Thoughts on I.33
Every time Neil and I train in I.33 we have some new revelation and refine what we do. I want to get our current status down for later comparison.
Underarm V Halfshield:
Underarm with left leg forward, left foot pointing to the enemy, right foot about 45 degrees off, weight slightly forward. Buckler fairly close into the chest, sword hand behind it so that the sword is quite close up under the left armpit. Elbows and buckler make a rough triangle (elbows lower).
Halfshield steps in to counter. Right foot forwards, both hands extended (but not locked) at shoulder height. Blade is not vertical but is more vertical than horizontal. Buckler held next to the sword hand and facing left.
Distance: I.33 says that if Underarm doesn't act, Halfshield will get a victory. However, if halfshield is adopted at a slight distance (i.e. out of distance for a blow from Underarm yet just in distance for a thrust-strike from halfshield) Halfshield's thrust is startlingly easy for Underarm to deflect with a false-edge flick followed by a shield-knock. This thrust from distance effectively turns halfshield into longpoint. Longpoint is easy to bind against.
So, halfshield must be adopted closer in to Underarm's position. At this distance it's easier for Halfshield to strike a blow to the left side of Underarm's head whilst stepping offline to Halfshield's left (stepping in the round) than to go for a thrust. This also means that an attempt by Underarm to deflect Halfshield's blow is likely to have the adverse effect of helping the blow on its way into Underarm's face. In this case Halfshields attack is almost always successful. Falling under the sword and shield once Halfshield has been adopted is ineffective.
In order to survive the encounter Underarm must fall under the sword and shield BEFORE Halfshield is fully adopted (i.e. as the opponent is stepping in and positioning sword and shield). Falling under the sword and shield: Underarm steps slightly offline to the left with the forward (left) foot and raises sword and buckler to shoulder height engaging Halfshield's sword and putting the sword point to Halfshield's face. Underarm's buckler is over his sword hand facing the enemy to protect against cut to hand. Still to decide on engagement with true or false edge - false edge gives a better angle for a thrust to face, true edge gives a stronger bind to allow bind over and shield-knock or grapple.
Halfshield should bind down strongly on Underarm's blade but should not step with his rearward (left) foot until the bind is established. The step aids Halfshield's shield-knock (or grapple) if the bind is successful. In the same way, having engaged, Underarm should only step with his rearmost (right) foot during his shield-knock and the step will be more to the right side than towards Halfshield to maintain an appropriate distance for the following unterhau blow to Halfshield's head.
Underarm V Halfshield:
Underarm with left leg forward, left foot pointing to the enemy, right foot about 45 degrees off, weight slightly forward. Buckler fairly close into the chest, sword hand behind it so that the sword is quite close up under the left armpit. Elbows and buckler make a rough triangle (elbows lower).
Halfshield steps in to counter. Right foot forwards, both hands extended (but not locked) at shoulder height. Blade is not vertical but is more vertical than horizontal. Buckler held next to the sword hand and facing left.
Distance: I.33 says that if Underarm doesn't act, Halfshield will get a victory. However, if halfshield is adopted at a slight distance (i.e. out of distance for a blow from Underarm yet just in distance for a thrust-strike from halfshield) Halfshield's thrust is startlingly easy for Underarm to deflect with a false-edge flick followed by a shield-knock. This thrust from distance effectively turns halfshield into longpoint. Longpoint is easy to bind against.
So, halfshield must be adopted closer in to Underarm's position. At this distance it's easier for Halfshield to strike a blow to the left side of Underarm's head whilst stepping offline to Halfshield's left (stepping in the round) than to go for a thrust. This also means that an attempt by Underarm to deflect Halfshield's blow is likely to have the adverse effect of helping the blow on its way into Underarm's face. In this case Halfshields attack is almost always successful. Falling under the sword and shield once Halfshield has been adopted is ineffective.
In order to survive the encounter Underarm must fall under the sword and shield BEFORE Halfshield is fully adopted (i.e. as the opponent is stepping in and positioning sword and shield). Falling under the sword and shield: Underarm steps slightly offline to the left with the forward (left) foot and raises sword and buckler to shoulder height engaging Halfshield's sword and putting the sword point to Halfshield's face. Underarm's buckler is over his sword hand facing the enemy to protect against cut to hand. Still to decide on engagement with true or false edge - false edge gives a better angle for a thrust to face, true edge gives a stronger bind to allow bind over and shield-knock or grapple.
Halfshield should bind down strongly on Underarm's blade but should not step with his rearward (left) foot until the bind is established. The step aids Halfshield's shield-knock (or grapple) if the bind is successful. In the same way, having engaged, Underarm should only step with his rearmost (right) foot during his shield-knock and the step will be more to the right side than towards Halfshield to maintain an appropriate distance for the following unterhau blow to Halfshield's head.