RoW strategy

[drippingwet]

Ok, keeping RoW and taking back RoW, theoretically at least, seems pretty straightforward. If you can get the opponent to retreat before you, then you can use all kinds of tempo changing attacks in order to catch him. Wonderful. If the opponent has you retreating before him, fine, you can take RoW off of him by using beats, or other ways of taking over RoW. But what if he just stands still? He must be pretty confident to stand still, so what can you use against him if you can't use surprise - point compound attacks rarely work and wide feints seem liable to stop hits when stationary. What if he starts advancing while you're advancing, e.g. after the "allez"? How do you dominate RoW here?

On the other hand, how do you avoid the opponent taking RoW off you? And any good ways to get you're opponent to retreat?

Thanks.

[dunastor]

Just keep your preparation nice and clean.
Look closely for the right distance to attack.

I love people going forward, they're just preparing, and when they're all very busy doing that, I can attack in their preparation. Gotta love it...

For people trying to steal RoW from you, try to give no opening in your preparation, or, get them with second intention stuff...

[Allen Evans]

Believing that the opponent has to be retreating in order to "gain" right of way is a simplistic view of the situation. It is certainly possible to score against an opponent standing still - even easily score - as born out by the fact that few advanced fencers stand still unless facing someone they believe is significantly less skilled than they are.

The motionless opponent has ceded all control of distance to you. This allows you to pick your distance and the time you wish to attack. If the opponent allows you to get close enough, it's possible to score with a simple attack before they can react: though that takes some technical ability on your part, and a smart choice of targets (which suggests NOT attacking to the opponent's strongest parry).

Why is the opponent motionless? Probably because he or she believes that by being so, they will invite an attack they can stop with a parry or can score against with a counter-attack. So a second solution to the motionless opponent is to use a second intention or countertime action. Right of way doesn't have to be taken on the first action, or the second, or the third, it just has to be yours when you score.

Allen Evans
Dominion Fencing

[Pancakes]

Personally, I tend to like either letting him take priority, then taking it away with a fast beat attack or some such.

Or I just give a line and disengage and let them run on to my blade, which works surprizingly often

[keith]

On the other hand, how do you avoid the opponent taking RoW off you? And any good ways to get you're opponent to retreat?

Most of the time it matters not a bit who has RoW. You only want it the moment before the hit is scored, let the other guy have it for the rest of the time.

[nahouw]

The motionless opponent has ceded all control of distance to you. This allows you to pick your distance and the time you wish to attack. If the opponent allows you to get close enough, it's possible to score with a simple attack before they can react: though that takes some technical ability on your part, and a smart choice of targets (which suggests NOT attacking to the opponent's strongest parry).

Why is the opponent motionless? Probably because he or she believes that by being so, they will invite an attack they can stop with a parry or can score against with a counter-attack. So a second solution to the motionless opponent is to use a second intention or countertime action. Right of way doesn't have to be taken on the first action, or the second, or the third, it just has to be yours when you score.

The motionless opponent is sending you a message -- your attacks are either obvious (you are signaling your attack) or slow and his reaction time and parry-riposte or counterattack are faster, or your feints are not believable. So, he doesn't have to move, because you will make a mistake and he will get a touch.

How to get his attention to stop being motionless is to make a slow-fast attack -- a slow advance, and then quickly bind his blade and lunge.