Stance that can fend 9 farmers?!

[CalebChow]

I recall some manual that said that a certain longsword guard is capable of fending off nine farmers or peasants, but I forgot where it was from.
I think I first heard it on the ARMA forums, actually. Can anyone recall what text this is from?

When I was taught on how to fight multiple opponents, what I was taught is summed up with this: "When fighting multiple opponents, never fight multiple opponents" meaning that I should always position and move around so as to only have to face one fighter at a time. The article on the "tactical swordsmanship" comes to mind.

So what exactly is this guard and how is it used? If I'm just misinterpreting it (which I think I am) or if there really is no such mention of such a guard in any of the historical texts, please let me know.

Thanks...the thought of it suddenly came to me and guided my fingers to type this post

[Jaron Bernstein]

I recall some manual that said that a certain longsword guard is capable of fending off nine farmers or peasants, but I forgot where it was from.
I think I first heard it on the ARMA forums, actually. Can anyone recall what text this is from?

When I was taught on how to fight multiple opponents, what I was taught is summed up with this: "When fighting multiple opponents, never fight multiple opponents" meaning that I should always position and move around so as to only have to face one fighter at a time. The article on the "tactical swordsmanship" comes to mind.

So what exactly is this guard and how is it used? If I'm just misinterpreting it (which I think I am) or if there really is no such mention of such a guard in any of the historical texts, please let me know.

Thanks...the thought of it suddenly came to me and guided my fingers to type this post

Dobringer http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/dobringer.html talks about it being no shame to run away from multiple opponents (he says it more colorfully than that) and even gives instructions on how to do so.

Second, a manual (which one I don't recall) talks about not thrusting when facing multiple opponents. This lesson was emphasized on a recent test cutting we had where the swords (Albion) went into the watermelon targets with celerity but had to be extracted with far more time and energy. Not so optimal to tie your blade up that way if facing another opponent in 3 seconds.

Fiore gives a guard (I am tempted to say Boars Tooth but may be wrong) that is geared more towards that sort of situation.

[I. Hartikainen]

Hi,

the second manual mentioned by Jaron is Vadi, and Fiore doesn't really say a thing about facing multiple opponents, other than saying that his guards are able to fight both front and back, which sort of suggests that there might be more than one opponent.

- Ilkka