggression in duels</b></div>
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When fighting a single opponent, most people only consider direct offensive swings as "aggressive". While that is generally the case, one will also find that positioning and footwork can be aggressive. Moving towards an opponent's weakness is aggressive, even without swinging a sword. This will also be true in a line fight, but varied in scope. </div>
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What separates offense and aggression is that offense is applying pressure to the opponent with attacks, regardless of relative position--from a weak position, equal footing, or from a place of advantage. Aggression, however, is moving towards a place of advantage over the opponent (often with offense included). This forces an opponent to either fight from a disadvantage or react to get out of that disadvantage.</div>
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One thing to consider is actually the transition from a more passive or defensive posture into an aggressive attack. You might hear the term "explosive" used to describe fighters that sort of switch on to being aggressive quickly. By switching gears into a highly aggressive movement as quickly as possible, it makes it extremely difficult for an opponent to react. If, instead, one were to just start the fight by running directly at the opponent, they have time to prepare. However, by pacing one's self and waiting for the correct time to act, a quick burst of aggressive fighting might catch them flat-footed.</div>
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An example of this might be starting the fight defensively, while circling backwards and towards your sword side. This causes your opponent to constantly turn towards their shield side (assuming the same handedness). After a few moments of this circling, quickly switching directions and being aggressive will likely find their sword arm exposed as they are still trying to turn away from it. In this way, we see that aggression isn't always going to be a constant way to fight, but something that turns out to be essential at the right time.</div>
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With regard to footwork, the aggressive step is diagonally towards your opponent's sword side, as they have much less passive protection. Against two sword fighters, the more aggressive step is diagonally towards the opponent's lead leg side, for much the same reason--though it also serves to reduce their offense from their offhand weapon.</div>
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<b>Aggression in line fighting</b></div>
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Much like a one on one, aggression in terms of line fighting is about moving towards the enemy's weakness. The difference is that the weakness here is often a gap in the enemy line, or another weak point, that might lead one into their backfield (which is the true weak spot). Also like our dueling considerations, aggression doesn't have to start at the beginning of the battle by running headlong into the enemy.</div>
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Many of the sort of shock trooper actions that I have discussed previously are best when executed at the correct time in the fight. For example, gaps don't often form in the enemy line until part(s) of the line are nearly engaged in the fight during the tail end of the maneuver phase of a battle. A shock trooper, looking to run a gap, has to wait and observe the enemy line and try to predict where and when that gap might be. Once the gap is formed, the shock trooper will assess the enemies nearby and try to time their attack to catch one of them unaware. This often involves noticing vision gaps at the area around the physical gap in the enemy line.<br />
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Other aggressive tactics, like line strafing (down the front of the line), don't require specific timing to start. When strafing a line, the aggressive fighter merely picks a target, usually based on vision gaps noticed, and makes a run for it between the two lines. The weak point being sought in this specific example is vision gaps, the first target simply being the first weak point noticed. As they move down the line, new vision gaps crop up and they can keep moving down seeking to deliver swings from each vision gap they find. If any of the vision gaps disappear (the shock trooper gets noticed), they simply block and keep moving down the line looking for the next vision gap.<br />
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Another case of aggression can be seen when looking at fighting while outnumbered. A single skilled fighter often moves towards the flanks of whatever group they are fighting against. Obviously, the flanks are a weak point of the line, and the single fighter gains advantage there. Therefore, moving towards the flanks here is aggressive and it forces the enemy to change their position (rotating to move their flanks).<br />
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Most people will generally consider aggression from only the standpoint of a sword and board fighter. However, aggression can also be used when using a support weapon. Not all of their aggression is direct from attacks, but from positioning their weapon along a line that will be able to exploit opening or force an opponent to cover them instead of their usual guard. Pointing a spear tip towards someone's sword side hip, for example, forces them to either lower their guard to block, back away, or risk the hit. Note that this aggression needs to be within the effective range of the weapon, and is amplified by attacking the target directly along this line. As I've covered many times when talking about glaive fighting, creating "presence" on the line is done by spreading attacks around to several targets. Ideally, engaging each of these targets in their weakest point (an exposed leg, sword side hip, or shield side if it is low) will further amplify the effect.<br />
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<b>Confidence, Threat, and Perception</b></div>
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One thing that I believe several fighters have issue with when trying to be aggressive is actually confidence in what they are doing. Being aggressive while presenting a more timid appearance and/or hesitating doesn't have the same effect as a determined appearance. It may be that one is unsure if their plan will be successful, and this impacts how they appear to the enemy. To alleviate this problem, one has to commit to their action fully, without worrying too much about the outcome. </div>
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Threat is roughly how the enemy perceives one's effective range. This effective range is amplified by things like longer weapons or previous encounters of one running, rushing, or otherwise being aggressive. Someone that never does more than walk forward and never runs gaps will have a much lower perceived threat than someone that is constantly strafing lines and breaking gaps. This threat range increases the effects of aggressive maneuvers.<br /><br />For example, several folks out there recognize my shenanigans when strafing lines or pushing gaps. This causes people to call out when I am approaching gaps or maneuvering down a line much faster and more often than when someone doesn't engage in the fight that way on a normal basis. While my personal success ends up being lower due to the call, my actual impact on the team via aggression is amplified. I force their line to move against me, or deal with me running around in their backfield. (Though, I do sometimes miss the days when no one realized what I was about to do...)</div>
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<b>Misc</b></div>
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Much of being an aggressive fighter is actually just being an observant fighter that is willing to take some risks. <br />
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Observing a weakness in the enemy doesn't mean much if you don't "just go for it".</div>
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Aggression is one of the tools used to manipulate the enemy into the position of your choice. That includes a line of enemies.</div>
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Aggressiveness does not have to be recklessness.</div>
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Aggressive defense is a thing (see <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/05/outnumbered.html" target="_blank">Outnumbered</a>).<br />
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Cardio.</div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-25402911815789987872017-02-02T19:38:00.001-06:002017-02-02T19:38:31.326-06:00"For Clarification"After working through a bit of a roundup of new rules, I thought I would take a look at one of the larger changes more in depth. The changes to the way archers will have some impact on the game, if nothing else due to our ingrained habits needing tweaked. For your ease, the relevant new rules:<br />
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3.13.6. An archer who attacks with an arrow or bolt may call a combat hit for clarification when the shot clearly and unambiguously hit a target area.</div>
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3.13.6.1. For a shot to be clear and unambiguous, the archer must have an unobstructed view of the entire flight of the arrow or bolt including post hit deflection.</div>
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3.13.9. When in doubt, the target makes the hit determination for missile weapons.</div>
Several archers out there are worried about 3.13.9, thinking that it lets anyone just ignore arrows. However, this is in line with all of our other weapons as far as someone deciding to cheat on the field. It does seem like this rule might be prime for a bit of rewording, specifically when "who" is in doubt.<br />
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With that in mind, here is my interpretation of how a few common archer/target interactions might work out with these rules. These are strictly based on my personal interpretation of the rules above, and are intended to start some discussion on how fighter etiquette might change a bit due to these rules.<br />
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<b><u>Example 1:</u></b><br />An archer fires an arrow and it hits their target with good deflection near the seam of two target zones, such as right near the hip. The archer thinks it might be a body shot, but the target takes leg. Under the old rules, the archer could just call the target dead. Under the new rule, the archer wouldn't be able to make a call for clarification, because the target zone wasn't hit clearly and unambiguously, meaning it was the target's call to take the hit correctly.<br />
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<b><u>Example 2:</u></b><br /><br />
An archer fires an arrow which hits low on a target wearing baggy pants (hakama). The arrow stops, but the target doesn't take a hit. Under the old rules, the archer could call leg, if they wanted. Under the new rules, because the baggy pants prevent seeing if the target zone was hit clearly and unambiguously, the archer doesn't get to make a call for clarification. This leaves it to the target to decide if it was garb or leg.<br />
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<b><u>Example 3:</u></b><br />
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An archer fires an arrow at an unaware target that is in full armor. It very clearly hits in the middle of their back and deflects. Under both the new and old rules, the archer can call a combat hit. Even if the target didn't feel the hit, they should take it.<br />
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<b><u>Conclusions:</u></b><br />
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Just from working through those three short scenarios, it appears to me that both of the first two rules are highlight what the best archers out there do already. 3.13.6 says that archers need to be certain that their arrow hit a specific target area, without question, in order to call a combat hit. 3.13.6.1 says that an archer has to be able to see the whole flight and deflection in order to even be able to ascertain whether a shot hit clear and unambiguously.<br />
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Most of our experienced archers already call their shots this way. They only bother calling a hit when they are certain it is a good hit, or if a target requests clarification (ie, giving them the deer in headlights look). In essence, these adjustments to the rules actually force newer archers to adopt best practices of our seasoned vets, while giving targets a chance to disagree with bad calls.<br />
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"But Torry, what about when people just ignore my arrows/calls and don't take hits?" Well, this is exactly what other fighters deal with on occasion. Heralds/Marshals still have the authority to call hits, and are still the people you should take problems to. If it happens to be someone you know fairly well, just ask them about the hits and discuss it.<br />
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At the end of the day, this sort of change to the rules requires archer and targets to both make some adjustments in how we do things. People that aren't archers need to read the rules for arrows and understand how to properly take hits from them. Simple things like arrows passing through weapons often leaves people confused already, so it will take time for them to adapt to not relying on archer calls for simple hits. Archers will have to grow accustomed to only calling shots that they are sure exactly where they think they did.<br /><br />Personally, I'm hopeful for how these changes impact the game. As a herald, I definitely have spent way too much time managing incorrect archer calls and bad hit taking from arrows.<br />
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Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-88631902476646767332017-02-01T20:54:00.001-06:002017-02-17T09:16:53.743-06:00New Season, New Rules<i>Long time, no post. It's been a busy time for me away from fighting. If things happen to calm down a bit, I'll get back to writing more regularly. I realize this post is a little sloppy, my apologies, I'll try to clean it up soon*. I just wanted to get this started and out there for folks that hadn't had a chance to read the new rules.</i><br />
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<i>Update 2/2/17: added change regarding having one leg hacked and the other pierced. Also added "Unclear" section.</i><br />
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<i>Update 2/14/17: added head then body to unclear</i><br />
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<i>Update 2/17/17: added Shields lying on the ground can't be broken</i><br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</u><br />
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<b><br /></b>The War Council of Belegarth has recently passed a vote to accept a new, updated version of the Book of War. This version was crafted by a rules committee, which was appointed by War Council, through a long process of analyzing the old rules for issues and reconciling differences between interpretations from various realms. It isn't "perfect", but it does give us, the Belegarth community, a solid footing to look at our rules and make changes as needed down the line. Lots of rules have changed to reflect clarifications or compromises between different interpretations.</div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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I had originally intended to compile a list of changes and break each of them down here. It quickly became apparent that was beyond the scope of a quick blog post. Instead, I would like to point your attention to a few items that are definite changes to how the game is played (vs. my local realm of Numenor). I only highlight below a few of the things I noticed on a couple of quick reads, so this is in no way comprehensive. If you want to check it out and see for yourself, <span style="font-weight: bold;">GO READ THE RULES: </span><b><a href="http://www.belegarth.com/getting-started/rules/">http://www.belegarth.com/getting-started/rules/</a></b></div>
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These are just a quick overview, not exact wordings of the new rules. Significant changes are those that might have an impact on how the game is played or on current equipment passing weapons check. Minor changes are those that, while different from the previous version, shouldn't change much of how the game is typically played. Clarifications are things that either were implied through various old rules interactions or were played a specific way that never made it into the rules. Unclear is anything I notice that is either still ambiguous from the old rules, or where I noticed some sort of conflict between rules.</div>
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<b><u>Significant Changes:</u></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>No leg running. From what I have seen, this is likely to be updated in the next round of voting later this year. This is a carryover from the old rules that no one seems to remember enforcing.</li>
<li>Archers can call hits for clarification if they have an clear, unobstructed view of the whole arrow flight. The target gets to make hit determinations if it is unclear, for all missile weapons. This will take some adjustment and discussion on how these rules actually work out in combat. From what I have seen, "archers" are usually playing to these rules most of the time anyway. "Guys with bows", not always. It does bring archers more in line with everyone else as far as hit taking goes.</li>
<li>Incidental and courtesy padding have specific, and different, definitions now. Incidental has to be somewhere between a striking surface and what generally has passed a semi-okay non-striking surface in the past. Flails, glaives, and other weapons with haft padding need be looked at to conform with the new rules. For incidental padding, 6" for one-handed, and 12" for two-handed is required for swung weapons. It will take some time for the community/craftsmen to figure out what exactly passes for incidental padding.</li>
<li>"Two-handed" is defined as both hands firmly gripping the weapon at the point of impact. Allows you to pool-cue double, but only if you grab with the sliding hand at the end. Same applies to the two-handed "ax swing" for swung weapons.</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Minor Changes:</u></b></div>
<ul>
<li>Half-draw for arrows has a little different wording. It now means "half the force of a full-draw". Not a big change, but it is a good thing for archers to be aware of.</li>
<li>Draw stops on arrows have stricter requirements than before. Most of the our archers were already conforming to standards close to the new rules.</li>
<li>Sufficient force is defined a little differently</li>
<li>Heavy hits for shield breaking hits is better defined (and is specifically "heavy")</li>
<li>Communication for "light", "graze", "garb", "armor" is now required, as well as truthfully reporting any damage/armor condition when asked.</li>
<li>No intentionally hitting a combatant with non-striking surface (like flail haft to hit with ball). </li>
<li>No feinting head strikes from non-head legal weapons or shields.</li>
<li>Weapons "contested" in a grapple take limbs if they are grabbed by the blade.</li>
<li>The rules for shield bashing/checking were cleaned up. They also added shield bumping (pushing without trying to knock them over) and bracing (static bracing against someone moving into you). Basically, don't try to knock people over from behind, and target their center of mass if you are trying to knock them over from a different quadrant.</li>
<li>Crossguards are now actually in the rules (templated like a pommel).</li>
<li>If you have a pierced and hacked leg (both will be down), hits to the hacked leg don't do damage. The wording of rule <span style="background-color: #fdfdfd; color: #313131; font-family: "open_sansregular"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; word-spacing: 2.6px;">3.7.2.4.5. </span>is a little goofy, but this seems to be the intent of the second part. (Added here 2/2/17)</li>
<li>Shields lying on the ground can't be broken. (Added here 2/17/17)</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Clarifications:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>"Magic Switching" your weapon when your arm is killed is specifically legal.</li>
<li>"Shot In Motion" is now official, including "Late" being defined in the rules.</li>
<li>Shield kicking requires one foot on the ground.</li>
<li>Grappling has been cleaned up and better defined.</li>
<li>Grabbing a weapon handle/haft padding is NOT a grapple.</li>
<li>Grabbing your own striking surface (half-swording) is legal.</li>
<li>A hit to a disabled arm when you are wearing body armor counts as hitting the body armor.</li>
<li>Armor definitions got better.</li>
<li>Handles have to be continuous except on double ended weapons.</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Unclear:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Arrows hitting a hand on a weapon has two rules in conflict. Hand on weapon counts as part of the weapon, so the arrow should go through. However, the rules for the hand target area specifically say hits to the hand count as hits to the arm. Traditionally, the interpretation was that arrows go through hand on weapon. </li>
<li>A swing that hits both head (illegal target area) and body doesn't specify if the target should take the body hit, or discount it due to the illegal hit. Strict reading would indicate this is still a valid body hit, as long as it is sufficient force. Common way to play is based on if the head shot was significant enough, to ignore the body shot. (Added 2/14/17)</li>
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Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-7911735518452229912016-10-20T18:14:00.001-05:002016-10-20T18:14:37.820-05:00Fundamentals: Following ThroughWe talk about following through with swings fairly regularly, but what does that really mean? Following through is continuing a swing until its force is fully delivered to the target. When teaching newer fighters about the concept, instructors often explain this as aiming beyond the target. For example, if one wants to hit the opponent's shoulder, they should aim their shot to go through the shoulder into the chest. By mentally planning to have the shot hit well past the target, the body's motion used for the swing ends up carrying on beyond when the hit actually makes contact.<br /><br />Why is continuing the swing after it hits important? Every time a part of swing is stopped or slowed prematurely, it loses power. Even adjusting the angle of attack can reduce the power of the swing. Changing the speed or direction of a swing forces your body to do extra work. This combination means that a swing that you "put a lot of effort into" may end up still hitting light. In turn, that causes your perception of an opponent's call of "light" be tinted by your own inflated feeling of how hard you swung. So not only are you hitting way lighter than the effort put into the swing would suggest, you are also building up a feeling that your opponent has a high hit tolerance.<br />
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As I've mentioned in <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2016/09/fundamentals-overswinging-sword.html" target="_blank">Overswinging</a>, the bounce of a shot helps aid in recovering or comboing it. By not following through, you fight against the force used to swing the shot in the first place, and get rid of some of that bounce. By not following through, you are essentially wasting energy, either by swinging extra hard to compensate for the wasted effort to get a sufficient hit, or by swinging a wasted shot that will end up being light. Through a long day of fighting, that wasted energy will take its toll.<br />
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You will notice above, I mention that the body must continue its motion as part of the follow through. This is important, as some out there don't explain that simply letting the sword motion continue isn't the same as following through with the swing. From the moment your body stops the motion, the shot loses power.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>From the moment your body stops the motion, the shot loses power.</b></blockquote>
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Lets look at an example. A common situation where I see this regularly is with min reds. As I've mentioned before, they aren't really suited for breaking shields efficiently. This is made even more true when the user doesn't follow through with their swings. Many times I have witnessed a min red user attempting to place many shield shots in rapid succession, only to have them all called light. The problem is that by trying to fit in as many swings as possible, the user ends up having to stop their body's motion before the shot has connected. Essentially, their body ends up starting the motion for the second swing by the time the first has hit. Not only are they reducing power by not following through, they may be further hindering the hit further by pulling their arms back to prepare for the second swing before they've even hit.<br />
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In order to deliver a good, solid shield hit here, the min red needs to keep their body motion until as much of the force of the swing is transferred to the target as possible. Attempting to block a counterswing or recover to guard are often causes of not following through. This means, for min reds, that often the choice is between being able to block, or delivering enough force to be a solid hit.<br /><br />Following through doesn't only apply to slashing weapons. Stabs have a stark contrast between a good hit and a light hit. Without any follow through, a stab might touch the target, but it won't always be sufficient. Even with only a short bit of follow through, however, the force goes up drastically. Stabs, then, should be aimed to be stabbed "through" the target, not stop on them.<br /><br />A common cause for stabs landing light from not following through is actually range. At max range, the body can no longer continue the stabbing motion, which causes it to greatly reduce power as it approaches this range (as different parts of the body reach their limits of extension or twist). Roughly, the last few inches of reach that can touch a target will have a significantly lower impact than a shorter ranged stab. Those "last few inches" turns out to be about how far of a follow through is required to land a solid hit. By reducing that follow through, you reduce the hit force proportionately.<br /><br />One thing to note here, is that following through also might result in excessive hits in some cases. For example, a close/medium range stab with full follow through, to an opponent that is unaware, will likely hit on the side of excessive. The same is true for backstabbing with a sword. By choosing specifically not to follow through with the entire body, one can scale back their hit force for their opponent's safety and generally courtesy.<br />
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<br />Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-67050541344539522962016-10-15T22:33:00.000-05:002016-10-15T22:33:47.572-05:00Fundamentals: Combos<i>This post didn't make it out nearly as fast as I had hoped. Between work trips and Okfest (complete with post-event plague), I've been a little behind. I also realized that combos was a little larger topic to narrow down to fundamentals than I had originally planned for (go figure). There are other posts in the works, but they might be a bit delayed as well.</i><br />
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Last time I took a look at the basic swings. While each of those shots has value on their own, especially for new fighters developing their skills, combining different shots together is essential to overcoming foes. Most newer fighters tend to step up and swing once, then go back to guard and repeat. As we talked about in Overswinging A Sword, this has a few potential issues in energy efficiency as well as giving your opponent more time to defend themselves. Another issue is that by pausing between attacks while within range to swing, you allow your opponent the opportunity to take control of the fight and put you on the defensive with a combo of their own.<br />
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What we often see from more experienced fighters is approaching to range and using a combination of many basic attacks or feints (see bottom) to keep their target on the defensive and unable to counter effectively. Commonly used combos tend to utilize the rebound from a strike as we talked about in Overswinging to recover into the next attack. As such, most typical combos attack opposite sides of the target or switch to/from legs and arms. Besides the natural flow of the rebounding energy, an added bonus to switching target zones is that the opponent's guard might move to cover one direction and expose another target.<br />
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I had originally considered breaking down several combinations of the basic swings here, but that started to become a little much to write in a clear fashion. Instead, I have decided to break down a few things that significantly impact a combo's effectiveness. Combos tend to be a defining characteristic of fighting style and part of individual development, which makes them difficult to break down to a simple list of swings <i>(picturing a fighting game's moves list)</i>. While simple combos can be thrown together at practice with little forethought, I have found that thinking about fighting outside of practices to be extremely valuable in improving. So, here are some things to consider when contemplating how to put together your own combos:<br />
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<b>Common Reactions</b><br />
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By "common" here, I mean what many fighters often do, which can vary by person and group. Some common reactions are more universally true than others. In general, when thinking about combos and fighting, you should be asking yourself "what would I do to counter that swing?" This, at least, gives you some idea of what a fighter might do against you. Each step in a combo should go through the same though process. This sort of critical thinking is the core of developing as a fighter, both for developing your combo and analyzing your own reactions to swings.<br /><br />Common reactions to a swing can help figure out what swing should follow it in your combo, or where your guard should go to help it. For example, a leg sweep is often countered by a cross to your arm. This gives you a rough idea of where your shield should be during the swing to reduce your risk, and also an idea of where an opponent's arm might be exposed after the swing.<br />
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Many shots don't have just one common reaction, but a few different ones depending on the opponent. The high cross, for example, is often countered with a high cross (usually a simultaneous kill), but others counter it with a very short cross towards their opponent's exposed sword arm (highly effective counter). However, both of those attacks target the sword side, which still gives you some idea of what the opponent will do.<br /><br />Knowing and understanding common reactions is an important step in utilizing feints in your combos.<br />
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<b>Power vs Speed</b><br />
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As I talked about in overswinging, it is difficult to combo into the same swing/target with enough power because you are fighting against the recoil of your swing or stopping the swing early to bring it back to swing again. Both options waste time and power. To target the same general area, one needs to work with the recoil and allow the sword to pivot around the hand, arcing back into the same area a few inches away. Even then, power is lost as the arm/body don't fully recover from the first swing.<br />
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It is ideal, from a power standpoint, to hit targets on the opposite sides of the opponent, because your arm and body will already be coiled to deliver the next blow. For example, when swinging to the opponent's shield side, your elbow tucks in towards the body, but throwing a cross shot causes your elbow to pop out away from the body. The extra distance covered as the sword goes around from side to side also acts as a wind up for the next shot, which can allow each blow to be substantial.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>By starting the next swing before completely finishing the previous one, the combo is done faster, but it loses a significant amount of power. </b></blockquote>
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While combos are great for hitting many targets quickly, there is danger in executing the combo too quickly. By starting the next swing before completely finishing the previous one, the combo is done faster, but it loses a significant amount of power. This is especially problematic for lighter weapons and min reds that already require a decent commitment to following through with shots. This can be extremely frustrating as many shots in a row will be called "light". <i>(More on following through on the next post)</i><br />
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Some shots in combos can be intentionally light. The cross shot is often used this way to temporarily disrupt an opponent's sword so they will be less able to swing. Other shots may be thrown light as a way to trigger a common response or guard reaction from the opponent, without wasting the energy of a swing that may not have had a good target, such as a shield side swing to hopefully cause the opponent to move their shield over or up slightly.<br />
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<b>Number of swings</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A two shot combo is quick and forms a good building block for other combos by adding other swings to the end or as a follow up to a different swing. A nine shot combo that assumes the target moves a certain way for three of them, on the other hand, is way too complicated to be effective. For the most part, combos end up being either a two or three shot attack, or some combination of common two and three shot combos.<br />
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If we knew we could kill a target with specific number of swings, that would the be correct number to have in the combo. But, because our target can move and block, we have to assume some of our shots will fail. As such, some combos are geared towards swinging enough to land a single blow or to take a specific limb. For example, a simple combo that is often learned early is a short cross to the opponent's sword followed by a leg sweep. The short cross is assumed to fail, but allows one to safely close for the leg sweep and protect against the counter swing. So, even though the first swing didn't "do" anything, it was worth doing.<br />
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In general, a combo only needs enough swings that it can regularly accomplish a set goal. Adding extra swings after such a combo is optional, and completely dependent on the opponent's reaction to it. If the opponent somehow blocks your amazing combo's finishing blow, but has to leave themselves wide open to a followup, then add another swing when the opportunity occurs. If the combo is super effective, but leaves you winded every time you use it, maybe you can figure out a more efficient way of achieving the goal with less swings.<br />
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As the number of swings in the combo increases, there is a good chance that your arm will be exposed for a longer period of time. This is especially problematic in fights that are larger than one on ones. Even a combo that does a decent job of protecting the arm against the opponent, will often leave the arm exposed to other fighters on the opponent's team.<br />
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<b>Goals</b><br />
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Do you need the target dead, legged, armed, or just to move them? Not all combos have to kill the target. Sometimes simply forcing someone out of their position or keeping them occupied is valuable to your teammates. Some combos are entirely about getting a feel for your opponent's reactions without making any attempt to kill them outright.<br />
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Even individual swings within the combo can have goals. For example: a short cross the close the distance safely, shield side swing to move their guard over, followed by crossing over to a sweep to take their leg, then finished with a high wrap shot to kill them over their now low guard. Each swing here has a purpose. If they didn't, it wouldn't add anything to the combo.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Using any combo repeatedly has diminishing returns.</b></blockquote>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Options</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Using any combo repeatedly has diminishing returns. Combos work best when they can lead into a number of possible swings. By using different options at each step in a combo, it becomes less predictable by your opponents and can better capitalize on targets of opportunity. Lets take a look at the short cross. If I were to throw a cross at your sword, I end up in a position that could naturally flow into a number of other shots, like a leg sweep or a swing to their shield side shoulder. In the event that I were to only ever throw a short cross, followed by a leg sweep, my opponents would soon figure it out. <br />
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One way to develop options is to practice each option as its own combo. This will help make each options a little smoother, and be easier to switch to as the situation dictates.<br />
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<b>Number of opponents</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Combos are almost always discussed in the context of killing a single target. However, combos can be used against multiple opponents to some extent. For example, a min red user might target one opponent's shield for the sole purpose of luring another opponent to counterswing. In this case, the mid red user would have already planned for the common response and brought up a block, then followed with a counterswing of his own.<br />
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This line of thinking is often used more for support weapons, as they are most often facing an array of targets on the line, rather than dueling. One key to consider here is that the recovery force between swings is carried over to a new opponent, rather than adjusting target locations on the same opponent.<br />
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Considering the common reactions of multiple opponents, and how they are different in a team vs solo, is way beyond the scope of this post.<br />
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<b>Feints</b><br />
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There are many finer points of feints that might warrant their own post, but I have included them here due to their importance in many combos. In essence, a feint is using many of the body mechanics used to execute an actual swing, but only enough to convince an opponent that swing is about to happen. "Only enough" takes a bit of time to figure out, and varies greatly by opponent. Newer fighters and those with a preference to counter swinging tend to react more heavily to certain motions. Other fighters only react when the sword reaches a certain distance from them, and don't react at all to anything outside of that.<br />
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For example, to fake a leg sweep, one might bend their knees, dip their sword side shoulder a bit, and pull their elbow in slightly to rotate the sword to vertical (out of A-frame). This is enough motion to (hopefully) fake out some opponents, but doesn't add much momentum in the sword, making swinging towards a different target fairly easy. Should the opponent lower their shield to try to block the leg sweep, one could then just push out their arm into a pop shot to that shoulder, as the arm is already coiled correctly for the strike with the sword in relatively good position. If they don't fall for the feint, one could just continue the motion to throw the actual swing instead, which the opponent hasn't decided to block.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>The best feints give options to follow up with, either pressing the attack that was mimicked, or striking one of several other targets that might open up after the feint is "bought" by the opponent</b>.</blockquote>
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I mention feints in this post because they can be used in lieu of an actual swing in a combo under the right circumstances. In the case above, we could also have just used a leg sweep and recovered it into another swing, but that recovery would have taken much longer and been less likely to hit an open target. By feinting for the leg sweep instead, you save that effort and reduce the risk of the opponent's counterswing taking your arm, all while setting up a good second shot. Feints can even be put into combos with other feints, each one leaving a couple of possibilities for follow up depending on the opponent's reaction.<br />
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Another use for feints, which I mention here for completeness sake, is to gauge an opponent's reaction. If one was to fake a high cross, for example, an opponent with a tendency to counterswing will be far more reactive than other fighters. This gives you a slight edge when considering what your opponent will do against your next combo, and might suggest leading with a feint would be effective at opening them up.<br />
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<br />Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-64553895812542763102016-09-22T10:30:00.000-05:002016-10-10T13:38:04.763-05:00Fundamentals: The Basic Sword SwingsI looked at the basic swing for sword a couple of weeks ago, so I will skip over it here. That basic swing is one of several basic attacks that form to core of several styles using one-handed weapons. Single sword, sword and board, and two sword techniques all draw from these basic attacks and add a layer of their own fundamentals. Rather than muddle up the basic swings with extra diversity here for those styles, I want to focus strictly on the motions required to do the most basic attacks so we can build on them in a later post. Several of these are sort of tinted towards sword and shield because that is their most common usage. Note: these shots do not apply equally to lefties in terms of value, unless they are fighting other lefties, but the motions are much the same.<br />
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Below is a list of the remaining five basics shots. I have tried to focus on the motions required for the sort of "base case" of the attack, the version I would teach a new fighter. By learning these shots, one begins to be able to see how they can adjust a swing to change targets or combine motions to make a different swing.<strike> Next week</strike> In a few weeks, I could go into how to combine these motions into different shots, but I want to keep with the fundamentals. With that in mind, look for a post on combos next week that looks at how the basic shots can work together.<br />
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<b>The Pop Shot</b><br />
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This is one of the lesser used attacks out of the basics. It doesn't hit particularly hard, and has some limits on usefulness. The big advantage is that it is super fast at hitting an exposed shoulder. Despite being seldom used, it is perhaps one of the easiest attacks to learn and uses very simple motions.<br />
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The goal of the pop shot is to go from guard to hitting the opponent's shield side shoulder (assuming righty vs righty) as quickly as possible. Now, your arm is already slightly cocked in guard, with the elbow bent a bit. This usually ends up with your forearm roughly pointed at the target's shoulder. The sword tip is slightly tilted in towards you head/shield.<br />
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In order to hit the target's shoulder, you'll need your sword to both get closer and to align with the target. Getting closer is as easy as punching forward with the arm directly towards the target, extending the wrist with a snap at the end to get the most range possible as the sword angles forward. Aligning the sword is just a small rotation of the wrist done in conjunction with extending the arm. Just like with our look at how to swing a sword, extra power (and range) comes from rotating the shoulders/torso towards the target, starting with your hips.<br />
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Unlike most swings, the pop shot ends up being somewhat more like "pushing" your sword into a target, rather than a typical slashing motion. This motion makes the pop shot a building block for other "swings" that use similar motions of the wrist after moving the arm towards a target.<br />
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Recovering a pop shot that hits a target is fairly easy. The sword will naturally bounce up from the target, so raising the hand and pulling back to guard takes a minimal amount of effort. This does leave you forearm exposed briefly until you can fully recover. Overswings with the pop shot, especially with a heavier sword, are much more difficult to manage. Perhaps the easiest recovery is to carry the force down by rolling the wrist, twirling the sword to the outside and back up towards guard.<br />
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<b>The Wrap Shot</b><br />
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What I might consider the opposite approach to the pop shot, the wrap is designed to go around a target's defenses and hit with the back of the blade. This means that it doesn't take the shortest or fastest route. Also unlike the pop shot, the wrap generally carries a decent amount of force into the shot and is probably the shot newer fighters struggle with learning the most. Because of the position required to strike, a wrap shot is best used at close/point-blank range. It can be used further away occasionally to hit arms, but it is only really possible to hit a torso shot from that short range.<br />
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There are many different variations of the wrap shot, but the one we generally start out teaching newer fighters is a basic, wide wrap aimed towards the middle of the opponent's back or shield arm. This isn't the most direct or efficient wrap shot, but it allows someone to learn the motions a little easier. The swing starts much like our basic swing with tipping the sword to the outside, rotating the torso toward the target, bringing the elbow in towards the body, and extending the arm all in one motion to propel the sword in a bit of a corkscrew. The difference comes from carrying the corkscrew motion around by rolling the wrist over, causing the blade to turn such that the back edge is towards the target. After rotating the wrist, the elbow should naturally want to bend out as the shot hits. At this point, starting your recovery with the torso will pull the shot towards you a bit, giving it slightly more power.<br />
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A good wrap shot will feel smooth for most of the motion. Should you start rotating your wrist too late or too early, you'll end up fighting against the motion rather than redirecting the hit. A good way to feel how the motion should be working is to simply swing your sword back and forth loosely by your side, rotating the wrist as it passes by your hip. You are looking for that same smoothness when throwing a wrap shot.<br />
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The motion itself requires rolling the hand/wrist over mid swing. Improperly timed, that can lead to a ton of strain on the wrist and elbow. If the swing is interrupted during the transition from front to back of the blade, it causes additional strain on the arm. For these reasons I generally recommend not overdoing it on practicing wrap shots. Try to space out the practice and focus on the motion, before trying to deliver extra power.<br />
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<b>The Chop </b><br />
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Unlike the finesse used in a pop shot, or the technique used in a wrap, the chop shot is a shot that focuses on using the torso's power to deliver a solid blow. A very common use is to attack the "slot" between the opponent's sword and shield, particularly as they throw a wide wrap or are recovering from a swing, aiming for the inside of their forearm. One reason this particular chop is used regularly is because the natural motion of blocking (with a shield) will cause your body to rotate into the shot.<br />
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The shot is very simple overall. Rotate the torso towards the target. As the torso rotates, slightly extend the arm to draw the sword down into their arm. You'll notice here that wrist motion is minimal. In fact, much of the shot is done with a locked wrist, specifically as the blow lands. Other than extending, the arm doesn't move much either. Overall, chop shots rely on the torso's rotation for a vast majority of their power. In order to hit solid, more rotation is generally used, including as part of the follow through.<br />
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Because of the limited arm and wrist motion, the basic chop shot is also slightly shorter ranged than other swings. Its advantages come from power and, as in the above example, efficiency of motion. The chop to the inside of their arm is perhaps the fastest swing to use in that example because it causes the sword to take the most direct route to the target with very little wasted motion.<br />
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<b>The Short Cross</b><br />
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This is a very common attack for righty vs righty because it targets the enemy's sword side. A successful cross shot can tie up the enemy sword or put an opponent onto the defensive to avoid leaving their sword arm open. Here I am breaking the cross shot into two types, the short cross and the high cross. While very similar in basic execution, they differ in range, utility, and risk.<br />
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Much like the pop shot, the short cross uses a punching motion. However, the short cross adds wrist and further torso rotation towards the target's sword side. The shot ends with a wrist extension.<br />
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That sure sounds a lot like a pop shot pointed at a different target, doesn't it? Yes, kind of, which illustrates why learning the basic shots is important for developing further. The difference here though, is the the short cross has far more power than if you were to execute it more like a pop shot by simply aiming your arm, then punching out. That extra power comes from the rotation of the arm.<br />
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One important note about cross shots is that due to the rotation, they have a tendency not hit squarely on the blade, often closer to corner of the blade or even flat depending on where they meet the target. Many vets will actually angle their sword in the hand to compensate before/as they throw a cross to ensure a cleaner hit and avoid flatting someone. While other shots have similar rotation, they generally follow a wider, more complete arc, giving the swing more time to level out the rotation.<br />
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For lefties, the short cross can be an important tool to have as it is one of the few techniques that effectively targets a righty's shield side. Many righties shift their shield over towards their sword side to help guard against a lefty. This leaves their shield side somewhat vulnerable.<br />
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<b>The High Cross</b><br />
<b><br /></b>While I am including it in this fundamentals post, the shot by itself isn't ideal. Later on, adding shield work, footwork, and combos into the mix helps make up for many of the shortcomings of the high cross. The swing itself is much like what a short cross would become with a bad overswing or over rotation. Rather than targeting a sword, the attack targets the opponent's chest/gut/hip. The main problem with the shot is that in order to be able to land it on a target, you have to be in a position that the opponent can hit a similar target on you with the same technique. This is one of the largest causes of simultaneous deaths.<br />
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The way the swing is often executed, in addition to the normal motion of a short cross, the rotation is aided by raising the elbow and bending the torso with the swing. This change in position also helps aid the sword in angling straight down, ideally somewhat parallel to their shield so it might pass behind it. This angle is what makes it a shorter ranged attack than the short cross as your sword can't be fully extended out and also pass behind their shield.<br />
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Now, because the high cross is rotating so far, an overswing can be painful, and there isn't a great way to recover the force due to the awkward position. Because of being so hard to recover, the overswing will leave your arm and defenses vulnerable. For these reason, it is generally safer to avoid throwing a high cross at its max range, as an opponent may well move back and cause an overswing.<br />
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<b>The Sweep</b><br />
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Attacking the opponent's legs, a sweep follows the curve of their shield down into the leg. While I can utilize some variant of the basic swing, wrap, or even the pop to attack the leg, a sweep can be more ideally suited for the job. As I have discussed on the range game before, leg attacks require one to be closer to the target and some extra work to help close the distance.<br />
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The motions of the arm are much the same as the basic swing, but the forearm takes a wider arc to the outside as the arm lowers a bit. This makes the sword follow a smoother, wider circle than the basic swing. Following this arm motion, without adjusting the body, will result in either being out of range or likely hitting the bottom of the shield<br />
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In order to compensate for this problem, many newer fighters are temped to lean their torso forward. This causes one's shoulder, or even back, to be highly exposed to the opponent. Most of the range and positioning can more safely be done by bending the knees. This brings the shoulder lower and closer to the target, which improves range. It also keeps your body centered and guard relatively intact, especially with a shield.<br />
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One could also choose to lean slightly towards the sword side, causing a dip in that shoulder, while simultaneously shifting weight onto the the sword side leg (if it is forward). This still keeps ones guard relatively intact, but does have a couple of problems. For starters, this lean ends up placing your head in the path of a common counter swing used against sweeps, which will result in getting hit in the head many more times than simply bending both knees. The other problem is that your weight ends up almost entirely on one leg, making it an easier target and reducing your ability to dodge other attacks.<br />
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Recovering from an overswung sweep, or even some hits, it is often easiest to sort of complete the circle, rather than pulling the sword back. During the swing and the recovery, the arm is much more exposed to attack than during many other swings because the hand has to be so much lower than the normal guard.<br />
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<br />Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-36915571288287022152016-09-15T00:00:00.000-05:002016-09-15T00:00:17.841-05:00Fundamentals: Overswinging A SwordSo, overswinging a sword isn't a fundamental, but recovering from a swing properly is. It is a problem that many newer fighters face. An overswing happens when a swing misses a target altogether. Now, the obvious problem here is that missing causes you to generally be in a bad position, either with your sword low or arm extended well past the target. Perhaps less clear to newer fighters, is that recovering an overswing both takes longer and more effort than recovering a swing that hit a target.<br />
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Recovering from a single swing that hit the target is fairly straightforward. Once your sword hits, it will naturally rebound back in the direction in came from. This natural bounce helps fuel your recovery, and sort of refunds some of the effort put into the swing. By doing the opposite motions with the muscles that got the swing there, recovery should feel smooth. For the most part you are just returning your body to its normal, rested state. All of your recovery for most swings is going to be first in, first out. Your swing started with your hip rotation, so will your recovery. The rest of your body follows the hip back into position. Your resting position will be back to whatever stance you started in.</div>
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So why is an overswing so bad? Well, for starters, your opponent is no longer stopping your sword for you. That means you now have to stop the sword, then recover to your guard. The more force you've put into the swing, the more force you have to stop in midair. This places immense strain on your body and drastically slows the recovery. You end up doing twice the effort to get back to defend yourself as you would if you had hit anything. You are also losing some of the energy from your initial swing that would have been refunded with the bounce.</div>
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Stopping a swing midair can also lead to injury or soreness. This is especially true if it is a frequent occurrence. Certain shots are far worse to stop, as well. For example, the wrap shot already places a fair amount of strain on the wrist, and stopping it mid-motion isn't fun at all.</div>
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Overswings are going to happen, even to veteran fighters. The difference between a vet and new fighter here is in how they recover. Ones natural inclination is to stop the swing, and pull it back into guard. We've already talked about how that is going to be bad. Veteran fighters, however, have grown accustomed to following through with their swings and carrying the motion around, either into another swing or to reset to guard. </div>
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For example, if I were to swing for your leg and miss completely, rather than stop my sword and bring it back up to guard, I would carry the motion past your leg and rotate it around. I can carry this motion either back to guard or into another swing. This uses my arm only to redirect the motion, not to stop it.</div>
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Obviously, hitting your leg would have been ideal, but by carrying that motion around I'm not wasting effort or time stopping a swing. I can also carry that force onward to another swing so I end up conserving some of the energy I've put into my first swing. It also distributes the strain of the recovery out, rather than concentrating it all into stopping the sword.</div>
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This concept of carrying motion on into another swing forms a basis for combos. When getting a bounce from hitting a target, one can use the recovery to guard to help power another swing. This causes your sword to basically orbit your guard or sword hand in between strikes, using your arm to redirect the motion and effort into the next hit. The same principles also make it harder to hit the same spot twice in a row with the same swing and with sufficient force, because you are fighting against your recovery force with your second swing.</div>
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One note here, there might be some vets out there thinking that they can recover an overswing really easy and it doesn't put too much strain on them. While that may be more true for your 12 oz, counter-weighted sword, it isn't really going to be the case for heavier weapons or those with a balance point further out from the handle. Having your balance point in the handle might help reduce the amount of force required to recover an overswing, but it does that because there is less force carried in the tip of the sword to begin with. This is more important on swings that involve wrist extension or rotation, and much less important for attacks like the chop that don't rely as much on the sword and arm for power. (more next week on that)<br />
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That being said, some swings fit into this concept of recovery better than others. I'll talk more about the basic swings next week, and try to point out where some of those swings differ in terms of recovery.</div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-50066913415765302212016-09-08T00:00:00.000-05:002016-09-09T21:17:14.473-05:00Fundamentals: Swinging A SwordHow do you swing a sword? A question that doesn't get asked nearly enough by new people, and isn't always taught by vets. While we often talk about different shots and techniques, I think the basic attack of swinging a sword directly at the enemy gets overlooked. Granted, vets don't throw a basic swing most of the time (since it will just hit an opponent's shield), but the body mechanics of it are great building blocks for other attacks. Also, for newer fighters that are working together to fight more experienced people, landing a good, solid hit from a flank can be essential to success. Nothing quite as discouraging as finally hitting a good fighter's back or side only to hear "light". While it may be a very limited problem at a local practice, at events it is going to happen.<br />
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Lets set up the following scenario to look at the motion required to hit a target. Your opponent is already fighting someone else, and hasn't noticed you approaching from their side. Your sword side is "behind" them, like a right-handed fighter approaching an opponent from the opponent's left. This makes your most direct attack a straight swing to their back. You have approached swinging range while maintaining your normal stance and guard (in case they actually notice you).<br />
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Now, the typical stance starts with the sword arm's elbow bent and the wrist turned slightly so the sword angles towards the shield side. The shoulders are squared up towards the target, and one foot is forward. Assuming the sword side foot is forward, this means your torso is slightly twisted away from where you want to swing. If the shield foot is forward, your torso ends up twisted towards where you want to swing.<br />
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We know where you started, but how do you get the sword from this stance to end up hitting the middle of their back, blade first, and with sufficient force? For starters, you'll have to rotate your arm/wrist so the blade is tipped outside of your swing. Rotation here is a mix of a little bit of wrist motion and moving your elbow closer to the body, which essentially uses the shoulder muscles to help. You'll also want to extend your arm, in a motion similar to punching. Of course, doing both motions separately is awkward and slow. However, combining the two causes your sword tip to travel in a nice, smooth corkscrew motion. Add a little wrist extension to the end, and you are doing a pretty decent swing.<br />
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The only missing piece now is that that combination of motions doesn't really add a lot of power to the swing. Most of your effort so far is just re-positioning the sword, not adding power in the direction of your target. This is where your stance and torso motion are very important. As stated above, sword foot forward makes your torso twisted away from the target. That also means it is coiled in a way that you can use the muscles to twist into the swing. This can add significant impact to your swings.<br />
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You will hear vets talking about using your hips when you swing. Really, what they are saying is to lead your shot with your hips, so that your torso is essentially coiled to add to the swing. In our shield foot forward example, this means starting your swing by rotating your hips towards your shield side. Now, keeping your feet planted and twisting your hips here can work, but another alternative is to simply switch stances as you swing. By moving your sword foot forward as you swing, it forces your hips to naturally rotate. The rest is just following that motion up with the torso and the arm motions.<br />
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To summarize: <br />
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<li>Start the swing by rotating your hips in the direction you want to swing. </li>
<li>Follow the hip motion with the rest of your torso.</li>
<li>While rotating into the shot, use your arm to position the blade to strike.</li>
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One point here I would like to highlight, a good swing like this uses the whole body, not just a single group of muscles. Besides adding power and speed to your swings, this also distributes the work/effort required. Ideally, that means that you shouldn't end up being sore in only one spot. For example, many new fighters have issues with their wrists being sore. Likely, this is caused by using the wrist to swing, rather than using the whole arm and body combination. This concept of using the whole body in swings will be a running trend throughout the fundamentals series of posts.</div>
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My next post will look at over swinging and recovering from a swing.</div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-52215286282281562282016-09-05T14:02:00.001-05:002016-09-05T14:02:21.522-05:00Fundamentals Intro<i>Someone pointed out that this blog was dead, it isn't quite. Posts will be super sporadic thanks to a fairly busy work schedule. I will try to do better at rolling out more posts much more often. This particular post has a good chance of being a bit of a rant, but it seems like it might be a good place to start for future posts.</i><br />
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With "new guy season" well underway, I've been thinking a lot about the fundamentals of different equipment and what to focus on when teaching newer fighters. I started out thinking about how I fight with glaive, and realized that almost all of my style just boils down to the few fundamentals executed efficiently. As we think about weapons that are safer and lighter, we start to see more divergence from fundamentals into odds and ends of "advanced" or "situational" techniques. (quotes here because some of those "advanced" techniques are things vets can get away with, despite being bad form)<br />
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This all came to an interesting conclusion: our more dangerous, harder to use equipment is easier to build fundamentals with because the variance in technique is much lower than things like sword and board. For example, glaive can be broke down into three two-handed swings, a one-handed swing, and stabbing. While it make take some time to practice and perfect those techniques to refine placement, combos, and energy efficiency, it is easy to focus on these core techniques. If we look at sword and board, our introductory weapons set, there are at least 6 basic types of swings to learn, plus a few stabs, and a lots of shieldwork. While that isn't a huge amount to learn, it all gets muddled with a much larger variety of possible attacks and combinations with shieldwork and swings.<br /><br />Designing a class or one-on-one instruction around the fundamentals of sword and board seems fairly straightforward, but the most common interaction between vet and new fighter comes on the field at practice. Many times, the "wow, what did you just do to kill me?" response from a new fighter draws the vet to explain an advanced technique or unique combo. I wonder how this impacts a newer fighter's development of the fundamentals. Are we distracting them from the core techniques, or giving them an incentive to build them?<br /><br />With all that in mind, I think the next few blog posts will be geared towards the fundamentals. While I am temped to start with the overall fundamentals of swordfighting like footwork, stance, and situational awareness, I think it may be more beneficial to focus on the building blocks of how to swing a sword.<br />
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Now, of course, others have already ventured down this territory. The Amyr, for example, teach a class at about every Midwestern event about the basic shots. This is good instruction to learn what types of shots are possible, but I would rather look at the various motions that combine together to make those shots happen. After all, if we want to work on the fundamentals, mastering the basic motions of a shot allows one to adapt a shot to hit where they might need to.<br />
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The next post, then, will start with the super basic "how to swing a sword". As always, questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome. Stay tuned!Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-15142021426161588472016-09-03T20:04:00.003-05:002016-09-03T20:29:13.354-05:00Local UnitsSquire Takus talked today about units, specifically his unit (Wolves of the North). I got to talking to a few people and realized that we don't have a great resource to identify units, their members, and what they do on and off the field.<br />
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So what is a unit? For the most part, a unit is a group of fighters that fight together, train together, and try to coordinate their fighting on the field to a much higher degree than a loose collection of people would. They usually include some sort of rank/command structure and a general style of fighting as a group. At most events, we also do 'unit battles' where each unit fights on their own team. Outside of fighting, units are often friends that hang out and have fun off the field. You will also find that most units choose to camp together at larger events. Along with that, units are generally set up to help their newer members gear up and often coordinate to help each other work on fighting related projects like garb, armor, and weapons.<br />
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Each unit also has its own method of accepting new members, usually into some sort of grace period known as petitioning or pledging. This is a chance for the unit and potential recruit to figure out if they are a good fit for each other. Different units also have a variety of trials, either for membership or to advance ranks within the group. Sometimes, you'll hear someone refer to a "barrel", this is a specific type of trial involving fighting a long series of fights.<br />
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There are many more units out there than I will talk about today, since I'm only going to be looking at units with members that fight in Numenor (at UIUC). Several of the units represented locally are also national units, with members spread all across the country that get together to fight at events.<br />
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<b>Wolves of the North:</b><br />
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<a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13920897_10154414189894419_612025420165820796_n.jpg?oh=fc2db83e53fee28a26127cd5992f2a00&oe=584AB499" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13920897_10154414189894419_612025420165820796_n.jpg?oh=fc2db83e53fee28a26127cd5992f2a00&oe=584AB499" width="153" /></a>Squire Takus recently founded the Wolves with the intent of making a unit that was accessible to newer fighters. The end goal is to get a combined arms group using a mix of flanking, an armored front line, and support weapons like spears, glaives, and bows all working together. This is a great unit to look at if you are wanting to try out the unit experience and see what it is all about.<br />
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As a newer unit, I don't know their process of inducting new members, so feel free to ask Takus about it.<br />
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Local members include: Squire Takus (leader/founder), Sir Gradamere, Macintosh, and Finrod (among others).<br />
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<b>The Amyr:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/5/5d/AMYR_Lotus_NavyBG.jpg/350px-AMYR_Lotus_NavyBG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/5/5d/AMYR_Lotus_NavyBG.jpg/350px-AMYR_Lotus_NavyBG.jpg" height="200" width="197" /></a><b><br /></b><br />
The Amyr is a unit with a strong focus on training themselves and teaching others. While fairly small in number nationally, their average skill and fitness is generally higher than most units. A majority (I think?) of the unit is currently local to Numenor. The typical gear you will find them with is either sword and shield or two swords. Almost all of them have fancy garb with the lotus symbol on it.<br />
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I don't know too much about their rank structure, but there are plenty of people to talk to if you are interested.<br />
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Local members include: Sir Cyric, Sir Hurin, Dame Volpin, Sir Himmel, Horus, and Arc (and many more).<br />
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<b>Urak-Hai:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/3/38/Uruk.JPG/180px-Uruk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/3/38/Uruk.JPG/180px-Uruk.JPG" /></a>Another unit inspired by Lord of the Rings, the Urak-Hai are designed to be a hard hitting, heavily armored unit. Founded by Sir Vhil (a local knight that is a rare sight), many of the unit's inner workings are designed to inspire the members to conform to the hard hitting group they are named after. In order to achieve the rank of Ravager, for example, a member has to achieve so many points in various challenges of strength. They also have a minigame called "Ork Bowling" where various members compete to knock down the most people (from standing) in a given day.<br />
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While once very large locally, many of their members have moved, and are now spread out nationally. At larger events, you will see a large group of fully armored up orks charging into the enemy line, not simply to kill them, but to bash their way through.<br />
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Local members include: Feral (local leader), Sir Orso, Rainbow Shark, and Shadrac.<br />
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<b>Dark Guard:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/e/ed/DarkGuardSymbol.png/180px-DarkGuardSymbol.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/e/ed/DarkGuardSymbol.png/180px-DarkGuardSymbol.png" /></a>Dark Guard was founded locally by the now retired Sir Klaws from former members of the Urak-Hai, and still has a majority of its active members in town. Their primary focus is flanking and exploiting the weaknesses in the enemy line. They work very well in pairs and small groups.<br />
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The unit's "theme" is based on Mordor, from Lord of the Rings. For example, the Nine Nazgul are the veterans and leadership of the unit, a rank that was achieved by completing a series of trials to put their skills to the test.<br />
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Local members include: Sir Sarif (leader), Nikita(leader), Kabibbles(leader), Squire Larkin, and Squire Kyle.<br />
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<b>Black Company:</b><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rxkuOzEZdkM/V8tn8ltV9zI/AAAAAAAAAr0/4KWPXB7Fx0o7P-gzp12OzKyZTP8-ZYKRgCLcB/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rxkuOzEZdkM/V8tn8ltV9zI/AAAAAAAAAr0/4KWPXB7Fx0o7P-gzp12OzKyZTP8-ZYKRgCLcB/s200/Untitled.png" width="200" /></a></div>
The Black Company draws its name and mercenary theme from the book series of the same name. As a true group of mercenaries, during unit and realm battles, they are often contracted out to different groups--accepting a variety of forms of payment, like beer.<br />
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For a long time, the entire unit would carry javelins, along with their usual gear. The group itself is well known for the trials they place their petitioners (those wishing to join the unit) through, including a number of pushups with each headshot or death.<br />
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Draggeron is the only full member locally (I think?), but petitioners Lynard, Simba and Bean fight locally as well.<br />
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<a href="http://www.geddon.org/images/8/84/Triad.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Triad.GIF" border="0" src="http://www.geddon.org/images/8/84/Triad.GIF" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
<b>The Triad:</b><br />
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The Triad is actually three different units, that all come from the same origin many years ago and sometimes group up at events. The three all started as Brotherhood of the Falcon, then split into three groups: Brotherhood of the Falcon, Elite Blood Falcons, and Dark Angels.<br />
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The three units are fairly close nit, often referring members of the other two as "cousin", a reference to the Brotherhood origins.<br />
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<b>Brotherhood of the Falcon:</b><br />
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<a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13615155_10206972501690392_7736986140276508755_n.jpg?oh=fa0f538127bd8fe9a8a063deec53ddde&oe=587F6D21" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13615155_10206972501690392_7736986140276508755_n.jpg?oh=fa0f538127bd8fe9a8a063deec53ddde&oe=587F6D21" width="178" /></a>Often shortened to BOF, Brotherhood of the Falcon centered around teamwork and family. Full members refer to each other as "Brother", both as a rank, and a sign of being part of a family. On the field, they used a combined arms approach with a heavy front line of large shields and armor supported by a few support weapons and a strong group of flankers. They spend some time drilling and practicing working in pairs.<br />
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Joining the unit requires a full member to sponsor you as a pledge. During time as a pledge, it is a chance for you and the unit to decide if you are a good fit for each other.<br />
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Much of the rank structure and iconography used by the unit is drawn from Warhammer/Warhammer 40k, which a number of members play. Spotting their members is usually easy, they all wear a belt sash with the Falcon on it. Local membership is limited, but nationally the unit is quite large.<br />
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Local members include: Sir Piper (national leader), Sir Torry, Sir Rukus, Zuloo, and Bronek.<br />
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<b>Elite Blood Falcons:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/0/04/Ebf.jpg/180px-Ebf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.geddon.org/images/thumb/0/04/Ebf.jpg/180px-Ebf.jpg" /></a>Elite Blood Falcons, EBF for short, is similar to BOF in their family approach to their members. The most common equipment used by several of its members is flail and shield. Those wishing to join the EBF are known as "Almost Blood Falcons", ABF, which function similarly to petitioners/pledges to other units.<br />
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In order to ascend from ABF to EBF, they must complete a trial where they must protect an unarmed (and pierced in both limbs) person from a few waves of attackers. This barrier to full membership helps keep the unit's overall skill on the field high.<br />
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Some of the EBF's trials are named after those of the Clans from Battletech/Mechwarrior, though similarities are limited. While small locallly, the unit has a fair number of members nationally.<br />
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Local member is Sir Galin.<br />
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Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-67231869450471915622016-03-01T20:36:00.000-06:002016-03-01T20:36:39.075-06:00Weapon Roles, Part 2Last time I talked about weapon roles and different ways to get the most out of different fighting styles on their own. Today's post is all about how those different styles interact and build off of one another. Rather than going through every style combination one by one, I've decided to focus on the basics of what makes individual styles work together, with a few examples in the form of some likely pairs.<br />
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<b><u>Range Control</u></b><br />
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One of the primary reasons to work together with different styles is range. Every style has a weakness in this category. Archers and polearms can't do much at close range, shieldmen and two stick fighters lack range to deal with polearms, and min reds have a mix of both problems. By combining different styles, with different weaknesses in range, a pair can overcome this problem. Possibly the most common pairing that demonstrates this is a polearm and a shield man. The polearm is weak at close range, but the shieldman can fight perfectly fine at that range. Meanwhile, the polearm can help against targets that out-range the shieldman.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wx196f38EIA/VtTds12BeeI/AAAAAAAAAlk/nI60mb9gbWs/s1600/Combined%2Bsupport%2Brange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wx196f38EIA/VtTds12BeeI/AAAAAAAAAlk/nI60mb9gbWs/s400/Combined%2Bsupport%2Brange.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This crudely photoshopped image demonstrates the overlapping range presented by a shieldman/polearm team. Note the danger to any target that would stand in the glaive's two handed range. </td></tr>
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The overall effect of this combination of ranges means the an enemy shieldman doesn't have an obvious range to prefer. Staying at the outer bounds of the shieldman's range means the enemy can't easily attack. They also can't close on the polearm without being in range of the shieldman's attack. Better yet, the team also creates a range that is extremely advantageous for them. In the zone where their ranges overlap, they can both work against the same target. In the sample above, that means the glaive can be dishing out two-handed strikes while his shieldman is able to swing effectively at the target.<br />
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While shieldmen and dual wielders might seem to be the only styles to fit into this close range defense, other styles can also accomplish this task. Take, for example, a pair of polearms. Both polearms may suffer at short/close range, but by maneuvering themselves in such a way that their more preferred ranges overlap with each other's weaknesses, they can effectively negate much of this weakness. One example might be in a formation similar to a phalanx. The front spear has the longest range and engages targets first. Behind him, a second spear engages anyone that is able to close on the first spear. Anyone lingering too long in medium range would be fully engaged by both. This same pair might also exist on a line, spaced out so they can engage against anyone rushing the other while still both engaged against the enemy line.<br />
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<b><u>Risk Management</u></b><br />
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Combining two shorter ranged fighters poses a different challenge. Neither of them can reach long range, so the combination doesn't mitigate the weakness. However, a short ranged pairing can have other benefits. Lets take a shieldman and dual wielding fighter as an example. The shieldman has superior defense against missiles and spears, but doesn't have as wide of a shot selection. This combination allows the shieldman to help reduce the risk of his partner being taken out at long range, while giving the pair exceptional offense once they are able to close to their optimum range.<br />
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Risk also comes into play when considering shot selection. What might be a risky shot in a duel, can now be covered by your partner to make it relatively safe. One example might be a min red fighter swinging one-handed towards the opponent's sword side, forcing them to block. This takes the risk away from his partner's attacks, allowing them to choose from a wider variety of shots. By the same token, the min red might be safe to attack the opponent's shield with a few two-handed swings while his partner cuts off the angle their opponent might have been able to attack from.<br />
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<u><b>Combined Threat</b></u><br />
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While risk management is about keeping safe on offense, combining the threat of different equipment is all about increasing the opponent's risk. Choosing the pair equipment that threatens different target areas or angles forces the opponent to make difficult decisions. Lower their shield to help block off spear stabs or take an arrow to the face, for example.<br />
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Spears are often a natural pairing when discussing threat. Their long range allows them to attack from a variety of angles, even from behind the front line. Lower angles of attack force shields to come down a bit, while moving more towards sword side to cover the hip. Other weapons can take great advantage of this shield position, such as flails, glaives, and min reds. All of these weapons excel at placing shots on the shield side shoulder, which will kill the target or force their guard up and away from the spear.<br />
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Threat also has great influence on the enemy's ability to attack. Archers are a prime example. Other than shieldmen, no one has great defense against arrows other than perhaps mobility or a helmet. Even without shooting, the archer can apply threat by holding an arrow at the ready. Those without shields are forced to either gamble on dodging or to duck for cover behind a shieldman. Most choose the latter. Because they are forced to the second rank, they have a harder time applying offense to the front. Even though spears and glaives can reach targets from the second rank, their own shieldman cuts off a significant angle of their attack, limiting their options for targets. As you might have noticed, this is nearly a case of risk management achieved through the application of threat.<br />
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<b><u>Total Offense</u></b><br />
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Combined total offense of a pair of styles may give the combination an advantage. While threat is about opening the target up and increasing their risk, total offense is about overwhelming a target's ability to block. A pair using glaives or other two handers, might be a good example. Regardless of the threat applied by either glaive, the pair can simply place enough two handed strikes on one target to negate the defense of a shield. Four solid, shield breaking hits to a shield outright kills anyone, assuming they haven't dropped it before then. The first two take the shield, the third the arm, and the forth takes the body. This means that each glaive only needs to successfully land a single hit on the shield for the pair to be able to remove it from the equation. They may only need two swings each to kill a target, even less if they get a limb or two.<br />
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The major drawback of a pairing like this is that it relies on killing targets before they can return strikes to the pair. A combined charge from multiple targets or a threat that has greater range than the pair greatly reduces their effectiveness. However, while working together with a team on the line, this type of pair may be able to overwhelm a few targets quickly.<br />
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<b><u>Conclusion</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Working together with different styles and gear boils down to playing off of your team's strengths and covering each other's weaknesses. Even though I have written this from the perspective of a pair fighting some target, pairs are a natural building block towards full line fighting. Take a moment next time you are on the sidelines to watch how the line includes many of these pairings of equipment. Even in larger groups that seem to be all working together, much of their teamwork will be done within pairs of fighters occasionally supporting other pairs. This is especially true when looking at how support weapons are deployed.<br />
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When combining equipment and styles, the four categories I've mentioned above are all worth considering. However, regardless of what combination, they all benefit greatly from teamwork and communication. Find a friend, work together, kill lots of people with foam covered sticks.</div>
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Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-46049668723007287172016-02-23T22:43:00.000-06:002016-03-02T13:16:03.449-06:00Weapon Roles<i>This is the first in a series of recent requests. I'm a little rusty, so this on isn't quite up to the typical standard. I'll try to do better next time, which will be soon-ish*. <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2016/03/weapon-roles-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a> of this topic is now posted.</i><br />
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In previous posts, I've discussed the various roles a fighter could take on the field and a little bit about how different roles can interact. Today I'd like to take a look at how different weapons and fighting styles fit in to the mix and the roles they serve on the battlefield. In a future post, I'll be looking at how these different weapons and fighting styles can be used in conjunction to maximum effect.<br />
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<b><u>Arrows and Javelins</u></b><br />
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Missile weapons can rack up a large kill tally, but their primary role in a fight is to take down key targets. This often means targeting enemy support weapons, skilled archers, or even great shieldmen that are making an impact on the fight. A few well placed shots can have a dramatic effect on the line. All of a sudden, one side might have a significant advantage in polearms on one flank and be able to gain a major breakthrough. Even taking an arm or leg of a support weapon will generally sway the fight against them.<br />
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When missiles don't have a good line on hitting a target, they can still offer a significant threat from a distance to limit that fighter's options for position and strikes. By having an arrow nocked or a javelin pointed, it will usually cause the other team to cover up and slow their offense for a little bit. As with other support weapons, the goal is to have an impact on the fight, either through kills, wounds, or threat.<br />
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<b><u>Min Red</u></b><br />
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"Min Reds" are roughly the smallest possible size to be considered a red weapon (minimum 24 oz, 48" long in Belegarth). In an intense, packed line fight, we often see them sort of trumped by 8'+ polearms. However, they do still fit into a very useful niche as a very fast, anti-armor weapon. While they can break shields, their low weight and short range make it much harder to land a solid, shield-breaking hit. They are best used on a thick line as an arm sniping weapon. See an arm, hit the arm. This lets the user stay relatively safe near a shieldman, while still out ranging enemy shieldmen as they swing. When the lines are thinner, they are good when working in pairs with any other style. This reduced the danger of a rush and allows the user to utilize that bit of extra range to help their teammate.<br />
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Rather than fighting in a more fixed position on the front of the line, min red users are better suited to in/out, hit/run tactics. By only advancing into range when they have a solid opportunity to take a limb or get a kill, they can mitigate much of the risk against polearms and missile weapons. Important to note here, however, is that extremely dense lines make getting in and getting out of the fight much more difficult--there just isn't enough room to get between teammates.<br />
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Another useful way to deploy weapons of similar length and weight is as a one-handed weapon with a shield. Too slow and awkward for most one-on-one fights, the combination gives the user a great deal of reach over the typical shieldman. When the line is dense, this advantage is further improved by reducing the enemy's ability to advance into their range. This creates the ideal scenario in the range game, where you can strike at an opponent that can't reach you back (with the exception of support weapons).<br />
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<b><u>Flails</u></b><br />
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All sorts of hate is always directed at flails, but they are an extremely effective tool--especially when combined with various support weapons. Many fighters haven't learned how to effectively defend against flails one-on-one, let alone when faced with other threats. On a heavily packed line, they excel at either exploiting or causing shields to be out of position. As fighters lower their guards against spears, the flail makes quick kills targeting the shield side shoulder. As people raise their guards to counter the flail, spears can more easily target the sword-side hip.<br />
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The other sort of key area for flails is in situations like flanks or gaps where the enemy isn't already prepared for fighting against them. The typical fighter, when flanked or rushed, will default to the normal guards and blocks. Flails require a slightly different approach to blocking and can catch fighters off guard, all while having their natural advantages. That's part of why we often see them used by flankers and shock troops. However, flails are shorter ranged than support weapons and max length one handed swords.<br />
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<b><u>Two stick</u></b><br />
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Florentine, flo, two stick, dual wielding, whatever you would like to call it, often gets left out of line fighting. The advantage in defense of a shield or range in a polearm makes two sword a less obvious choice of weapon. Two swords can deal out a lot of damage in a short span of time with proper practice, position, and timing. The key to using them in a line battle is to pick your moment to go in. Vision gaps, staggered gaps, breakthroughs, or anywhere light on support weapons are great places to go. The extra weapon allows you to apply significant pressure to a single target as well as a fair range of blocking (like a very tiny punch shield). <br />
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As a skirmisher, two stick can be very effective at winning a series of one-on-one fights. Generally, they are good at taking down stray enemy fighters that can be singled out. This includes shock troopers and flankers that have successfully broken through to the backfield. <br />
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Two stick really shines, though, when it can flank the enemy. The ability to strike many targets quickly and efficiently can wreck a line that is facing the other way. Even though they will have little defense against archers hanging out in the backfield, the two stick fighter can have a huge impact before they are shot. <br />
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<b><u>Polearm</u></b><br />
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Polearms are really the main offensive tool of the line (at the initial phases of battle) and the primary defense against enemy polearms. While ranged weapons get some kills, polearms have a much higher attack rate and often a better angle of attack. Add in the occasional glaive to break shields, and it is easy to see the damage they can inflict. Besides directly killing targets, they are one of the best tools for pushing an enemy line back. Most groups of fighters will back up to stay just outside of the range of a polearm, or advance to that point if the polearms back off. <br />
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The initial target of most polearms is other polearms. However, weakening the shieldman around those polearms is an equally important job. Taking a shieldman's leg reduces his ability to block missile weapons or to cut off the line of attack against polearms. This makes it easier to take out the enemy polearm. Event threatening those shieldmen will leave openings for friendly fighters to exploit, just like flails and missile weapons.<br />
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On defense, polearms play the role of disrupting the enemy. Pushing spears off target, blocking off lines of attack, or threatening legs to slow an advance. Their job here is to suppress the area and make their presence felt, even if they aren't getting kills or wounds. This is similar to missile weapons being a threat, but requires the polearm to attack very quickly against many targets, while trying to fend off enemy polearms.<br />
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<b><u>Armor</u></b><br />
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As I've mentioned in a previous post, armor shouldn't be exclusively used as a "whoops, I didn't block that" crutch, but as a tool. You will get surprised, get back hacked, or miss a block, and the armor will sometimes catch it, cool. When armor really comes into play is when a fighter can intentionally go into a high-risk situation (like rushing a spear through a couple of shieldmen) and come out intact and swinging. While it is possible to do so without armor, those extra hits give a few extra options to someone like a shock trooper or flanker to exploit and gives them a much higher chance of success.<br />
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The other role of armor is helping manage range against polearms. Because armor mitigates single-handed stabs, polearms have to approach a bit closer to land a solid two-handed strike accurately. The advantage gained for your team is that your own support weapons can now more easily target the enemy polearms. This extra protection against one-handed stabs also can prove crucial when defending a friendly polearm because the enemy will be stabbing at or near your frequently.<br />
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<b><u>Sword and board</u></b><br />
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I saved this for last because it is the most common style on the line. Shieldmen serve many roles. Their sort of primary role is forming a strong line for support weapons to support. This means maneuvering to cut off gaps, to block missile sight lines, and to keep a solid formation. A number of shieldmen must be dedicated to direct defense of support weapons.<br />
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While those defensive roles are paramount to a successful line, shields also allow offense that is more unique than other styles. The ability to rush and survive (just like armor) can have a huge impact on a fight. The shield cuts off many angles that a line fighter would use to counter a rusher, especially when in the hands of a skilled fighter. In essence, it allows the fighter to almost ignore counters from one side while using their sword to tie up fighters on the other. While a great fighter with two swords could accomplish this, it isn't particularly easy with a shield, let alone without one. <br />
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This passive defense is ideally suited for shock troopers and flankers as they maneuver through gaps or in close proximity to the enemy line without support. The typical flanker uses a decently sized, lightweight punch shield that allows them to block off a variety of angles as they engage the line and are surrounded by threats. In contrast, shock troopers tend to prefer a strap shield better geared for bashing and punching. This is because they will more often be pushing through a line, rather than being between the enemy line and their archers/reserves.<br />
<br />Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-85954562422962213222015-09-06T11:48:00.001-05:002015-09-06T11:48:30.646-05:00The New Fighter Primer<i>I plan for this post to be an annual thing I post during recruitment season. I'll try to keep it up to date with anything I miss or questions that seem to always come up.</i><br />
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Welcome to Numenor, new fighters! I've been compiling a FAQ of sorts for new fighters. If you have a question that I've missed here, or an answer doesn't quite hit the nail on the head, let me know. There is also a list of handy links at the bottom for a variety of sword fighting related topics.<br />
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<strong>Q: How do I join the club?</strong><br />
A: If you've joined the Facebook group, that's about it. Show up and hit people during the scheduled practice times. We'll have extra gear to loan out. We do have a mailing list you can sign up for, but most of the info you'll want will be posted on the Facebook page. Come and go as you please, and stay as long as you like.<br />
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<strong>Q: Do I need to bring anything?</strong><br />
A: We have plenty of gear for you to use, but a few essentials like kneepads or padded gloves are a great investments. Most sporting good stores sell both items. Many of us use volleyball kneepads and padded lifting or MMA gloves. As always, bringing water and wearing clothes you don't mind dirtying up is probably a good idea. Bring your friends, they are even more fun to hit with foam covered sticks.<br />
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<strong>Q: I have a question or problem, who should I talk to?</strong><br />
A: The local realm has a great group of veteran fighters that can help you out. Knights (the ones with the fancy garb and heater shield that's shaped like home base) take charge of the local group and have lots of experience with fighting. Don't be intimidated by all the armor or angry face on the field, we're here to help. Our squires (knights in training) all are seasoned fighters and usually wear a white tabard. Any of them should be able to help you out, or direct you to one of us knights if they aren't sure.<br /><br />At bigger events or other groups, the first stop should be finding a herald (the ones with a yellow tabard). They are the game's version of a referee and can help you figure out rules problems or point you in the direction of someone who can help you. If you see anything unsafe on the field, bring it to their attention immediately.<br />
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<strong>Q: The rules seemed a little too simple, is there anything else I should know?</strong><br />
A: We use the simplest, abbreviated version of the rules for events like Quad Day, so you can come out and get into the fighting quickly. The full version of the rules can be found on the Belegarth Wiki page, <a href="http://www.geddon.org/Book_of_war">http://www.geddon.org/Book_of_war</a>. It isn't an easy read, I'll put together a more comprehensive list of common rules questions this week. Also, take a peek at this <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/11/unwritten-rules.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> that explains a few things that aren't in the rulebook.<br />
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<b>Q: Should I buy/build my own gear?</b><br />A: Eventually, yes. Use a variety of loaner gear and talk to veterans to get a feel for what your options are before you buy. Luckily, the guys from Forged Foam usually offer a steep discount to new fighters and bring some gear to practice to sell. Their usual prices for new people make buying a sword about as cheap as making it yourself.<br /><br />Building your own is something you can consider. However, I highly recommend having a veteran help you rather than following some of the online tutorials available. Many are outdated and recommend materials that may not be as optimal compared to other options. Forged Foam, and other vendors, do generally sell materials that are better than some of the off-the-shelf options, and at a reasonable price.<br />
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<b>Q: Can new fighters use polearms/red weapons/bows?</b><br />A: We usually prefer that new fighters wait to pick up more than one handed swords and shields. Many other weapons add a degree of danger to other fighters, and we'd like to get you some training on the more dangerous weapons before we send you out of the field with them. <b><u>Safety</u></b> is our number one priority. If you are interested in learning/practicing more advanced weapons, talk to one of us that you see using them at practice. We'll do some one on one training and then help you get ready to use them on the field.<br />
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<strong>Q: What is a realm, unit?</strong><br />
A: Realms are geographic locations within the sport. UIUC is the Realm of Numenor. ISU has one called Wolfpack just 45 minutes from town. There are realms spread out all across the country (and internationally), but not all are connected to universities or colleges. Units are groups of fighters that train, fight, and hang out together. Local units include the Dunedain and Dark Guard. Some units, like Brotherhood of the Falcon (BOF) and the Urak-hai span the nation, grouping up at major events. If you are interested in joining a unit, ask around and get a feel for each one. If you can make it to Oktoberfest, it is a great place to get to know units and spend some time hanging out with them around a campfire.<br />
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<strong>Q: I keep losing, how do I get better?</strong><br />
A: For one, don't get discouraged. Between learning the rules and getting your body used to swinging a sword, the game can be quite hard. Remember, some of our veterans have a decade or more of fighting under their belts--they aren't going to be easy to kill. We'll do more structured training this fall to get people ready for the first major event of the season. More on that later.<br />
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<strong>Q: Do you have tournaments, rankings, levels, events?</strong><br />
A: There is a large number of events, some of which are major, weeklong camping events. Sometimes they have individual and team tournaments at these events. While there are definitely different levels of skill, there is no official ranking system or levels of combat. This coming Saturday is our local group's first mini-event of the season. We'll have food, games, and lots of company. In October, our group hosts one of the largest events in the Midwest, Oktoberfest, a weeklong event with camping, feasts, tournaments and plenty of nightlife. Imagine 500+ fighters on a field, pretty epic.<br />
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<strong>Q: Why do you guys wear that clothing/do I have to dress that way?</strong><br />
A: Garb isn't specifically required for fighting at practice. The local group usually just asks that you get/wear garb before moving on to using weapons beyond basic swords and shields. Nationally, garb is required for events. The minimum garb is outlined in the rules, and we will definitely work with you to get geared up for the first major event.<br />
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<b>Q: That guy is definitely cheating, what do I do?</b><br />A: There is a <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/04/that-guy-is-totally-cheating.html" target="_blank">long rant here</a> about this. TL;DR: focus on doing your best to take hits you receive quickly and accurately. If you suspect someone has missed a hit or cheated, ask them about it after the fight. Worst case, ask a herald about it.<br />
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<b>Q: What is Oktoberfest?</b><br />A: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1581096228800687/" target="_blank">Oktoberfest 2015: Sept. 30 - October 4</a><br />
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Oktoberfest (Okfest) is one of the largest Belegarth events of the year. I believe it was THE largest event in Belegarth for 2014 in terms of attendance. It is a multi-day camping event with three full days of swordfighting. Even if you can't get away for the full three days, making it to Friday and/or Saturday is definitely worth it. Coincidentally, the local realm plans and runs this event each year, and it is only 45 minutes from town. We'll coordinate to make sure anyone that needs a ride can get to and from the event. There is almost always a group or two heading to/from the event each day. More details will be posted on the facebook group as the time approaches.<br />
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<b>Here are a few other links you might want to follow:</b><br />
<br />
From Oktoberfest 2013 Realm Battles (each realm for themselves): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY7rVmEG0cw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY7rVmEG0cw</a><br />
<br />
From a nearby event, Wolfpack Opener, a couple years ago:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t8d5IHEZL0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t8d5IHEZL0</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.belegarth.com/">www.belegarth.com</a> This is the home of the national organization. The forums have a large amount of information, and links to training videos and guides.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.geddon.org/">www.geddon.org</a> The Belegarth wiki. Lots of info on units, realms, and people. It is in the process of being made a little more user friendly, but there is basic information buried on there.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://geddon.org/Book_of_war">http://geddon.org/Book_of_war</a> This is the most readable version of the rulebook we use. There are a few rules that aren't clearly spelled out, but definitely a must read. I'll post up some common rules that aren't really defined in the book later this week.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.forgedfoam.com/">www.forgedfoam.com</a> Locally operated foamsmith. They made a large portion of our loaner gear and personal equipment. The guys will be around selling gear at future practices.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lady-Armstrong-Designs/266921383370663">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lady-Armstrong-Designs/266921383370663</a> Lady Armstrong is a (formerly) local seamstress that has made some of the fine looking garb you'll see around. We don't expect new fighters to look that amazing, but it should give you an idea of how cool garb can be.<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-85511475221213900232015-09-06T10:45:00.001-05:002015-09-06T10:48:07.132-05:00Spear Formations<i>Whoo, it sure is dusty in here. Been a while since I put out a post. So, of course, why not put out a nice, wordy bit that was supposed to be published months ago.</i><br />
<br />
Last time we looked at Sotahuuto, which was a good sample of spear formations we can see on a larger fighting field. For Belegarth, a few of these are highly ineffective, due to the limitations on one-handed stabs versus armor and the rules for sufficient force. However, I'd like to go ahead and include those types of formations here for the sake of completeness. Hopefully people that fight in other sports can find some value in my evaluation of those formations that don't really make sense for Belegarth.<br />
<br />
For starters, what do I mean by "formation"? While one spear often forms up with a shield man, this isn't necessarily a formation. This is meant to be more of a big picture perspective, what a whole group of spears and shields working as a unit might attempt. Learning to combat these well-organized teams of spears will make fighting against the sort of ad-hoc groupings we see on a typical Belegarth field a little easier. Below you'll find my analysis of strengths and weaknesses of each type. I've given each one a name of my own design, roughly based on historical terms.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>Types of Spear Formations:</strong></u><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<strong>Ad-Hoc</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
The ad-hoc formation is your typical mismatched group of fighters with the occasional spear or support weapon.<br />
<br />
Strengths: <br />
<ul>
<li>Spears can operate independently and adjust position easily</li>
<li>Easy for spears to deploy after fighting starts, boosting their effectiveness</li>
<li>The line isn't dependent on the spears and can move freely</li>
</ul>
Weaknesses:<br />
<ul>
<li>Less coordination between spearmen</li>
<li>Spearmen often have to rely on random shieldmen</li>
<li>Spearmen must look after their own safety, because the formation isn't geared to protect them</li>
</ul>
How to Kill It:<br />
<ul>
<li>Avoid the spears and push elsewhere</li>
<li>Kill pocket--try to force individual spears into a bad position and counter them with spears from the flanks</li>
</ul>
<strong>Phalanx</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
A phalanx is a unit consisting of nothing but spears, preferably very long spears (15' or so). By arranging themselves in tightly packed ranks and files, they are able to concentrate their offense. These are exceptionally rare in Belegarth (maybe almost never), but we did see one group in the video from Sotahuuto attempt it.<br />
<br />
Strengths:<br />
<ul>
<li>Very concentrated offense </li>
<li>Long range versus most other fighters</li>
<li>Overlapping spears help defend against rushers</li>
</ul>
Weaknesses:<br />
<ul>
<li>No/limited defense against missile weapons</li>
<li>Cumbersome--many people tightly packed make it difficult to maneuver</li>
<li>Manpower intensive--it takes many people to fill in the formation compared to other solutions</li>
<li>Very limited attack and defense at "point blank" range</li>
</ul>
How to Kill It:<br />
<ul>
<li>With Arrows!--even blindly firing a volley will get kills</li>
<li>Out-maneuver it--the formation can't hold together well on the move or while turning</li>
<li>Flank it--use part of the group as a distraction while the rest attack from the sides/rear</li>
<li>Kill Pocket--let the spears push into the center and fold in on their flanks, this forces the spears to spread their offense as the frontage expands in the curve.</li>
<li>Overrun it--a well timed, full line charge where everyone pushes forward can succeed. This is very risky.</li>
<li>The wedge--a small group of well armored fighters concentrate a charge up the middle. Their goal is to force the spears to fight at point blank. This is risky, but less so than a full overrun.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong>Shielded Phalanx</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Like a phalanx, but with the front rank equipped with swords and shields. Still not likely to see it in Bele.<br />
<br />
Strengths:<br />
<ul>
<li>Better missile defense than a pure phalanx</li>
<li>Strong defense against rushers</li>
</ul>
Weaknesses:<br />
<ul>
<li>Still cumbersome</li>
<li>Loses some offense/range from first row of spears vs. a pure phalanx</li>
<li>Shields can cut off some lanes of attack for the spears</li>
</ul>
How to Kill It:<br />
<ul>
<li>Out-maneuver it--the formation can't hold together well on the move or while turning</li>
<li>Flank it--use part of the group as a distraction while the rest attack from the sides/rear</li>
<li>Kill Pocket--let the spears push into the center and fold in on their flanks, this forces the spears to spread their offense as the frontage expands in the curve.</li>
</ul>
<strong>Hoplights</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Something you won't see in a Belegarth field today, an entire group of shield/spear wielding fighters. <br />
<br />
Strengths:<br />
<ul>
<li>Greater range than a sword/shield formation</li>
<li>Solid defense against missiles</li>
<li>Very maneuverable (for a spear formation)</li>
<li>Much better at closer ranges than a phalanx against unarmored foes</li>
</ul>
Weaknesses<br />
<ul>
<li>Can't effectively fight armored opponents (in Bele)</li>
<li>Still has difficulty fighting at point blank</li>
<li>Outranged by longer spears/glaives</li>
</ul>
How to Kill It:<br />
<ul>
<li>Tank out--shove armored fighters down their throats (in Bele)</li>
<li>Range--Use longer support weapons and fight defensively</li>
<li>Charge--They aren't good at fighting super close, get in there all together and fight them at point blank. </li>
</ul>
<strong>Interlaced</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
In between every shield is a spear. Every other person in the line is a support weapon.<br />
<br />
Strengths:<br />
<ul>
<li>Strong defense/offense mix</li>
<li>Every spear has someone to hide behind against missiles</li>
<li>More maneuverable than a shielded phalanx</li>
<li>Spears are very cooperative and have overlapping ranges</li>
<li>Efficient use of manpower to cover an area. (for a spear formation)</li>
</ul>
Weaknesses:<br />
<ul>
<li>Often has uneven skill distribution--there is likely a weak spot at a spear or two</li>
<li>Relies on spears cooperating to be effective</li>
<li>Rarely has a backfield/reserves--vulnerable to minor breakthroughs</li>
</ul>
How to Kill It:<br />
<ul>
<li>Vision gaps--a wavy line can cause vision gaps that allow a small group (or one fighter) to get behind the formation.</li>
<li>Wedge/Rush--a practiced fighter can rush a spear with a little support or distractions. A group can force their way through.</li>
<li>Coordinated Missiles/Spears--a shieldman can't cover themselves and a spear from multiple angles of attack. Have archers and spears coordinate against a pair at a time. </li>
</ul>
<strong>Triples</strong><br />
One spear, two shieldmen. The main difference between interlaced and triples is that the triples act with much more independence than a typical line. Usually, the spear is on charge of their triple.<br />
<br />
Strengths:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Strong at close range</li>
<li>Resistant to missile attack</li>
<li>Usually has most experienced fighters using the support weapon and leading the triples</li>
<li>Harder to rush against</li>
<li>Can exploit gaps and be used to flank</li>
</ul>
<div>
Weaknesses:</div>
<ul>
<li>Less coordination between support weapons</li>
<li>Easier to cause gaps between triples</li>
<li>Support weapon doubling as a command element makes it a priority target for missile weapons</li>
</ul>
<div>
How to Kill It:</div>
<ul>
<li>Kill Pocket--try to pull one triple into the pocket</li>
<li>Flank It--have 1-2 shieldmen engage each triple from the front, keeping the spear's attention. The rest need to maneuver around and between the triples.</li>
<li>Rush Them--assassinate the triple's commander/support weapon. A skilled fighter can make it through the middle well enough to kill them. Gets riskier as their shieldmen improve in skill.</li>
<li>Out Support Them--triples have less support weapons than other spear formations, if you can get a few extra spears to help out against them, it drastically reduces their effectiveness.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-29505606616642592392015-01-27T21:45:00.000-06:002015-02-04T10:38:06.456-06:00Replay: Sotahuuto 14<em>Ok, this is something new to me and the blog, so hopefully you find it useful. If it seems helpful, I'll look into doing other posts in this type of fashion in the future.</em><br />
<em><br /></em>A reader from Europe sent me a link to video from one of the large foam fighting events they've attended over there. While it isn't Belegarth rules (tap fighting, head legal, and a few others), the video does illustrate a few concepts that are universal to the large scale fighting we see at events. Please note, those are indeed 15' spears you see everywhere.<br />
<br />
Here's the video, it's nearly 40 minutes of quadcopter footage of the event. The noise from the copter might be a little annoying, fair warning. Those later castle battle are pretty insane and worth a watch, especially with destructible haybale walls. However, I really only want to look at the first battle for this post. I chose this first fight to look at because it illustrates how important maneuvering can be. If someone wants me to look at other fights or videos, I'd be more than happy to later.<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/g2KYvqQgavw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g2KYvqQgavw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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</div>
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For starters, our friend from Europe and his group are among the black/purple clad group at the center, we'll call their team the good guys. The green group to their left appears to leave an intentional gap, I suppose as a trap or some variant of a kill pocket (the blue area marked below). The right flank has pushed forward aggressively, just out of frame in this first picture. We can see a gap, marked with yellow start to appear even this early in the fight.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4z-27JYqzs/VMgfnizAsRI/AAAAAAAAAK4/oIefmQdqTJg/s1600/Maneuver%2BPhase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4z-27JYqzs/VMgfnizAsRI/AAAAAAAAAK4/oIefmQdqTJg/s1600/Maneuver%2BPhase.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maneuver Phase of the battle. Blue=intentional? gap. Yellow=Gap to watch later</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Other keys to this part in the battle are how the enemy forces are arrayed. Directly ahead of their middle, the good guys are up against a high (insanely high compared to Belegarth) concentration of spears. They've already grouped up and have no signs of changing course. The enemy line is already curving away, bowing out towards our friends. This makes the entire field a scaled up version of a kill pocket.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mWQX7jiMTn4/VMgfXTk-YVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/yV1aC0LgXSI/s1600/Stalemate%2BPhase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mWQX7jiMTn4/VMgfXTk-YVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/yV1aC0LgXSI/s1600/Stalemate%2BPhase.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stalemate Phase of battle. Even the spears are mostly at max range. <br />
The enemy has cut off the flanking group, but haven't fixed that gap yet.<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the lines are close enough to engage, we reach the stalemate phase. At this point one would expect that our little yellow gap here would have been closed up, but groups maneuvered <span style="background-color: yellow;">away</span> from it to engage our friendly flanking groups. The enemy black/yellow group pushed out to engage, leaving only a few skirmishers to cover the area. We can also see that the friendly lines haven't engaged the outside corner at all, leaving a large chunk of forces to the right flank of the black/purple group essentially in reserve.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MHE-kZZDjLo/VMgfWWs1HgI/AAAAAAAAAKU/ZnOP_A8-IUo/s1600/Gap%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MHE-kZZDjLo/VMgfWWs1HgI/AAAAAAAAAKU/ZnOP_A8-IUo/s1600/Gap%2B1.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moment when decisive action could be taking place. <br />
Easily could have happened sooner than it did in the video.<br />
Black lines are what I would have my line do at this point.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loxvfZ0AEPY/VMgfWxPIBAI/AAAAAAAAAKc/KiVkLGVevKQ/s1600/Gap%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loxvfZ0AEPY/VMgfWxPIBAI/AAAAAAAAAKc/KiVkLGVevKQ/s1600/Gap%2B2.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer look at the gap. The group friendlies directly across from <br />
it eventually push through.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<br />
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This all sounds like a huge advantage for the friendlies, and it is. However, there are few things that could have helped our purple/black friends survive the encounter a little better. At the point pictured above, we see that gap still lingering around unopposed. We also see our purple/black friends keep a solid line in the face of that giant mess of spears (highlighted in red). The problem here is that holding their ground actually costs them a lot of casualties as we'll see when the copter makes another pass later. The black lines here are what might have helped them get through this mess with a few more fighters intact. Rather than standing strong against the concentrated spears, the line should have spread out (towards the right flank) while forming a kill pocket (the curve back marked here). </div>
<br />
By shifting forces to the right of the main enemy strength, it reinforces the group that should have already been pushing that gap. By spreading out and backing away, it forces the enemy formation to spread their offense in different directions, preventing a whole group of fighters from being lost quickly. Those directly opposed to the spears need to fight purely defensive and let the enemy advance. Their whole goal is to buy time for flankers flooding through the gap to win the day.<br />
<br />
When we see the camera come back to this section, we see that the group along the right flank that was engaged with the enemy black/yellow group joined with a few of the friendly corner group to push the gap (finally), but by time this happens our black/purple friends have been cut to shreds. This makes the clean up much more difficult later.<br />
<br />
The moral of the story: engaging a spear formation head on is rarely the best course of action. Making use of defensive maneuvering can both save lives and set up your enemy for being flanked. Keeping an eye out for gaps early in the fight can give you some idea of where they will be later. This particular case shows that they often form between two groups of fighters that are good at maintaining their own coherency. Because groups/units don't usually share leadership, you'll find groups can often lose track of their support unless their own anchors are doing a great job of keeping the whole line together. Creating/attacking/exploiting these gaps can be crucial to killing enemy formations and skilled groups.<br />
<br />
In my next post, I'll take a look at some strategies for taking down spear formations. It's a lot to cover, so I didn't want to include it all here. Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-18889375799539758752015-01-13T22:18:00.001-06:002015-01-13T22:18:52.051-06:00Small Unit Tactics
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Not all groups enjoy
the thick fighting at the center of a solid line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others lack the experience, numbers, or
equipment to do so successfully. These groups often suffer at larger events,
where the lines are densely packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Skirmish tactics work a little differently when facing such lines, as
opposed to the more open fields of their home practices. A skirmishing group
needs to capitalize on their best asset: maneuverability.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
A skirmish line will
quickly be picked apart should they face a group of experienced line fighters
directly, especially if numbers aren't in their favor. However, this doesn't
mean skirmish lines are incapable of winning the fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes a different approach for them to
succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than attempting to rush
into a line fight, the skirmishers need to fight the front of the line on the
defensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Their main goal has to be survival, only taking advantage of a few kills as opportunity presents them. By keeping mobile, they might be able to get the enemy to spread out or lose track of a few of the skirmishers. By drawing the enemy directly ahead, a few people on the wings might be able to flank around the enemy.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
While most people
"flank" by merely running past the ends of the lines until they are
far enough to get around unopposed, a little more teamwork and tactics can make
flanking a much stronger, faster tactic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is best to work in groups. Pairs work fine, but larger groups have
more options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each group must set for
itself a goal of delivering one fighter (or small group of fighters) the
enemy's back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This mindset allows
flankers to function much closer to the core of the fight and still get someone
behind the lines unopposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an added
bonus, some of these tactics also apply to heavy line fighting for shock
troops, which could help a group transition to that style of fighting later. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Let's look at a few
specific strategies. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pin and split</span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Pin and split is my
generic term for a great move that you can accomplish when, as a flanker, you
outnumber the enemy that is in your way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At its most basic, a 2v1 situation, one person engages the enemy,
allowing the other to slip by unopposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regardless of how well the pin survives, they buy their teammate plenty
of time to cause havoc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This strategy
also works well for exploiting the edges of a gap in the enemy line. </div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-8pQoM8yc4/VLXmjR9WfhI/AAAAAAAAAJo/8Em3aI_LoJE/s1600/pinsplit%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-8pQoM8yc4/VLXmjR9WfhI/AAAAAAAAAJo/8Em3aI_LoJE/s1600/pinsplit%2B1.png" /></a></div>
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A larger group of
fighters can enact this strategy well, even doing so multiple times as new
threats approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time an enemy
turns to counter them, the minimum number of flankers peel off to pin them as
the rest continue flanking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember,
the goal is always to get at least one fighter to the rear of the enemy's main
line.<br />
<br />
Another extremely effective way to use this strategy is to counter flankers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your own team's flankers have become
bogged down on the flank, fighting a line battle, the two fighters nearest them
could try to pin/split against the enemy anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second closest to the end engages the
enemy anchor heavily, probably fighting a 2v1 on the enemy flank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The friendly anchor is then free to backstab
the enemy flankers, freeing up a large force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is an exploit of the gap between the enemy line and their flankers,
but could be used against almost any gap.<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eW5_7ur4v38/VLXnTI35qbI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/KO8PODdYC4Q/s1600/pinsplit%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eW5_7ur4v38/VLXnTI35qbI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/KO8PODdYC4Q/s1600/pinsplit%2B2.png" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wolfpacking</span> </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
When <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/05/outnumbered.html" target="_blank">outnumbered</a>,
but not outmaneuvered, a team can attempt to split up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By being more mobile than the larger force,
their goal is to survive and pick apart any stragglers they can until the
smaller force has a decisive advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The skirmishing team still needs a few people to take the enemy head
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the enemy advances, the line
spreads thin, leaving just a few fighters to keep the attention of the enemy
core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest flank around, using
strategies like the pin and split.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yavRQIUgnZc/VLXHPAkBlmI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/kQ6Wp6GcP6c/s1600/Wolfpacking%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yavRQIUgnZc/VLXHPAkBlmI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/kQ6Wp6GcP6c/s1600/Wolfpacking%2B1.png" height="400" width="171" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFfJGXvK354/VLXIBfb1yQI/AAAAAAAAAJY/bIHEhB-Wcr4/s1600/Wolfpacking%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
However, because the skirmishers are outnumbered, getting into the enemy
backfield alive is going to be difficult, if not impossible, until several
enemies are dispatched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the
skirmishers can manage to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>get their
flankers to meet up behind the enemy (turning the line into a circle), they are
now free to run in opposite directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At this point, the skirmishers must work off of each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By running in opposite directions, vision
gaps will eventually be created that allow one of them to pick off an
unsuspecting enemy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFfJGXvK354/VLXIBfb1yQI/AAAAAAAAAJY/bIHEhB-Wcr4/s1600/Wolfpacking%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFfJGXvK354/VLXIBfb1yQI/AAAAAAAAAJY/bIHEhB-Wcr4/s1600/Wolfpacking%2B2.png" height="170" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
A large part of the strategy requires that each skirmisher acts as a
distraction first, staying alive as best they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, only take shots that are nearly
guaranteed hits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kills are preferable,
but legs will help reduce the enemy's ability to maneuver against you and arms
will help soften them up for future attacks.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pairs</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span>Small groups should learn to work in pairs when possible. The goal is to
develop tactics that work well when targets are isolated, while maintaining
some safety in numbers. While you won't always be able to make a 2v1 situation
happen, you want to be able to win the fight without losing much of your
capability. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
You may find 2v1
drills particularly useful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps
build teamwork for the pair and helps the solo fighter practice for being
outnumbered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pair has a goal of
killing the solo without either of them being hit, while the solo tries to land
a single hit on the pair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alternatively,
you could have the solo fighter try to stay alive for a set amount of time or
number of swings. This can help them prepare to be a pin or to keep the core of
the line busy for a wolf pack strategy. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
One strategy for a
pair is to plan, in advance, where to swing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For example, one will swing high to the sword arm, while the other
swings low to the shield side hip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
forces the enemy on the defensive, because their shield will usually not be
able to cover both angles, forcing them to block with their sword or die
quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following up with a couple of
swings will likely kill the target, as long as both keep the pressure on them. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
When the pair is on
the defensive, it becomes important to not only block for your partner, but
lure enemy targets out for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can
fake swings to try to get the opponent to counter, leaving their arm open to your
partner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Placing swings to one side of
their shield or guard might draw their defenses over, letting your partner
attack the other side. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Against a solo
opponent, the pair needs to move such that both can swing at the target or so
that neither can be hit easily. The most favorable positions for the pair are
either with the solo fighter facing the gap between the them, or with the pair
slightly offset towards the solo's sword side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This allows both to swing, and the latter gives a great angle against
their weapon arm. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BbHwfer-FX0/VLXr_O4qBmI/AAAAAAAAAKE/hUiC7f63DxI/s1600/2v1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BbHwfer-FX0/VLXr_O4qBmI/AAAAAAAAAKE/hUiC7f63DxI/s1600/2v1.png" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />"Good" in this case, relative to the pair. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
On the flip side,
the solo fighters will need to use solid footwork and sword blocks/parries to
stay alive. Most of their footwork will have them backing up, often to an
angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Against a pair, their goal is to
isolate one of them by stepping away from the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His preferred positions are either lined up
against his sword side opponent (so his shield blocks off the other well), or
with one enemy blocking off the other's angle of attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second one is harder to pull off, but is
the safest.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Communication</span> </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
I can never seem to
stress this enough, but communication is vital to success as a small
force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even without a command structure
or leader, the group needs to all be aware of the overall plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without communication, strategies like
wolfpacking can quickly fall apart into chaos. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Experienced vets may
be less verbal, relying on their combined experience and reacting to the
situation as best they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
even vets will make sure to communicate openings they see or dangers around
them. Starting out, simple communications like when to move or change spacing
are necessary (vets usually adapt to the space well, without needing specific
commands for it). One thing all groups need is a direction or target, and
communicating that goal, or changes to it, should be a priority. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Call out dangers to
your line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call out targets, gaps, and
weak points in the enemy line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Equally
important, relay calls from others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
example, if you line needs to shift right, and you hear someone call it out,
then you should repeat it down the line. Warn your allies of arrows about to be
loosed, javelins at the ready, or support weapons taking notice of their flank.
It is a lot to keep your mind on, but the more of these things you can keep
your team informed about, the more successful they will be.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Leadership ("Driving the bus")</span> </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Smaller groups
sometimes lack any sort of command structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even large realms have many people that could take charge, but no clear,
default leader. That doesn't mean they lack leadership. In these groups,
individuals usually take charge of the area around them as needed. Groups of
veterans often have a very decentralized form of command, especially during a
protracted line battle where individuals manage their own area. Those with the
best line of sight, or that notice problems sooner, often begin taking charge
of the few people around them. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
If someone else is
issuing orders, do your best to support them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Note, I didn't say "blindly follow a terrible plan".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Support the plan by maneuvering yourself and
others in a way to help the plan succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This might mean moving to cover a gap that no one else saw or being
aggressive to draw the enemy's attention. Sometimes it means doing something
that is opposed to the orders, such as taking a run through a gap rather than
standing your ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The overall idea
is to make the group more successful at its current mission. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
If no one is taking
charge or communicating, take command and do your best to help the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even a bad plan is usually going to be better
than no plan. When it comes to actually taking charge of the group, do your best
to navigate the group into favorable fights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Try to issue orders that make sense for who you are ordering around, ie.
don't have the 300 lb guy in full armor and a tower shield flank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Play to your group's strengths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More armored up fighters will need to form up
against the bulk of the enemy, while faster fighters need to maneuver around.
Try to engage targets such that your backfield is relatively safe (not facing
the majority of the enemy groups). </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Most of the fight
relies on your individuals finding success, but issuing commands to regroup or
shift the line can give those individuals a better chance to survive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your goal, as leader, is to maintain the line
during a fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch for gaps and weak
points in both lines and move your forces to exploit or counter them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learn to spot vision gaps, especially along
the enemy flank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If their anchors aren't
paying attention or are drawn into a fight, deploy a few flankers around
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your flankers need a better
angle, shift the line to present the enemy's back to them. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
"Driving"
isn't easy, even in a small, skilled group. Don't be discouraged by a bad fight
or if you think you may have made a bad call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Learn from the strategic failures and try to fix any issues with communication
within the group. You'll get a chance to redeem yourself next fight. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
One side note, when
a small group is part of a large team, they should do their best to integrate
with the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Issue commands not only
to your group, but those around you that lack leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a great opportunity for smaller
groups to get a better feel for line fighting, and working with support
weapons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, don't hesitate following
orders from outsiders in this scenario, especially ones that seem to know what
they are doing.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">This section probably could be its own post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might try to put together a more detailed
version, perhaps as a post-mortem next time I drive the BOF bus.</span></div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-90633545805473375742015-01-07T22:23:00.000-06:002015-01-07T22:23:46.705-06:00A Squire's PathWhile I have
discussed knights and squires in the <a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/05/of-knights-and-squires.html" target="_blank">past</a>, I've had a few people ask for a few
more specifics about the squiring process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Newer realms that aren't next door to an established order of knights
often seek to start their own order, but several of them will hesitate because
they haven't been around the traditions enough to really understand the
process. This post's goal, then, is to share my view of how squiring works in a
well-established order of knights.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
My home realm has
many knights, several of which have held their title longer than Belegarth has
been its own sport. That isn't exactly common, but many realms have such
experience, with or without the title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Knights here are allowed one squire, and a second if they call and pass
a vote to allow it. With so many knights, that means there can be many people
going through the squiring process at any given time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They only true requirement for them to get
knighted is to earn enough votes from the council of knights. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
I say that's the
only true requirement, but the rest of the requirements come from their knight,
and the standards the other knights will use to decide how to vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The realm's general requirement is that each
squire must beat all of the active knights in challenges, set by the
knights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These can be duels, field
challenges, or non-fighting displays of skill or knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many knights gauge their squire against <a href="http://geddon.org/Squire_Tasks" target="_blank">Kyrian's list of squire tasks</a>, as it encompasses nearly every type of task one
could give a squire. Once a knight feels their squire has completed their
tasks, they will bring them up for a vote to be knighted. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
The knight and
squire relationship is important to the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to their direct training, knights
apply their experience to guiding their squire through the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occasionally, this can be harsh truths,
comforting words, or a kick in the right direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They help keep the squire on task and
motivated to finish challenges and tasks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They also need to point out weaknesses that need improved and extra
tasks (like running a specific event).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The main thing the squire needs is a little bit of help outlining what
they need to work on and where they stand. Some of this could be done by a
realm taking on a squire in lieu of a knight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those realm squires, without a knight, do miss out on a little bit of
the fun part of squiring--fighting alongside their knight. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
One misconception
that seems to be common is that a squire learns everything from their
knight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While a knight teaches their
squire many things, a great deal of learning comes from others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Squires must be on a quest to learn from as
many people as possible, while doing their best to think critically of their
own techniques. A lot of skill develops from self-evaluation and adapting to
overcome skilled opponents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
challenging the best fighters and seeking their criticism, one can often find
what needs to improve, but it takes concentrated effort to actually fix
technique. This also applies to service, as most knights have much experience
in planning and running events, and can be great at recruitment and retention.
Even in areas that have few knights (or those of equivalent experience), a
realm might be able to pass along its shared experience and knowledge to a
squire who seeks to learn all their area has to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, one may need to venture beyond their
realm to gain more specific knowledge that elder realms/knights might be able
to offer. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
As a squire, I
always set for myself the goal to "do what a knight should do".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means a lot of different things to each
person, but gives one a guideline to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If there is a gap in knowledge or skill that prevents achieving that
goal, then obviously that is something that needs to be worked on and
improved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also frames the mindset of
service, as in if I would complain that a knight should be doing a task, why
wouldn't I just take care of it? Of course, this also requires an idea of what
knights do, or to have knights to emulate. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
The answer to the
problem is complicated, as each knight brings something different to the
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some that make a
distinction between "fighting knights" and "service
knight". All knights should be both, to varying degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fighting skill (or knowledge of fighting
technique) is important for building a stronger realm and can be a great way to
bolster recruitment through displays of top skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Service is a broad category, but even knights
that focus on fighting still serve the realm through teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also helpful for event planners to have
fighting experience so they can plan fighting that keeps attendees involved and
entertained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The point here is that both
sides bolster each other, and it is important to develop in both areas. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
One aspect of
fighting skill that is often overlooked in discussion of squire tasks is field
leadership. Taking command and helping the group find success on a large field
is something knights should be doing (see above). Many knights have their squires
read classic books on military strategy (Art of War, etc) to help build this
sort of strategic mindset. Often, squires will be tasked to lead realm battles
or shepherd a flock of new fighters to test their leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Developing a keen eye for the flow of a line
fight and gaps in the enemy line not only boosts their ability to personally
influence the fight, but also to lead others to the same ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smaller groups/realms might find that having
a reliable commander might make the experience at major events more fun as they
find more success on the field. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
Knights don't have
to be the best one on one fighters in every style. However, they do need to be
well versed in a variety of weapons and techniques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most knights end up specializing in a few
weapons or styles, and are often experts in one or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say "mastered" one or two
styles, but I have always felt that there will always be room to improve. At
the end of a squire's path to knighthood, they should be able to display a high
level of skill in a couple of styles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even being an expert in a support weapon should qualify. Controversial
as it may be, even a non-combatant might be able to display fighting knowledge
that rivals even veteran fighters--leaving the path of non-com squire open to
those realms that would find it fitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To fit the mold of "someone that could run a realm", a knight
needs to be able to teach fighting technique, not necessarily excel at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, I'm no expert on flails or bows,
but I could teach someone how to use them effectively. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
All squires should
be experts on the <a href="http://geddon.org/Book_of_war" target="_blank">Book of War</a> (and/or Dag's Manual of Arms). And by expert, I
do mean expert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will need to know
the rules for combat to be a herald, and the rules for weapon construction to check
weapons and to build them. Even someone that has been in the sport for a while
should review the rules and study them a little bit periodically, especially if
one plans to work towards knighthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The hard part for newer realms, or those farther from the traditions, is
that it is difficult to learn unwritten rules and old combat conventions
without exposure to long serving veteran fighters. This is where disparity
appears between realms and regions, especially in realms that rarely make it to
large events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knights pass along this
tradition to their realms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Squires in
more isolated realms should make it a point to visit older realms and learn
from elder knights. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
Squires/knights should do their best to be paragon of sportsmanship and a good representative of the sport. They need to be an example to others of how great fighting can be. By having fun, fighting hard, and coming away from a fight with a positive attitude, they can help make a mediocre day of fighting into a great time for everyone on the field. From a recruiting standpoint, they need to be able to talk to newcomers, teach them the basics, and get them fighting. They should be approachable and helpful. Consider who recruited you to the sport, who really sold you on sticking around, and do your best to emulate them.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
The benchmark for
when a squire is ready to be knighted should be high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process should be hard enough to forge a
strong fighter and realm leader. It should last long enough to give a squire
opportunity for growth and success, as well as a chance to fail and recover,
but each one's path is different and takes its own time to complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There should be no rush to be knighted, for
the more difficult and time consuming the challenge, the more rewarding the
title will be.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
A bit of a side note. Several people concern themselves with the prestige or reputation of the title "knight". While it is something that many people honor, the meaning of the title rests in the hands of those who have earned it. Anyone can call themselves a knight, but those that have earned the respect of the knights they have aspired to be will find their title much more meaningful. The title is more that you have been accepted to join them as a peer of the order. For those knighted under realms, it is a mark of that realm's respect and appreciation for your efforts. As long as a knight upholds the goals and aims of his realm, there is little reason to concern themselves with what outsiders think about the title.</div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-51879050721658558042014-11-12T20:32:00.000-06:002014-11-12T20:35:46.197-06:00Do's and Don'ts of Events<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">I had a longer post written, but somehow lost a good
chunk somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully most of what
was lost is still covered.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
After arriving at
the site, your first stop should be "troll".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where you'll sign in and pay for the
event. Information and a map are also usually found here, as are any rules
specific to the site. It is a good idea to know what rules the event is using
ahead of time (Belegarth, Dagorhir, or some Realm's specific rules), and read
up on any differences between your home practice and the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When in doubt, ask when you arrive.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
After checking in,
drop off your gear at weapons check (if it is open). If you haven't already
marked your gear in a way you can identify it, do so before dropping it
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, make sure they are marked
according the rules (like green tape on the pommel for a stabbing sword).</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
The biggest events
are a series of day events strung together with entertainment, feasts,
nightlife, and camping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After you are
all checked in and waiting for weapons to be checked, it is a good time to set
up camp (and change into garb). Most realms/groups camp together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The map at troll often has these campsites
marked to help you find where to set up with your group.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Before weapons check
closes, there will usually be a variety of sparring, classes, and pick up
battles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a good chance to fight
a few veterans from other realms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
aren't sure who to talk to, ask a vet from your realm to introduce you to a few
people.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
After a long day of
fighting, there will usually be a Feast provided by the event, followed by any
nightlife at the various group camps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
really get a feel for each of the units and realms camping out, you need to go
visit their camps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is best to travel
around with a vet that knows the various groups well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just be sure to say "Hail Camp" as
you approach so they know someone is coming to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Introduce yourself and hang out for a while.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Sometimes, units
will have ceremonies, promotions, and the like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most of the time, outsiders aren't welcome for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they ask you to leave, do so, but don't
feel bad about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are probably
just about to have a meeting or other unit business that doesn't involve you.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">A few do's and don'ts of events:</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
1) <strong>DO</strong>: Take your
hits!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm required to say that
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do your best to take them
accurately and portray them quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you get confused, just take death.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
2) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Call your
hits on other people. It is on their honor to take them (see number 1).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have problems with an individual, ask
a herald.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
3) <strong>DO</strong>: Hit
hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More adrenaline, more armor, and
long days of fighting seem to increase people's hit tolerance at events. Shots
that might get taken at a local practice may not be hard enough for someone to
feel through armor and in the heat of the moment.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
4) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Hit too
hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no reason to go at 100%
full force on your swings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to
strike a balance between power and control. Safety is key.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
5) <strong>DO</strong>: Seek advice,
training, and sparring during breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you see someone fight well in a style you want to learn, ask them to spar or
for some tips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most veterans are happy
to share their experience.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
6) <strong>DO</strong>: Swing!! A lot
of fighters find event fighting intimidating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just go for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You'll probably
die one way or another during a battle, it might as well be while taking someone
else out with you.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
7) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Dive
headfirst into the enemy. Aggression is good, but carelessly throwing your life
away isn't helping your team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait for a
good opportunity.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
8) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Walk
through the weapons check area!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will
be yelled at, I promise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always walk
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't want someone getting
hit with a backswing because they walked through.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
9) <strong>DO</strong>: Have fun, on
and off the field. Even if you aren't winning fights, have a good time trying
something fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take in the opportunity
to socialize with long time veterans and various units.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
10) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Overdo
it. Many events are at dry parks, but where alcohol is permitted, be
responsible. The last thing you want is to be carried back to your tent or make
a terrible impression. Besides, too much consumption will likely ruin your next
day of fighting.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
11) <strong>DO</strong>: Be
respectful of other camps. This is their home for the week, so respect the
rough boundaries around camps and their property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Hail Camp" before entering their
area.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
12) <strong>DO</strong>: Volunteer to
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Events are a ton of work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are qualified to help in some way,
don't hesitate to volunteer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if
they don't need help, you can always make sure to clean up your campsite and
trash.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
13) <strong>DON'T</strong>: Argue
with heralds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the hits they
call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you disagree, ask them after
the fight.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
14) <strong>DO</strong>: Know the
rules. Even vets should reread the rules on occasion. Any rules that deviate
from the national rules are likely to be posted at the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See this post:<a href="http://linefighting.blogspot.com/2014/11/unwritten-rules.html"> Unwritten Rules</a>.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
15) <strong>DO</strong>: Sign up for
classes ahead of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All sorts of
classes are made available at big events, both for fighting and crafting. This
is a great chance to learn from veterans and skilled craftsmen.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
16) <strong>DO</strong>: Arrive
early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to be at the event as/before
weapons check opens.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
17) <strong>DO</strong>: Hydrate! It
is easy to forget to take a break and grab some water. I pack a mix of water
and sports drinks, along with a few easy snacks.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
18) <strong>DO</strong>: Check your
gear ahead of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if you aren't
sure how to check weapons, have a vet check your gear a few weeks before the
event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This gives you time to make
repairs and break in new blades.</div>
Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-86142365693405760162014-11-04T08:04:00.000-06:002014-11-04T08:04:15.356-06:00Unwritten RulesIf you've read the Book of War for Belegarth, you've heard of "medieval combat precedent". The phrase gets tossed out quite a bit during rules discussions, especially those between fighters from various realms/regions. Part of the reason for this is that the rules for Belegarth (and Dagorhir) leave several items open to interpretation. The rules are sparse to allow ease of use, which also means some rules aren't fully explained.<br />
<br />
This leaves us with a several "grey" areas that some people play a little differently than the rules might suggest. The following list is by no means comprehensive, but covers a few of the most common. Check with your local realms and events to see how they play the them.<br />
<br />
In no particular order:<br />
<br />
1) "Shot in motion". According to the rules, when your arm gets hit (or your body), you drop what is in your hands. However, a large portion of the sport plays shot in motion, where you can finish any swing that was already started and have it count, within reason. The opposite approach is "atomic clock", where the swing is discounted immediately.<br />
<br />
2) "Double tapped legs". Subsequent strikes to a disabled leg are ignored, unless both knees are down or you are rolling, etc. However, many play that you must be portraying the wound before that rule applies, meaning two hits to the leg while you are standing can kill you. You can avoid any confusion by taking the wound quickly (and wearing good knee pads...).<br />
<br />
3) "Grappling". Armored fighters can't initiate grapples against unarmored fighters. Archers can't grapple. However, the rules don't mention grabbing equipment. Grabbing a spear shaft isn't generally considered a grapple. But what about a sword handle, a strap shield? There isn't much precedent, so I usually use safety as a test. An archer grabbing a spear to defend themself isn't placing the spearman in danger (6' away), but grabbing a weapon handle might place both of them in danger of the poky bits from the arrows and bow. My opponent can easily let go of their weapon to get out of the situation if I grab their handle, but not if I grab their strap shield.<br />
<br />
4) "Head, then body". The rules say to take the worst of the hits of a strike hits more than one zone. But the head is an illegal target, so what happens when a shot hits the head, then hits body? Two sides to this one, either the "worst" means "bad for you, take the body" or "illegal target is worst, ignore the rest". Precedent, from back when, was that this is a body shot. Recently, more people air on the side of it being counted as a head shot. I generally try to gauge it based on how much of a head hit it was. Grazing a bit of an ear and landing solid on body, it's a body shot. Blazing me in the side of the dome and carrying a somewhat light hit down into the body, it's a headshot. This varies greatly from fighter to fighter. Best advice, avoid hitting people in the head.<br />
<br />
5) "Late hits". See number 1. Your opponent throws a shot after he's been hit in that arm, so it doesn't count. But, you got hit and started dropping your gear. He says "late", implying you are still alive and should keep fighting. All fine and good. Though, none of this is in the rules. Normally, if you take an injury, the herald is the only one that can/should "heal" a wound, and even that is a stretch. However, "late" calls help keep people happy and fighting, and are generally accepted. Just give fighters nearby a friendly heads up that you are still alive. If you've been dead for a while, just stay dead, especially if being alive again would give you a very big advantage (behind enemy lines, etc) that you didn't already have.<br />
<br />
6) "Point!". Guy throws a javelin, hits with the haft, then yells "point!" expectantly, thinking he has landed a good, point first javelin hit. The rules are honor based, you are in no way bound to his call of point, if it indeed hit with the haft. This call is something that probably should be replaced with "haft" or "nothing" when the thrower is pretty sure the hit wasn't valid, or "javelin" if someone is looking around to see what hit them.<br />
<br />
7) "Pool cueing double greens". There was recently a large discussion about this one. Pool cueing is letting the spear/glaive slide through one hand while pushing with the other. Dagorhir specifically labels this as a one-handed stab, Bele doesn't specify. I call them as a single when I glaive, but others want to call them double. This is because the rules say "when wielded with two hands", leaving the amount of effort applied by the second hand undefined. Many play it like Dagorhir, where both hands have to be firmly gripping the weapon from the start of the stab until contact is made.<br />
<br />
8) "Calling colors". While the Belegarth rules only specify that you need to call "two" when attacking from behind with a two-handed weapon, the general practice is to call the type of hit if it is anything other than a one-handed, swung weapon. Preference seems to be calling colors: red for class two and green for class three, while calling blue for one handers from behind. Also, calling stabs as "single" or "double" is acceptable, especially for polearms that switch between one and two handed often.<br />
<br />
9) "acknowledging hits". Calling hand, armor, light, garb, graze, pierced arms, and any other call about how you got hit and didn't take a wound or die isn't required by the rules. However, playability says otherwise. Even if it is a few second afterwards, a call can help clear up the situation and prevent your opponent from getting upset that you aren't taking hits. As long as you are correctly taking your hits, missing a call here or there isn't the end of the world, just do your best to call what you can.<br />
<br />
10) "Solid Shield Breaking Hits". Different places have different standards on how hard a class two weapon needs to hit a shield to qualify as a shield breaking hit, especially when adding in Dagorhir* realms. Some realms encourage the idea that it only needs to be as hard it would need to be to count against a limb. Most large events play it as needing a significant amount of extra power to break shields. This probably comes from the historical/practical argument of "would that shot have actually damaged a shield in a significant way". I prefer the heavier hitting style, on both sides of the hit. As a two-hander, I'd rather people only take "good" swings, rather than lighter hits that weren't intended to break their shield. As a shieldman, I expect other red users to be capable of the same hits.<br />
<br />
*Dagorhir has a few extra rules towards discounting the hits that could easily be misread to mean "if it hits a weapon first, it doesn't count." As best I can tell, that isn't at all the intention, but I have seen it played as such.<br />
---<br />
Parting thought: bastard swords (min red) aren't really intended to be great for breaking shields. Try hunting armor instead.Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-3686577950032820502014-11-02T08:02:00.001-06:002014-11-02T12:05:50.516-06:00HeraldsDude, I totally killed you."<br />
"There's no way that was your arm, you're dead."<br />
"Point, that javelin killed you."<br />
<br />
--Random, but common phrases uttered on the fields of Belegarth and Dagorhir.<br />
<br />
<br />
First off, a reminder: heralds/marshals are the only people who can call someone "dead" or even bring someone back to life. Archers are the only fighters that can call their shots (as in that arrow hit you in the torso, not arm). Even calling "point" on a javelin is pushing the boundaries of acceptable practices, especially if you follow it with the expectation that they take the hit. Granted, I occasionally find myself questioning how someone took (or didn't take) a hit, but I usually try to ask them when the fight is over. Or keep swinging until one of us calls themself dead.<br />
<br />
"But what if I know, 100%, that guy is cheating?" <br />
<br />
Well, that is why we have heralds. Ideally, their presence alone will keep most people honest, to the best of their hit registering ability. Of course, people will miss shots or end up in a confusing situations. This is where heralds start making calls in order to clean up the situation.<br />
<br />
Not every call they make will be 100% accurate, and that is ok. They are trying to fix a bad situation, and will do their best to call someone dead before things get too complicated or messy. They also won't hesitate to call people dead for safety reasons, because maintaining a safe field is far more important than one fighter's success.<br />
<br />
"That herald made a bad call, I disagree, I'll give him a piece of my mind."<br />
<br />
Adrenaline plus being told you are dead, when "clearly" you weren't, trips that moment when you want to argue with someone. Stop, breath, calm down. Remember, Bele and Dag specifically give heralds the right to kick you off of the field if you are being a problem. Arguing with one probably is a quick way to get them to send you to the sidelines. And if they don't, I know quite a few people that would be happy to escort you there.<br />
<br />
After the fight, ask them, politely. Sometimes their vantage point gives them a better angle to judge some shots. Other times it is worse. Sometimes what you felt and what they saw are two very different things. They made the call that seemed the most appropriate from their perspective. Oh well, move along, the next fight is starting in about ten seconds.<br />
<br />
"I've never seen that herald fight, they don't know enough to call hits."<br />
<br />
Fighting and heralding are two very different things. There are good fighters that are terrible at it, and there are people that rarely or never fight that are incredible at it. Odds are, if a non-fighter is heralding, they've actually read and studied the rules far more than most fighters. I also know quite a few great heralds that rarely fight today, but have a long career before you even caught a glimpse of them.<br />
<br />
Do we really think NFL, NBA, or NHL refs are amazing, former pro players? Probably not, but they have spent a good deal of time learning how to do the job.<br />
<br />
"I want to herald!"<br />
<br />
Great. First things first, read the rules, a few times. Make sure to ask vets how your realm (or event) are handling any grey areas (that probably should be another post, huh?). I don't recommend starting at an event, get some training by following a good herald at a local practice. Make sure to ask what they are seeing and hearing. And yes, the sound of a sword hitting a shield is different that it hitting a body.<br />
<br />
Different heralds have different approaches. I air on the side of "looked like it was probably blocked enough to be light" and try to only make calls if truly necessary. Others take the "I saw it make contact and he didn't call light, so he's dead" approach, and make several calls. Neither are perfect; I miss a few shots that should be called, but their style makes a few more "bad" calls. Try to strike a balance and set a standard for when you want to step in and make a call. Just be sure you are close to the fight, move with the battle.<br />
<br />
Oddly enough, I usually end up making far more calls about arrows than poor hit taking. Archers and targets can't always see deflection or where the arrow hit. Being perpendicular to the shot gives you a great angle to judge. Because arrow rules are less well know to newer fighters and smaller realms, this is when knowing the rulebook well comes in handy.<br />
<br />
TL;DR: Listen to heralds, they are doing you a favor by running the field so everyone else can fight. <br />
<br />
Take your hits!Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-62044942711633959842014-10-27T20:20:00.002-05:002014-10-27T20:22:10.514-05:00GlaiveOkfest was a great event. Had a great time. I also had several people ask me for a few tips and tricks to using a glaive. I have a<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mjnqkq3H2o09uJyrxeptCVa9yQ_k9hN-BYiJKltZzIA/edit?usp=sharing"> guide</a> floating around the net, though it is a bit out of date. If you want to see a sampling of glaive fighting, check out this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t8d5IHEZL0&list=FLe4jrUpgcys-eHO-jspsl_A&index=1">video</a>. (I may be a little biased to recommend watching it...) <br />
I decided it might be a good idea to jot down the basics from scratch, because I haven't thought about it for a while. This is geared mostly towards learning to break shields in an safe and efficient way. This isn't always the best place to start for someone completely new to red weapons, so I'd recommend some practice off the field to gauge your ability to do so safely.<br />
<br />
One of the first things I hear from people (except those using a ultralight glaive) is about how heavy the weapon is. Most people attempt to wield it more like a spear, and try generating power for shield breaking hits from a low stance. That is rarely going to work and will be very tiring.<br />
<br />
The weight in the head of a glaive is a great tool to use to help you get good, solid hits. Starting with a high stance, gravity will do most of the work. You really only have to push/pull for the first half of the swing to get a medium power shield break. Much more than that is mostly wasted effort and adds a bit of danger. Applying too much power for the strike usually means you will spend that much extra to recover from it.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Shield Breaking</u></strong><br />
<br />
The main shield breaking hit I use starts in a high stance, with the tip of the glaive being nearly pointed strait up, then coming down at around a 45 degree angle. The angle changes for safety and space available to swing. Tightly packed lines make this more dangerous and push the swing to more of a 60-70 degree angle. The target is the shoulder, not the shield. If they block, great, it is probably a solid, shield breaking hit. If they don't, they are dead, even better. Obviously, there is inherent danger to the target's head here, so please get some practice before going onto the field and trying this.<br />
<br />
Of course, without a proper base, all that weight swinging around will take you off balance. Take a nice, wide stance, with your front leg and top hand on the same side as you are striking at, ie. right foot/hand forward for breaking shields. Grip the glaive so that your back/bottom hand is against the pommel and your front/top hand is close to the incidental padding. While swinging, this gives you a good mix of control and range. Moving your front hand back reduces control, but adds reach and vise versa.<br />
<br />
As you swing, you will shift your weight forward, bending the front knee slightly. With the swing, push out with your front hand as you pull your back hand towards your hip. As you recover, you shift your weight back, extending the front leg and pulling your lead hand back. This not only helps generate power, but also modifies your range in the most advantageous way. You gain several inches of reach for striking, and then take away that much from the enemy's counter. By pulling your center of gravity and hand back, you also block off one of the most probable returns, that which targets your arm closest to the enemy.<br />
<br />
If your hits aren't landing sufficient to break a shield, add a little bit of twist in your hip and push/pull through a wider part of your swing. If you feel too slow on recovery, back off some of your power for the swing. Ideally, you want to ride the fine line between speed and power until you can safely throw a large number of shots quickly that will still be hard enough to break shields. All of that being secondary to safety. Only add power when absolutely necessary, because more power means more risk to the opponent.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>High to Low Sweep</u></strong><br />
<br />
Without doubt, there are many other targets than shields. The reason to learn/master the above is so you develop body mechanics that help you with other strikes, and to get into a flow that will reduce the chances of headshots. Your next primary target is then the opponent's lead leg. If you start from the high stance, you can switch to targeting a leg mid-swing by lifting your back hand. The effect should be a smooth curve, pulling around the shield to hit mid-calf or higher.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t31.0-8/10448539_10152472654265259_3077626186975004499_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="266" src="https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t31.0-8/10448539_10152472654265259_3077626186975004499_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High to Low sweep at close range, at about the point of impact.<br />
Photo by: Ellie Apland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Most people learning this shot at first put more effort into it than needed, resulting in a lot of wasted effort. That "smooth" feeling is from letting the glaive do the work. The proper leg hit here is actually less effort than a heavy shield hit. You are still doing the push/pull mechanic with your arms, but are now doing so more to change the direction than to add power. If you find your back/abs/arms are getting sore or feeling overworked doing this shot, change when you start the curve (when you raise your back hand). Also, remember, the front/top hand ends up going through a curved motion and should act as a fulcrum for the glaive's rotation, but you are letting gravity do the work of adding most of the power to the shot.<br />
<br />
The first few times you try this, you'll see a good bit of success, especially at events. However, veteran fighters will look to cut the angle of the attack off, either by advancing into the incidental padding or pushing their shield down to cut off the curve before it gets to their leg. You really need to make this more of a "as needed" shot, rather than your main tool. Make them raise their shield by throwing a few good shoulder shots, then switch to one of these. With an ultralight glaive, you can also fake this shot, then go for their shoulder.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>High to Low to Backhand</u></strong><br />
<br />
Should you miss the leg sweep (or do so intentionally), you now have the glaive on the opponent's sword side, under their guard. This is the perfect opportunity to hit them with a backhand strike. Targeting their arm or armpit mirrors the body mechanics of the normal recovery from a swing. To hit lower (under their guard towards the hip), you'll need to roll your right shoulder back. Rocking back here causes the blade to rotate so you don't flat them and changes the angle of recovery to hit them hip level. It should feel like you are leaning back, into the swing. This also adds to the overall power of the shot.<br />
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You will rarely be breaking shields here, but you can easily generate the power needed to punch through body armor. Even if you only manage a light shield shot, you've now forced the opponent to worry about you. Very few will rush against the backhand, because they will often have to open themselves up (or punch block a glaive...) in order to get to you without taking a hip shot. <br />
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This is where working with another reach weapon can really make a difference. By pressuring the lower sword side, the opponent is usually going to expose their upper shield side. If you have a buddy glaive to your right, the normal shield breaking swing will often be a shoulder shot now. Even someone with a longsword might benefit from the opening you make here.<br />
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<strong><u>Suppression</u></strong><br />
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The other nice thing about the backhand is that you don't have to target the person that you "missed" with the leg sweep. Once the sweep is completed, you can pull your hands in a bit and sweep past your initial target, then extend your arms to hit a different target altogether. By switching targets in this way, it forces a larger group of people to worry about you. It also keeps that new target from rushing you, which he was probably thinking about when you swung. This is what I generally refer to as "suppression", pushing your weight around to force people to deal with you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2anGP7-Gx0o/VE7u8TGzGUI/AAAAAAAAAI8/hdTcga44mdY/s1600/Glaive%2BLine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2anGP7-Gx0o/VE7u8TGzGUI/AAAAAAAAAI8/hdTcga44mdY/s1600/Glaive%2BLine.png" height="320" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
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The ones pointed out are prime targets to be dispatched by either you, or your buddy with a polearm. The corner's of a kill pocket offer you targets if a friendly polearm is stuck in the middle of one. </td></tr>
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Regardless of the actual damage you deal, suppressing a group of enemies, at the very least, buys your team time to deal with them. One sweep can get 5-6 people to back up or shift their stance to dodge. Several sweeps and stabs can cause a large kill pocket to form around you, but not advance. This is dangerous for you, but does open a few people up. The enemy to either side of the kill pocket (the ones that didn't curve away from you) are now exposed on their flank facing the kill pocket. This is a GREAT time to switch positions to the edge of the pocket, and destroy one of those guys. <br />
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If you see another glaive suppressing a kill pocket, those edges are also a great spot to line up in support. The corners of the pocket (the first guy turned in a bit) are weak to just outside of the pocket. You can line up roughly across from the first guy that didn't turn into the pocket and stab along the side of the pocket. You won't get too many stabs in before they end up shifting to counter it, but if you hurry, you might break the pocket open.Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-26201042198710066702014-10-27T19:12:00.000-05:002014-10-27T19:33:53.379-05:00Supply LinesMany of the notable works about military strategy (Art of War, The Prince, etc) talk at length about supply lines. Sword fighters often disregard those chapters because it rarely comes into play. While much of the more large scale, strategic applications will rarely be simulated by Belegarth, it did occur to me that sometimes we see a smaller scale of supply lines: respawns.<br />
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At WAR this weekend, it became paramount to control the flow of respawns, much as one might cut off supplies before a siege, etc. Those paths that connected the respawn point to an objective could be compared to a main supply route. By raiding or blockading such areas, a team could reduce the enemy's ability to reinforce or control objectives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aB69A5YLPaY/VE7X1iXnbPI/AAAAAAAAAIg/_uzRSUKUhaM/s1600/Supply%2BLines%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aB69A5YLPaY/VE7X1iXnbPI/AAAAAAAAAIg/_uzRSUKUhaM/s1600/Supply%2BLines%2B1.png" height="292" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I may have swapped my colors around. This is what it looked like during the first round (actual headband colors are opposite). Not to scale, of course, but the path for the red respawn is more direct to the action, and is very difficult to cut off from its own castle.</td></tr>
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Red team used this idea to come back from a large deficit in the second half. Rather than simply attack and hold the objectives, the team pushed past them to control the supply lines, leaving only a small reserve to secure the objective. Of course, this strategy was much stronger from the higher, more open ground which red team started with in the second round.<br />
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From the forest side, this strategy is much harder, largely because the open field allows the hill side free access to two objectives from their respawn point. That makes it only really possible for a strong forest team to choke off three points from the enemy supply route. The hill side can, with less people, choke off all five objectives from the supply route. Previous years saw some of this, but the forest side castle and respawn point were in slightly better positions to counteract blockades. Due to the location this year, the blue respawn point doesn't force the enemy to fight on two fronts to siege the castle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtQ78JdySxE/VE7bI04Gk7I/AAAAAAAAAIs/aygoUo25PE4/s1600/Supply%2BLines%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtQ78JdySxE/VE7bI04Gk7I/AAAAAAAAAIs/aygoUo25PE4/s1600/Supply%2BLines%2B2.png" height="292" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Correct team coloring this time. Red team had all five points controlled early by blocking off the two main supply routes out of the blue team respawn. Thanks to a sneaky group (and Liz, all her fault), they were able to deploy a small force behind red lines.</td></tr>
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You can see in the above picture, that a small force of red team was able to tie up a much larger force, using the natural choke points and limiting the blue team's ability to attack anywhere other than a prepared front. Because blue team needs to get out of this choke point in order to gain any ground, they have to be very aggressive in attacking. This makes kill pockets and solid defense with support weapons extremely effective for the red team.<br />
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Valkyries (mobile respawn points) could act as forward bases, opening new supply lines for their team. While often they end up being more of a tool for getting troops to the front faster, this role as a sort of supply base also allowed a team to break blockades with a small number of troops. By taking a longer, more difficult path around the enemy, the Valkyrie and a small group could end up behind enemy lines.<br />
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It was thanks to this raid on the backfield that allows blue team some room to breathe and finally push out of the choke points. Even though the group in the backfield was small, the additional casualties weakens the front line and runs through Valkyrie respawns quickly. It also forces red team to take a wider front to try to block off the advance.<br />
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The backfield raiding, though, wasn't quite enough to stifle the damage already done by red team holding all five objectives for an extended period, but it did prevent them from gaining a decisive lead. The final score was only separated by a single point (equivalent to 1 minute of holding your own castle).<br />
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TL;DR: The path to the respawn point acts as a supply route in traditional military strategy. Take the supply route and you can control the area much more effectively.Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203830024427438572.post-35987797741065309642014-09-19T07:46:00.000-05:002014-09-19T07:47:06.580-05:00Shield WorkIt just occurred to me, after demonstrating how to kill a legged opponent to a new fighter, that I had completely missed the topic of shield work on here. Most early training focuses on defense and a few basic strikes, but often misses the utility of using a shield on the offense.<br />
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I realize some of this needs to be elaborated on, or at least needs pictures. I'll see if I can't get around to updating it soon*.<br />
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<strong>Bashing</strong><br />
Knocking people over can sometimes be the simplest way to finish a fight or break a stalemate. Unless your opponents are pretty decent with the wrap shot while falling, a good shield bash can leave you with a variety of openings to exploit. If you manage to knock then down, their legs will become the obvious targets. If they keep their footing (or stay up on that knee), you might get a chance to hit an opening as they use their arms to balance, thereby opening their guard slightly.<br />
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One thing to keep in mind while bashing is that your shield will have a tendency to rise while extending your arms. This gives you a good chance of bashing someone in the face, or pushing their shield into it. It is advisable to bend at the knees and then lean into the bash, thus giving it extra power and reducing the chances of face bashing due to the lowered stance. Placing your sword hand behind the shield and pushing will add a little extra stability.<br />
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The risk with bashing, is that you bring the plane of defense inside your opponents threat range. This makes it much easier for swings to get around your shield. Placing your bash slightly off-center, towards the opponent's sword, mitigates some of the risk. Regardless of precaution, wrap shots are still deadly at this range.<br />
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<strong>Checking/Punching</strong><br />
Shield contact is useful for moving the opponent's guard. Doing so without closing in to bash is often safer and can prove more effective. The key to a good shield punch or check is to move their guard while cutting off their angle of attack. A punch to the sword-side edge, for example, opens their shield side to attack while pushing their sword side back. Because of the position of the shields, their only clear targets are your shield leg and a high cross to the chest.<br />
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Checking their sword side is much safer, as their offense is pushed away and the angle of attack is more in your favor. Checking to the shield side is more dangerous (except in the case of lefty vs righty). When checking the shield side, your defenses move over, cutting off much of your own angles while offering your opponent a clear shot at your shield shoulder<br />
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The angle of the shield during a punch is usually vertical, hitting along the slot between their sword and shield. This causes the opposite edge to open up. Changing the angle changes the opening. Punching at a 45 degree angle along the top (read: dangerously close to face) opens the bottom edge to a hip wrap. Punching with the edge across the face of the shield acts much like a longer ranged bash, but opens up even more of your lower body. Punching downward (trying to catch some of the sword side curve on a round) sometimes lowers their defense against high crosses.<br />
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<strong>The Rip</strong><br />
A rip is using the back of the shield edge to pull open the opponent's defenses. By itself, it is fairly risky, greatly exposing your chest to high crosses or stabs from down swords. The range is much closer than more shield work, excluding the bash. I find that leading into the rip with a short cross to their sword while closing the distance to be quite effective. If you are lucky, the cross will force their sword into the path of the rip. In that case, the rip will turn all of their defense to their shield side, allowing you to easily dispatch them with a high cross.<br />
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If you miss the sword, they have two options. They can attack your shield side (which will become exposed as you follow through), or they can defend their exposed chest. Attacking means they will still be open to the high cross. Defending will negate the risk, but only serves to reset the fight into a very close range. <br />
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A note here, they can counter the rip with a short cross or high cross, potentially killing you or tying up your sword. Mitigate your risk by executing the whole combination (cross, rip, cross, for example) quickly. The less time your opponent has between steps, the less likely they are to counter.Sir Torrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690127833301270907noreply@blogger.com0