a question on parries

[Ryan Ricks]

we have two combatants (A)lice and (B)ob.

Alice begins to attack Bob with a cut. Bob stands ready in Plug and begins to parry with the flat.

here's the question:

Alice sees that her cut will be parried.

should she:

1. turn her blade such that her flat impacts the flat of Bob's blade, therefore keeping her cutting edge from hitting his flat

or

2. merely procdede with the attack, and let her edge strike bob's flat.

my study partner wanted to know if the attacker should turn his blade instead of letting his edge meet the flat of the defender's blade, thus helping preserve sharpness

ryan

[Casper Bradak]

There's nothing wrong with your edge hitting their flat if you're not using an atrim. (Did I say that in my out loud voice?)
It shouldn't effect a decent edge enough to care about, and once in the bind you'd want your edge to them anyway.

[Mark Peters]

If I understand you correctly then the flat to flat could be a set up for a winding/thrust off the defender's blade but both options suggest follow through on a technique that is already known and being waited for.
Maybe Alice's best move would be to either change up the attack or use the initial (known) attack as a strong feint with a fast follow up to unblance Bob
just my 2 cents !
Mark <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Erich Wagner]

Seems to me if Alice has enough time to do detect that her strike is about to be parried and choose whether or not to change how her strike will impact her opponent's blade, she has enough time to change her attack and strike to another opening.

I don't think the attacker should worry about how a blow will be countered. Just attack and react to what the opponent does.

[Casper Bradak]

Kind of reminds me of a prellhau, but not quite.

[Ryan Ricks]

yeah that's what i was getting, the question was more of whether you should turn your flat to their flat in the last instance before a parrty.

i understand that you'd want to change your attack if you realize it's going to be blocked, etc.

there was never any mention in the books or on the website about doing such a thing, so i never have bothered. my pratice partner was wondering though, which is why i brought it up.

thanks for the info, i'll be sure and tell him!

[Stuart McDermid]

Hi Ryan,

If someone is lying in Pflug and incorrectly (IMHO) attempts a parry without simultaneously counterthrusting then the attacker should be able to change his attack to a Krumphau and bind the defender's blade to his great advantage.

"Pflug is nothing more than a thrust from below, Ochs is nothing more than a thrust from above" (Can't remember where I read that, Doebringer? Anyone?)

IMHO you must thrust at the attacker as you defend from Pflug unless you intend to retreat as if you don't, the attacker can do whatever he likes with his attack. If you thrust to create a threat and force him to deal whilst closing the direct line of attack, he has little choice but to bind or abort. In either case, this has the effect of giving the defender the initiative back.
Cheers,
Stu.