Rules
How the game is played/scored. This should be information about WHAT to do, but please save WHY for the "Design" field.
Additional rules could be added because:
- You've decided that the game is better in every way with the new rule.
- You found a *slight* tweak that makes a small difference in a meaningful way. (If it's a big enough change just make a new game and tag it as a variant of this one.)
Design
Why the rules are designed the way they are. What are the core skills targeted, and possible weaknesses.Descriptions of the design iterations, failed attempts, or changes in thoughts are also helpful to other coaches.
Note
Notes on what coaches have noticed playing this game with their students.Media
Video or article linksCan Opener
Uploaded by Sean Franklin on 2023-01-12Rules
Pick a side, left or right. This is written assuming right.
- Normal free fencing with normal scoring actions allowed.
- You can only attack on the right side of the opponent's sword. (From the attackers point of view)
- You are allowed to do one attack on the left side of the opponent's sword as a "sacrifice throw". aka if it doesn't hit you've just lost
Just because you are attacking to one side of their sword doesn't mean you have to attack *at* the sword. If they are in longpoint and cut/snipe to the left side of their body it would be on that side of the sword. You do not need to stay in contact with their sword. Being in vom tag has you coming down against the right side of their sword when you cut in. You can sit in alber in the center and chose to either come on the right with an attack that you can follow up on, or to come up on the left for your sacrifice throw attack.
Alternate version:
- Start in longpoint with tips touching.
- You can only thrust on the right side of the opponent's sword. (From the attackers point of view)
- You are allowed to do one attack that is not a thrust on the right side of the opponent's sword as a "sacrifice throw". aka if it doesn't hit you've just lost
This was actually my original idea, and is far more focused on bind work and winding. However when I tried the main strategy that evolved was "use the thrust to get them to commit to a parry, then cut for the sacrifice throw". So ultimately I didn't like it as much as the second one I tested.
Tried this again with priority added. There aren't typically a ton of doubles to begin with, however giving the priority rules really made people want to try duplieren a lot, so they have value just from that.
Priority was assigned based on a counter-clockwise rotation starting at the foot. Which means if your attacking their left side the higher target has the priority. However if you manage to get to the other side of their body, like in a duplieren, it's higher priority the further around you go. So a mutieren would be a super high priority action. (sacrifice throw always loses priority)
