Fencing/Swordfighting

[Sam]

I have quite a few swordfighting training/battle scenes in my story, and although I've got a pretty solid background in stage combat, yelling out 'Attack point 5! Step slide! Defend point 7 SWEEP!' doesn't sound quite as cool as barking in Italian or whatever the case may be.

The question is: anyone know some basic fencing/swordfighting postions/attacks, their names, and can describe them to me?

And a note: it can be any style- my story's an ecclectic mix of several different time periods at once so a little bit of stretching the truth on the subject of battle shouldn't be a total shock.

[Imp]

My forte (no pun, if you have swordplay background) is renassaince fencing, and modern competitive.

But I know all basic terms in French. ^_^

With a merely pointal weapons, lines of attack are divided high and low (above the guard, or beneath).

High line, inside the guard/arm is quatre.

Outside the arm is sixte.

Any defence is a parry. One might yell - "No! Parry sixte! outside! watch the desege! (accent over the last 'e')

Low line are inside - septime; outside - octave.

Pris de fer is an attack along the blade, usually a grazing motion to knock the opponent's weapon out of line, away from guard.

Fleche is a running/diving attack. Once the arm comes out, rather than stepping forward, or lunging (in which both feet remain on the ground), one leans onto the front foot, back foot crosses over. A good fleche gets the fencer nearly vertical to the ground.

...sorry, now. I'm tired. I've got some more, if this is at all helpful. Feel free to ask questions of things I'm sure I've not clarified. ^_^''

[Sam]

So I take it that high/low refers to above or below the stomach? (Since in stage combat, point six would be the hardest- a direct stab at the stomach- so it's easier to go above and below that point.)

But oh, thank you! Now I sort of know what I'm doing...

And that pris de fer is a lot of fun. Thanks again!

[Imp]

sam said:

So I take it that high/low refers to above or below the stomach? (Since in stage combat, point six would be the hardest- a direct stab at the stomach- so it's easier to go above and below that point.)

Usually abdomen/stomach area - but it refers specifically to where the guard is. If an opponent's guard is raised - for any reason, perhaps he's startled or inept - low line is open - entirely. ^_^ Technical specifying on that...only someone (as far as characters go) who had studied the theory and form of it would think of it that way - a master or an instructor.

[Sam]

That would make sense- especially since people who have just started are equally spastic and wouldn't notice things like that.

But ooh! This is very, very helpful.