HEMA Game Archive

Quick Start [Link]
Created by Sean Franklin on 2023-10-23

These are 4 games which are a good quick start for getting brand new students some basic fencing ideas, as well as getting more experienced students used to games based training.

• Tapping Game teaches people how to move around with intention, keeping a distance that is as close as possible (while still out of range) and ready to capitalize on an opening. (Soviet Foil is a simpler version if you want to start out less intimidating.)
• Direct To Riposte combines the goodness of the direct attack game with also teaching people how to capitalize on a successful parry. (Direct Attack is a simpler version if you want to start out less intimidating.)
• Finnish Chicken's Beak teaches to set up attacks properly and not go when there isn't a real opening.
• Deep vs Shallow teaching people to (a) actually use the space behind them, and (b) how to cross the distance threshold to attack without getting their hand hit.

Triple threat for direct attacks [Link]
Created by Jack Berggren-Elers on 2023-10-24

Here are three games I tend to run early on to get new fencers both on board with some basic fencing ideas while promoting the tactical utility of a direct attack.

• The Direct Attack game and Soviet Foil alike are both useful for introducing the mechanics of the attack in longsword, as long with an early tactical goal of hitting a fencer that has an option to pull distance. I often run both of these in the first class for a beginner.
• The sabre march further expands on soviet foil as it gives the defender a few more options to punish a poorly set-up attack, while maintaining the attacker's confidence to finish.