This edition will go over several samples for the next section of the Tactical Wheel - First Intention Counter-Offense. (Previous issues are archived at http://www.fencing.net/drills/)

By understanding the tactical progression of a bout, you will better understand how to choose the correct tactics for each situation in both 5 and 15 touch bouts. These strategy variations are applicable to all 3 weapons.

Counter-Offensive First Intention

Counter-offensive First Intention is the third "spoke" in the Tactical Wheel. By definition, this is a tactic by which you wait for the attack to begin and then execute your counter-offensive action into the attack, catching your opponent by surprise. 

This tactic is most successful when used against a fencer who overcommits on their attack, makes large preparations (searches for the blade), or has poor distance in setting up the attack. Counter-offensive actions are also good to use against the fencer who responds to a Defensive First Intention action by going "harder and faster" rather than moving to a more complex action. 

There are three staples of Counter-offensive First Intention. They are: 
A. Stop-Thrust (Counter-Attack) 
B. Time-Thrust (Counter-Attack in Opposition) 
C. Attack on Preparation (ex. pris de fer) 

These actions are common to all three weapons, with Stop-Thrust and Attack on Preparation being most common to Sabre and Foil and Time-Thrust being most common to Epee (because it involves more opposition actions.) 

When using Counter-offensive First Intention, your distance and timing are crucial. For general counter-attacks, if you execute correctly, then your opponent should not be able to hit you when they finish. If they do, then you should lose the touch. For Attack on Preparation, if done correctly your opponent should not be able to finish. (The best attack on preparations are executed so that they actually *stop* the opponent's attack.) 

Examples of Counter-Offensive First Intention Actions: (L)eader, (P)upil 

A. Stop-Thrust: 
FOIL: 
1:   L: Begin attack to 4 with advance, advance-lunge. (extend on lunge.) 
      P: On second advance, retreat with extension hit to 4, Parry 4 
          after hit, two retreats. 
      L: Finish lunge (When done correctly, the Pupil will hit as the back 
          foot extends on the retreat and the parry will block the finished attack.) 

2:    L: Begin attack to high line (4 or 6) with advance, advance-lunge. 
           (Extend on lunge.) 
       P: On second advance, duck (drop) with extension. 
       L: Finish lunge to high line. (When executed correctly, the Leader's 
           point should end up passing over the Pupil's mask or shoulder. The 
           Pupil should make sure to stay upright so as to avoid a "turning" or
           "dangerous move" yellow card and to take away any back target.) 

EPEE: 
1:     L: Extend/Attack to upper arm/body w/lunge or advance-lunge 
        P: Extend to forearm (top or bottom) with retreat 
        L: Finish lunge. 

2:     L: Counter-sixte bind, attack to body 
        P: Disengage, extend to arm with retreat 
        L: Finish lunge 

3:      L: Advance-lunge attack to thigh 
         P: Retreat and extend to arm/shoulder 

SABRE 
1:      L: Advance, advance-lunge to head (with preparation) 
         P: Retreat with stop-cut to forearm. Parry Head. 
         L: Finish attack.

B. Time-Thrust (aka Counter Attack in Opposition) 

FOIL: 
        L: Advance, Advance-Lunge to 4 (high-inside line) 
        P: Lunge to with opposition parry 4. Hit high-line target (6) 
            (catch blade between the bellguard and strong of the blade.) 
        L: Finish lunge. 

(This should result in a one-light hit for the Pupil. Sometimes the execution will take the blade from high-line to low-line resulting in the Pupil hitting in 8 - just below the arm instead of 6) 

EPEE: 
         L: Advance-Lunge to forearm/upperarm.

         P: Counter-6 extend with lunge/advance. 

SABRE (very rare): 
         L: Advance, Advance-Lunge with Belly-Cut 

         P: Lunge with parry-4, extend to hit arm/mask when blade is captured. 

C. Attack on Preparation 

Attack on Preparation (AonP) refers to a set of actions where you take your opponent out of their attack by disruption their preparation. Most often, you get to AonP by successfully executing a First Intention Defense. Since your opponent now wants to avoid your parry-riposte, they begin to make preparations to draw your parry so they can make a disengage. Instead of giving the parry, however, you can attack INTO the preparation and gain right of way. When executed correctly, you will also be able to execute a parry or otherwise avoid the attack *after* making your hit. Sample Attack on Preparation Drills: Pris de Fer (Taking of the blade): 

FOIL/EPEE:
        L: Advance, Advance-Lunge (Extend on Advance) 
        P: Beat 4, Lunge (Hit high-line target or arm in epee) 
        L: Attempt Finish in 4. 
        P: Parry 4. 

SABRE: 
        L: Advance, Advance-Lunge (Extend arm on Avance) 
        P: Beat 4, Lunge to Mask 
        L: Attempt Finish P: Parry Head 

In addition to the "pris de fer", another effective Attack on Preparation is the disengage-attack into a search. The example is mainly for foil, but you can alter it to fit Epee or Sabre. 

L: Advance, Advance-Lunge. Execute counter-6 engagement on the Advance. 
P: On the search, disengage and lunge to high-line. Finish with the bellguard held high. 
L: If hit is made before the second advance, stop. If not, attempt to finish. 

(When executed correctly, even if the Leader can finish, they will not be able to hit on the straight or flick attack without another preparation because the distance will be too short.) 

That's all of our time for this edition of the Tactical Wheel overview. If there is a section of drills that you want to see more of, just send an email to "webmaster@fencing.net" and we'll try to set aside an email for it. 

Once you are comfortable with the execution of the individual drills, you can have the leader choose which set of actions to go with and mix up the drills as you go. After using these drills, you can create more along the same theme to use for different situations. This keeps you alert to what your opponent is doing rather than going into autopilot with a move. 

Cheers, 
Craig Harkins Webmaster - Fencing.Net

For more more exercises, visit the Fencing.Net Drills section at http://www.fencing.net/drills/.