Thoughts on Prizing, Ranks, and Tournaments:

After following several threads on various HEMA forums (http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14518
http://www.wmacoalition.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=319), I’ve been thinking that I ought to clarify my position on some of these topics and share them with the rest of you.

First off ranks, well I’ve never liked them. Secondly, there is scant historical documentation for their use in fencing guilds and schools. Third, who am I to be giving out ranks anyway? Finally, we are as our name suggests a collective and as such a rigid ranking system is, I feel, inconsistent with the ethos of our group. However, it is worth noting that an unofficial system already exists and I think ought to continue. In this group your skill and knowledge speak volumes, the more of these you have or develop…the more responsible your position within the group becomes.

Next, prizing. For those who are unaware of the practice, it is essentially a challenge by a student to face the schools other students and/or any others willing to fight them. The “prize” in this is varied, either it is the acclaim of the school, or it is an increase in rank, or something else. Ultimately the reason for prizing within a group such as ours is to demonstrate the skill of the group and the individual. Therefore, I intend to encourage you all to issue a challenge to the group to “play for the Prize”. That however leads us to a dilemma, what to use as the “prize”? After a discussion with others last night I think I have hit upon a solution. First though I must say this: we have no formal ranking system…some of you will want one and others will not. Prizing then will function as a ranking system that anyone may opt into, or out of, as they see fit. It will not be required, merely encouraged. That then said we can move onto the form the “prize” will take. I’m thinking that I will borrow an idea from a historic fencing group that I am acquainted with and an idea of Dr Hart’s. A simple ribbon is the answer, one colour for individual “prizes” and others for different multiples. I’ll leave it to the individual to decide how they will wear and display their prize; it is after all more a symbol for them then for us.

Finally, this brings us to tournaments…it is my intention that the IDC should hold several seasonal tourneys. Christmas, Spring, Summer, and Autumn…My intention is to make each a different format if possible (and if there is a format that you would like to see please let me know). The Spring tourney will be a random weapons tourney (in honor of my favorite tourney ever: http://www.pbase.com/darter02/p34_013) and the date for that will be announced soon. In the Autumn I think a Pas de Arms would be good fun. The format of the Summer tourney is up for debate and I am open to suggestions on that. As with the Christmas tourney the prize will likely remain cash, although the addition of formal prize such as a cup (that would be the winners until the next tourney) is a likely to happen.

Defenses against cuts (left to right) from coda longa alta:

Pass forward with your right foot to your opponent‘s left and deliver a false edge cut from below to his sword-hand; then circle with your left foot behind your right and deliver a cut to the opponent‘s right leg (cutting left to right).

Pass back with your left foot and make a cut from your left to the opponent‘s right side, ending in Coda Longa stretta with your sword and shield together.

Make a great pass with your right foot to your opponent‘s left and make a cut from your left across his sword-arm; then make a false edge cut from below your shield to the opponent‘s sword- hand.

Protect yourself by making a great pass back with your left foot and making a cut to the opponent‘s right temple.

Pass back with your left foot and thrust upward to the opponent‘s face from below your shield, ending in Coda Longa Stretta.

Notes: Coda Longa Stretta differs only marginally from Coda Longa Alta. Right foot forward in CLS and left foot forward in CLA.

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta against the riverso:


Gather back with your left foot so that the Riverso passes your leg; then make a great step forward with your right foot and make a Riverso to the opponent‘s right leg; then make a Falso upward from below your rotella.

Make a great pass back with your right foot and make a Riverso Spinto to the opponent‘s right temple.

Pass with your right foot to your opponent‘s left and deliver a Falso from below to his sword-hand; then circle with your left foot behind your right and deliver a Riverso to the opponent‘s right leg.

Pass back with your right foot and make a Riverso Spinto to the opponent‘s right side, ending in Coda Lunga Alta with your sword and rotella together.

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta against a mandritto to the leg:

Pass forward with your right foot and parry by putting your Falso below your rotella; then deliver a Riverso to the opponent‘s forward leg.

Protect yourself by passing back with your right foot and thrusting from beneath your rotella into Guardia di Faccia.

Pass back with your left foot and make a Mandritto Fendente, ending in Porta di Ferro Stretta.

Make a great pass with your right foot to your opponent‘s left and make a Riverso Sgualembrato across his sword-arm; then make a Falso from below your rotella to the opponent‘s sword- hand.

Protect yourself by making a great pass back with your right foot and making a Riverso Spinto di Gamba Levata to the opponent‘s right temple.
Pass back with your left foot and thrust upward to the opponent‘s face from below your rotella, ending in Coda Lunga Stretta.

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta against a Mandritto to the Head:

Pass with your right foot to the opponent‘s right and deliver a thrust to his face from below your rotella in Guardia di Faccia, so that you beat his strike and your rotella protects you from above.

Pass with your left foot to the opponent‘s right and make a Riverso to his forward leg, circling your right foot behind your left.

Protect yourself by making a Stoccata to the opponent‘s face; then jump back, ending in Coda Lunga Alta.

Parry by making a Mezza Volta di Persona and beating the Mandritto with your rotella; then deliver a Mezzo Mandritto to the opponent‘s sword-arm, ending in Cinghiara Porta di Ferro.

Pass forward with your right foot and make a Falso to the opponent‘s sword-hand from below followed by a Riverso to his thigh, ending in Coda Lunga Stretta.

Make a great pass with your right foot to the opponent‘s left and make a Riverso Sgualembrato across his sword-arm; then make a Falso from below your rotella to the opponent‘s sword- hand.

Protect yourself by making a great pass back with your right foot and making a Riverso Spinto di Gamba Levata to the opponent‘s right temple.

Pass back with your left foot and thrust upward to the opponent‘s face from below your rotella, ending in Coda Lunga Stretta.

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta against a fendente to the head:

Pass with your right foot to the opponent‘s right and deliver a thrust to his face from below your rotella in Guardia di Faccia, so that you beat his strike and your rotella protects you from above.

Pass with your left foot to the opponent‘s right and make a Riverso to his forward leg, circling your right foot behind your left.

Protect yourself by making a Stoccata to the opponent‘s face; then jump back, ending in Coda Lunga Alta.

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta

Defenses for Coda Lunga Alta against an unnamed attack:

Deliver a Falso to the opponent‘s sword-hand under your rotella; then return to Coda Lunga Alta.

Step forward with your left foot and make a Stoccata; then gather back with your left foot and go into Coda Lunga Distesa.

Step forward with your right foot and deliver a Fendente to the opponent‘s head, ending in Porta di Ferro Larga and gathering back with your right foot.

Elements of the Bolognese School

Miscellaneous:
Mezza Volta di Mano: Literally, a half-turn of the hand. This is usually used to describe turning the hand from one guard to another with the most common application being when turning the sword from Coda Lunga Stretta to Porta di Ferro Stretta and viceversa. Another use, which is rather specialized, is to turn a true-edge cut into a false-edge cut.

Mezza Volta di Persona: This is the action of turning the body without stepping, but by only turning on the balls of your feet.

Riverso di Gamba Levata: Literally, Riverso of raised foot. This is a Riverso performed as you pass back, a defensive measure used to cover a retreat after an action. The preparation of the Riverso is nearly always made by turning it with your elbow to your inside, rather like a sabre Molinello. The raised foot refers to the fact that the timing of the cut means that the passing foot will still be in the air as the Riverso is made.

Riverso Spinto: Literally, pushed Riverso. A Riverso made such that pushing the hilt away from you instead of drawing it toward you makes the sawing component that every cut should have. The preparation for this cut is usually the same as that for the Riverso di Gamba Levata.

Riverso Spinto di Gamba Levata: A Riverso di Gamba Levata where the Riverso is a Riverso Spinto.

Pass: One foot passes from behind the other foot to in front of it, or vice versa. For example, from Coda Lunga Stretta, pass forward with your left foot and end in Coda Lunga Alta.

Step: One foot steps away from the other, either as an accrescimento (i.e. sort of a lunge) or from a position of both feet standing close together. For example, from Coda Lunga Alta, step forward with your left foot and attack with a Stoccata.

Gather: One foot is drawn close to the other. This can be the rear foot being drawn up to the front foot or vice versa.

Chasing Step: A step where the rear foot gathers forward and then the other foot steps forward. For example, from Coda Lunga Stretta, make a chasing step forward by gathering forward with your left foot and then stepping forward with your right foot. The distance covered is about equal to a Pass.

Circular Step: Often, after stepping or passing offline, the rear foot will circle around behind the front foot to orient to the new line of direction; pivoting on the front foot does this. This will typically be written as: ...the left foot circling behind the right.

Great Pass: A Pass, which ends in a larger step than usual, so that, the feet are nearly as far apart as they would be after performing an accrescimento.

Note that many steps are oblique or off of the imaginary line running from you to your opponent. The direction is always given in relation to the opponent. For example, if you are in Porta di Ferro Stretta, you might pass with your left foot to your opponent‘s right and end in Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta. Additionally, there are oblique steps where you appear to cross one of your feet in front of the other. In this case, you must be sure to turn your hips to remain stable. For example, from Coda Lunga Stretta, you might step with your right foot to your opponent‘s right to parry a blow in Guardia di Faccia. Be sure that when you do this, you turn your hips to your left rather than just stepping across your rear foot. In this way, you will have turned your entire body somewhat to your left, which will align your body to receive the force of the blow.

Finally the figures are shown with bucklers and not the rotella, this should be a minor detail as the guard is what is being described.

Elements of the Bolognese School

* Cuts (Tagli)
o Mandritto: This is a cutting attack from the right side it is a forehand cut, i.e. from right to left (assuming a right handed fencer) (Mandritto Traversato: A Mandritto cut diagonally or nearly horizontally across the target.)
o Riverso: This is a cutting attack from the left side it is a backhand cut, i.e. from left to right
o Fendente: This is a vertical descending cut
o Squalembrato: This is a descending cutting attack that falls at an angle rather than vertically typically making contact on the adversary's shoulder.
o Tondo: This is a horizontal cutting attack
o Falso: This is a false edge cutting attack (Falso Impuntato/Impuntato Falso: A Falso cut delivered with a thrusting component.)
o Ridoppio: a rising cut made with the true edge
o Montante: This is a rising vertical cut with the true edge
o (S)Tramazzone: This is a downward right-hand cutting attack
o Molinetto: This is a cutting change-in-line attack by bringing the weapon first down and back and then up high, resembles a "windmill" motion.

* Thrusts (Punti)
o Stoccata (also, Punta Sottomano): A thrust under the adversary’s sword-arm, from the low right-hand side.
o Imbroccata (also, Punta Sopramano): a downward thrust over the opponent's rapier. In preparation for an Imbroccata the arm is held vertically with the palm to the right and the rapier angled down at the opponent's face
o Punta Riversa: an angled attack to the opponent’s right, palm up
o Punta Dritta: A thrust from the right-hand side, palm down

Elements of the Bolognese School

Guards

* High Guard (Guardia Alta)
* Head (Guardia di Testa)
* Face (Guardia di Faccia)
* Entering (Guardia d'Intrare)
* Over Arm (Guardia di sopra il Braccio)
* Under Arm (Guardia di sotto il Braccio)
* Narrow Iron Gate (Guardia Porta di ferro stretta)
* Wide Iron Gate (Guardia Porta di ferro larga)
* High Iron Gate (Guardia Porta di ferro alta)
* Wild Boar Iron Gate (Guardia Cingiara porta di ferro)
* High Long Tail (Guardia di Coda lunga alta)
* Narrow Long Tail (Guardia di Coda lunga stretta)
* Wide Long Tail(Guardia di Coda lunga larga)
* Extended Long Tail (Guardia di Coda lunga distesa or Guardia di Coda lunga lunga)
* The Unicorn (Guardia d'Alicorno)
o Guardia Becca Cesa is Marozzo's name for Guardia d'Alicorno formed with the right foot forward
o Guardia Becca Possa is Marozzo's name for Guardia d'Alicorno formed with the left foot forward
* The Flank (Guardia di Fianco)