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Question for the fencers

Started by gem, October 24, 2009, 04:21:07 PM

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gem

Some of you probably know that IRL I'm an author.

I'm working on a new book set in a fantasy universe with roughly late-16th C technology.

I'm looking for very quick help with a scene.  The main character observes a fencing match (friendly) between two other characters. One of the characters needs to have a "beat" or action tag that reveals what he's feeling--frustrated, annoyed, a little bit belligerent.

At the moment I have him tap the sword against the floor--which I'm pretty certain is probably something no real swordsman would ever do, even with a practice blade.  Yes?  No? 

Anyone care to suggest an alternative?

Gramercy!!

Auryn

gem
There are 3 kinds of fencing, foil and epee and saber.
Here is a forum post from a fencing forum that might help you a little bit as they are described.
http://www.fencing.net
IS the scene you are writing supposed to be quick and exciting or slow and calculated??

I used to fence foil and epee, unfortunately my knees can no longer put up with it.

I thought you might like this, its a set of rules for the people that do "historical" reinenactments of fencing duels - minus the bloodshed
http://www.ahfi.org/rules/epee.php

You are right, no real swordsman would touch his blade to the ground for multiple reasons. I'm thinking maybe a quick violent downward swipe of the blade would get you the same quick "outburst" of emotion.
It also depends on when in the scene it will happen, in the middle of the duel? at the end??
If its at the end I would think he could throw his mask to the ground- it would be very bad sport but between friends it could work.

Scissors cuts Paper. Paper covers Rock. Rock crushes Lizard. Lizard? poisons Spock. Spock smashes Scissors. Scissors dec

BLAKDUKE

I agree, tapping your blade on the ground is a no-no, however you could raise the blade quickly upward and back  and tap your mask, much like in SCA when they slap their shield with their sword.   food for thought.
Ancient swordsman/royalty
Have Crown/Sword Will Travel

SirRichardBear

if its a point match you could have him do a quick cut from the two to eight position as he turns back to the starting postion.   You will see this type angery display in several movies.  Its in one of my favorites the Great Race.
Beware of him that is slow to anger: He is angry for something, and will not be pleased for nothing.
Benjamin Franklin

Pascal

#4
You ever see a baseball player miss an easy grounder -- and they sometimes glare at their glove ... as if they'll find a flaw somewhere that caused them to miss the grounder.  They're doing the best they can -- so it must be the equipment's fault!

Back when I used to fence (and this is way back) and we couldn't parry a quick move, we'd hold out our blades and sight along them -- as if there were a bend or kink in the blade.  Sometimes we'd then lift the heel of our foot off the ground a tiny bit, bend down, and slip the blade underneath our foot and slide it back and forth lengthwise -- as if we were trying to straighten out a bend.

Don't know that anyone would do that with a real cutting blade -- and probably wasn't all that good an idea to do it with a foil blade anyway.


The Scottish Knight

It's not something a real swordsman would do, but, that said, I occasionally beat my practice foil against the ground to distract my opponent. Only because I don't have a buckler to to it against. Also, I usually do it against my mask instead.

But that's as a tactic, not in anger.

L Dale Walter

Quote from: gem on October 24, 2009, 04:21:07 PM
At the moment I have him tap the sword against the floor--which I'm pretty certain is probably something no real swordsman would ever do, even with a practice blade.  Yes?  No? 

Actually I use to do that all the time in Sabre.  I fenced from absence of blade, meaning my blade was held low across my body rather than in a en guarde in 3 as is most often used.  I would tap the blade on the floor setting rhythms, and then switch them at the moment of attack.  It's the same strategy as when Epee fencers bounce in a rhythm attempting to draw their opponent into that rhythm, and then switching.

Please note I would only do this with inexperienced fencers.  "A" rated guys don't -usually- fall for this crap.  Lesser rated fancers are easy to pull off their game.

L. Dale Walter

groomporter

#7
Quote from: Auryn on October 24, 2009, 05:59:14 PM
You are right, no real swordsman would touch his blade to the ground for multiple reasons. I'm thinking maybe a quick violent downward swipe of the blade would get you the same quick "outburst" of emotion.

That was my first thought -kind of like a petulant child shaking it's fists downward once with a "Humph!", -of course if the character is losing control he might accidentally tap the floor with with the tip of his blade in the course of this action.

or... perhaps an angry horizontal swipe of the blade from left to right and accidentally contacting a wall/pillar, or knocking over some object.
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

crazyrennie

I would agree with Auryn and Groomporter.
The downward swipe is a nice slightly angry at self move.
Heaven knows I've done the same move myself when I miss a parry or simple shot.
How else can we help? I've been doing rapier combat for about 14 years and freely admit I don't know everything but any help I can give...

L Dale Walter

Generally, if you are really good, you know you are going to be hit the moment you screw up.  The last time my coach (Olympic level fencer) and I fenced the second one caught the other looking one of us would exclaim "Ah Hell..." or something to the effect.  I knew when he suckered me, and he knew when had him.

One thing you see a lot is a fencer will walk to the end of the strip when frustrated, then back to the enguarde line.  It takes a bit of time, and can allow them to collect their thoughts, as well as possibly break a sequence of touches the opponent was running.

I have even seen fencers smash the tip of their weapon on the floor, "accidentally" of course, so they then have to change weapons in an attempt to halt momentum in a bout.  Faking injuries happens too, but not as often.

Hope that helps,

LDW

VIII

#10
How about a sweeping horizontal figure 8 (the infinity symbol) to cut an "X" in front of himself?
Former King Henry VIII
Renaissance Magazine Issue #66 Cover Boy