Favorite Weapon (try to convince other fencers your weapon is the best)

[esskreemr]

There are many misconceptions concerning foil. Foil is not a "practice" weapon for epee. It is derived from small sword combat. The Right of Way that so confounds epee fencers is a large part of the appeal. Foil teaches us to think before we act, and yet punishes those without the ability to think on their toes and merely react to their opponent.

The foil is light and quick requiring precise control to hit a restricted target area. Contrast the quick efficiency of the foil with the clunky, stilted interaction of epeeists. Note that epee is the only weapon in which both sides are rewarded for concurrent double suicide.

Yet, foil also differs from sabre, the "slash first, aim later" weapon of choice for people who can't seem to focus that little tiny point.

As others have stated, foil is used as an entry point because it requires the most control and is a more "holistic" view of fencing. The control, the footwork, the blade work are all part of the total package called foil fencing.

The other weapons are reserved for the foil "chaff" that has been culled because they can't handle the physical and mental demands of the fast-paced, dynamic, and fraction-of-a-second-strategy required to succeed in foil fencing.

Fear not sabreurs and epeeist, we foilists are a forgiving lot. Return to the one true fencing weapon and your apostasy will be so much dust in the wind. Repent your evil ways, REPENT!!!

[Namir]

Originally Posted by Epee_Pox

Epee requires the most... athletic ability... of the three.

Epee Dosn't require the most athletic ability, I mean, Epee'ists rarely even move any huge distance, mayby 2 retreats (max), a few advances.

Sabre has a considerable amount of movement, but, it rarely lasts more then 5-8 min. And then once you are moveing they never change direction, it's either forward or back.

At least in foil one changes direction quite frequently in a match with someone of equall skill.



oh yeah, and FOIL!

[40Saberthieves]

Sabre is quite obviosly the best.

Foil and Epee are derived from Italian dueling. When one thinks of Italy, what comes to mind? Pasta, pizza, facism and smelly women.


Sabre is derived from the russian calvary. When one thinks of Russia, vodka, beautiful russian women, and power are the first thoughts.


Thus, you have a choice between Italian food and vodka, and italian women and facists or russian women and power?


It is no choice at all. Sabre is clearly the better weapon.

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by RogueNine

Sabre is derived from the russian calvary. When one thinks of Russia, vodka, beautiful russian women, and power are the first thoughts.

Actually I tend to think of women named Olga who bench press GAZ trucks for fun, drunken braggarts, faded glory, a people who are bitter that they were tricked into a way of life/ideology that failed and rampant corruption at all levels. Now that I think of it Russia is a perfect example of saber!

[keith]

Originally Posted by RogueNine

Sabre is derived from the russian calvary. When one thinks of Russia, vodka, beautiful russian women, and power are the first thoughts.

mmmm, I thought that sabre was derived from italian duelling sabres - not the cossack kind.

[Lone Musketeer]

I'm with Cville, except I think of brown vodka (stoli) and lada's made on a Friday in a plant that allows drinking on the assembly line. That and East German (it was part of the USSR) weight lifters with more facial hair than I have.

At any rate anyway you slice it (pun intended) Epee was the source and birthplace of modern fencing (looks like a rapier, smells like a rapier. Amen.)
You may now thank your nearest epeeist for giving you the ability to stab people and not get arrested.

For those of you foilists and Sabateurs that want to point out that it was those 2 weapons that were in the first Olyimpics in 1896, that was because they were afraid of the purity of the Epee until they finally saw the light 4 years later.

:P

[Lone Musketeer]

hmm looks like we might not be able to settle this. Looks like it is an old argument.

In the Renaissance, with the rise in urban culture, the lighter rapier truly became the people’s weapon, while the military increasingly used firearms and pike formations to wage war, lessening the importance of individual combatants, and of the sword. Some masters, particularly the English, preferred the old ways, however, and one of the famous master George Silver’s big complaints about the “new” rapier was that it was of no use in times of war, and that men should fight with the older, heavier, military cutting swords instead.

This separation between military and civilian swords was even parodied in England in the 1640’s, in a play entitled “Work for Cutlers”. In the play, two actors representing the thrusting Rapier and the cutting Sword argue back and forth over which of them is the better weapon. Each one boasts of his unique abilities, and why the other is inferior. A third actor appears as Dagger, and tries to make peace between the two. Eventually, Dagger gets Sword and Rapier to become friends by declaring that Sword is best for the soldier, and Rapier best for the civilian. Dagger, for his part, says that he works equally well with them Both, and will always be there to back them up in a fight! A happy resolution for all, and a great insight into how the people of the Renaissance viewed these arms.

[40Saberthieves]

And I would like to point out that only epee fencers have the bad sense to actually fence drunk.

I point you to the hangover open.

[veeco]

Actually, if you ask an older coach, especially one from the soviet system or an italian one you'll be surprised to hear that all fencers, in all weapons, used to drink a little before tournaments, to "take the edge off"

Drinking and fencing at the same time isn't something that we epee fencers only do.

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by RogueNine

And I would like to point out that only epee fencers have the bad sense to actually fence drunk.

I point you to the hangover open.

There were more foilists there last year and about the average number of saber fencers.

Veeco I too have heard the "nip to take the edge off" advice from some older foriegn coaches before. I have never tried it but maybe I should...

[40Saberthieves]

Originally Posted by veeco

Actually, if you ask an older coach, especially one from the soviet system or an italian one you'll be surprised to hear that all fencers, in all weapons, used to drink a little before tournaments, to "take the edge off"

Drinking and fencing at the same time isn't something that we epee fencers only do.

I never said that. Fencing drunk is different than drinking and fencing.

[achilleus]

Since it's the 'Hangover Open' doesn't that imply that they are recovering from inebriation?

That said, I've seen more foilists and sabre fencers FUI than epee fencers.

And yeah, I've known several coaches who told me about drinking to take the edge off. Some of them aren't so old....

[40Saberthieves]

Originally Posted by achilleus

Since it's the 'Hangover Open' doesn't that imply that they are recovering from inebriation?

No, they develop the hangovers at the open.

[Epee_Pox]

[quote=Namir] Epee Dosn't require the most athletic ability, I mean, Epee'ists rarely even move any huge distance, mayby 2 retreats (max), a few advances. [quote]

You clearly haven't seen any good epee bouts. A lot more movement than foil or sabre, and for a much longer time.

[Inquartata]

Only if you count all that aimless bouncing, eg wasted motion. Hey, a shivering chihuahua moves a lot, too.

Come on, I'll say it again: any weapon that actually has the word "pee" in it's name, well...

Meanwhile, foil has the word "oil" in it. As in, a finite resource shrinking by the day and getting more expensive all the while.

Saber, though, has "abe" in it! As in Abe Lincoln, the Great Emancipator! And that's what it does---it frees people!

( But this is not a defense. Just an observation. )

[Schiavona]

Originally Posted by Craig

I favor the tactical nuke from orbit.

Redirected asteriods get my vote!

[AllisonT]

Originally Posted by Craig

I favor the tactical nuke from orbit.

"It's the only way to be sure." * - Alien2

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

Well this thread seems to have become epee or foil, not because of a decision that sabre is the worst but because the sabre fencers are calm enough (not on the piste but in this forum) to leave the fight well alone. That said, FOIL!

Epee - wasted energy from bouncing up and down for three minutes.
Foil - fast, efficient

Epee - when in doubt, stick it out
Foil - When in doubt, you're screwed

Epee - more painful (although that's trivial)
Foil - less painful (duh)

Epee - wait until the timer is on two minutes and fifty five seconds then hit the other guy's wrist or shoulder
Foil - charge up and down the piste until somebody is proved the weaker parry riposte

Epee - worse to watch
Foil - better to watch

Epee - full of people who say it's the most realistic weapon
Foil - full of people who realise the object of a real sword fight isn't to jump into the other guys sword to double kill, it's to not get hit (parry)

Epee - full of cheap skates who cant afford a lame
Foil - people who are willing to spend money on their beloved sport

Well with all that said I prepare for the hate mail ...

[esskreemr]

They do have those HUGE guards so that they don't hurt their precious pinky fingers... I guess that's got to account for something.

[esskreemr]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Saber, though, has "abe" in it! As in Abe Lincoln, the Great Emancipator! And that's what it does---it frees people!

The letters in sabre can also be used to for the word baser indicating its position on the podium of great fencing weapons...