Epeeists only

[Inquartata]

Ah, I see: a cherished illusion!

[Mr Epee]

I....have yet to see any convincing evidence that epeeists think.

Time for you to go back to the shallow end of the pool.

But, by all means please keep blustering around with your pithy quips and half-witticisms...

I like seeing this thread repeatedly bumped up to the top


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Ok, I'm trying to make sure that everybody is getting their rep points for being a member of the Epee Society. Check to make sure that I haven't missed you, if I have let me know, and be sure to share the love with everyone else.


Zilverzmurfen,

I got you your epee points yesterday, but since you had not posted in this thread yet I had to find you elsewhere. (The one in Swedish)

[Elendae]

I spent most of my first practice watching the epeeists.... they looked like they were having so much more fun.... I had to get the basics down in foil before I could join them, but they did start corrupting me early. I've had much more fun and gotten a lot more satisfation from epee than I ever did with foil. I always found right of way to be silly. Plus I have a couch that tells me to use the force. Yay for the dark side!

[Alain]

I spent most of my first practice watching the epeeists.... they looked like they were having so much more fun.... I had to get the basics down in foil before I could join them, but they did start corrupting me early. I've had much more fun and gotten a lot more satisfation from epee than I ever did with foil. I always found right of way to be silly. Plus I have a couch that tells me to use the force. Yay for the dark side!

That is sooooo true. Okay, this is probably going to be biased because most people reading this will be sensible, intelligent, wonderful épéeists... but aren't we just a nicer bunch? Whenever I see foilists or sabreurs in competition, they always seem to be arguing.

"No no no, it was my attack, I had my hand at a 35° angle to the floor, taking into account the curve of the Earth and slight easterly wind"... "Oh no it wasn't, your attack was out of time because I poked you seventeen times and had a cup and a half of tea before it landed"...

Épéeists: one hit = one point, minimum fuss. Everyone tends to get on well together, everyone has a laugh, and there are hardly ever any arguments!

Besides, if you're still reading this thread and are not a sensible, intelligent, wonderful épéeist, then you're obviously a silly foilist or mad sabreur... and shouldn't have gotten this far

[glowstix]

I....have yet to see any convincing evidence that epeeists think.

yeah, like sabre fencers think. can't even decide on the spelling. too busy running into each other and yelling. all my non fencing friends think that sabre is just dumb based on the olympic footage of all 3 weapons i showed them. they think epee is the best.

[epee1]

I spent most of my first practice watching the epeeists.... they looked like they were having so much more fun.... I had to get the basics down in foil before I could join them, but they did start corrupting me early. I've had much more fun and gotten a lot more satisfation from epee than I ever did with foil. I always found right of way to be silly. Plus I have a couch that tells me to use the force. Yay for the dark side!

Your COUCH tells you to do things??? Wow, that must be freaky when you're channel surfing.

[pacer]

I talked one of my foilist friends into fencing epee last week. Even before the end of the bout she was surprised and commenting at how heavy the epee was compared to her foil. I've never heard that one before.

[epee1]

That is sooooo true. Okay, this is probably going to be biased because most people reading this will be sensible, intelligent, wonderful épéeists... but aren't we just a nicer bunch? Whenever I see foilists or sabreurs in competition, they always seem to be arguing.

"No no no, it was my attack, I had my hand at a 35° angle to the floor, taking into account the curve of the Earth and slight easterly wind"... "Oh no it wasn't, your attack was out of time because I poked you seventeen times and had a cup and a half of tea before it landed"...

Épéeists: one hit = one point, minimum fuss. Everyone tends to get on well together, everyone has a laugh, and there are hardly ever any arguments!

Besides, if you're still reading this thread and are not a sensible, intelligent, wonderful épéeist, then you're obviously a silly foilist or mad sabreur... and shouldn't have gotten this far

Plus, you didn't mention that epeeists are much more fun to party with after tournaments. We drink, socialize, and "play with others" much better than those ROW folk.

[Epeecurean]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I'd like to throw into the mix a post of mine from fencingforum.com where I trace the evolution of epee's emergence as the supreme weapon.

Cheers,
Epeecurean
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Sticking to the original question of this thread --which was why is epee so superior and popular relative the other weapons-- it's interesting to note that epee's emergence as the premier weapon was recognised as early as the 1970s.

Here's an excerpt from an article on "The Changing Face of Epee" by the great Zbigniew Czajkowski:

"During a recent training course in Poland I showed a film of the sabre final between Poland and the Soviet Union at the world championships in Gdansk in 1963. The spectators -- young fencers -- were astonished at the marked difference in the style of sabre fencing fifteen years ago to that of today. Lately the style of fencing with foil has also changed considerably"

(Epeecurean side-comment: has the pratice of foil fencing improved in the last decade?)

"The greatest changes, however, have occurred in epee, which is considered by many experts to be at present the most spectacular, technically rich and tactically mature of all weapons"

(There will be some gratuitous bolding of good bits by yours truly)

"Bob Anderson has summed it up by saying, 'The leading coaches of the world unanimously agree that epee has become the premier weapon to fence and to watch'"

"My own conclusions are as follows:

a. Technique and tactics in epee fencing have lost their previous narrow and one-sided character, becoming considerably richer and more versatile. The fencing of top-class epeeists is now generally diverse, very mobile and dynamic.

b. Parry-ripostes and even counter-ripostes are much more frequently used. Contrary to the general belief, there are more ripostes in epee than in foil....

c. Counter-attacks in epee are still widely used, although slightly less than before. What is more important is that they have lost their one-sided character, and are used with greater discrimination. They have ceased to be the one and only answer to an attacking opponent.

d. Perhaps the most salient feature of modern epee fencing is a marked decrease in the number of double hits. In the final of the London Olympics 30% of hits scored were double hits. In Helsinki it was even worse - 50%. In the final of Tokaj Express, Budapest in 1975 there were only ten cases of double hits.

e. The parts of the target most commonly hit are trunk and arm, but top-class epeeists are also hitting fore-arm, hand, foot, thigh and mask with far greater regularity.

f. In the tactics of epee, a large role is now played by preparatory and exploratory actions; these have practically disappeared from the scene in sabre."

(Epeecurean comment: electric sabre and banning the dreaded running attack/fleche have helped turn sabre around)

"Many factors have contributed to the recent enrichment and present high level of epee. The most important are:

a. the novelty of the electric box has worn off and fencers are no longer obsessed with the idea of pure speed;

b. the greater popularity, clarity and 'honesty' of epee fencing;

c. a very keen international rivalry and the many major international competitions in epee;

d. fencing for five or ten hits instead of the previous one or three;

e. where there are no conventions, conventions cannot be abused -- as they are at foil and sabre."
.......

So there you have it! & Zbig is the man!

Epee is the most technically varied and tactically mature weapon, the most popular weapon, and the most watchable weapon. This is why it is the future of fencing.

The technical & rule changes in sabre in the 1980s/90s --including The introduction of electric fencing, getting rid of the off-target, banning the crazy running attack, and better refereeing-- have helped fix many of the problems with that weapon.

Sorry prometheus, but it must be said that foil is now the most one-sided weapon. It mainly consists long bent-arm marching 'attacks' (generally with the point threatening the ceiling) which end with a flick hit to the back. The tendency in foil is to abuse the conventions rather than adhere to them. Fortunately, in foil change is also afoot and hopefully some of the technical changes planned will be supplement by better refereeing to bring foil back up to standard.

[Gav]

Plus, you didn't mention that epeeists are much more fun to party with after tournaments. We drink, socialize, and "play with others" much better than those ROW folk.

Not to mention the fact that we get all the [please select preferred sex of partner Male/Female delete as appropriate]!

[Zilverzmurfen]

Plus, you didn't mention that epeeists are much more fun to party with after tournaments. We drink, socialize, and "play with others" much better than those ROW folk.

That's pretty funny...you do realise there's an innuendo to that don't you..?

[Inquartata]

all my non fencing friends think that sabre is just dumb based on the olympic footage of all 3 weapons i showed them. they think epee is the best.

Obviously, you need to get a better class of friend...no, but wait, you're an epeeist so you probably can't...

[Inquartata]

"Bob Anderson has summed it up by saying, 'The leading coaches of the world unanimously agree that epee has become the premier weapon to fence and to watch'.

Meh...Bob Anderson...oy!

[epee1]

That's pretty funny...you do realise there's an innuendo to that don't you..?

Innuendo??? moi??

[esskreemr]

I've heard that guys who fence epee are compensating for small...ummm..."packages". Women who fence epee obviously suffer from "package" envy.

[Victor]

Reminder: Please be polite to the "closet epeeists" like Inq and Eskreem who are struggling with conflicting emotions -- they want to be honest about their interest in epee, but are afraid to do anything about it. That's why you're seeing so much anger and pettiness; it's an affect of their cognitive dissonance. If we're gentle and understanding of their touchy li'l feelings of confusion, they might just grow up to be Decent Folk (aka "Epeeists") like the rest of us.

Second Reminder: Please keep sharing your Epee Brotherhood Rep Points!

[Gav]

Where's mine?

[Mr Epee]

Obviously, you need to get a better class of friend...no, but wait, you're an epeeist so you probably can't...

You remind me of one of those smartass kids in gradeschool who gets his identity from getting the rest of the class to snicker.

Sometimes they're clever; most of the time they're not, but that doesn't stop them from constantly running their mouths.

Hmmm... a non-stop stream of pointless drivel, as substitute for a truly clever mind.

I guess you found your weapon.

[Mr Epee]

Where's mine?

Gav,

You are a moderator, so we hold you to a higher standard.

To join the brotherhood, you must show yourself to be a leader.

You must show the others how to share and support each other.

[Inquartata]

Touched a nerve there, apparently. I do feel sorry for you poor humorless sorts, though. So much deadly seriousness. Lashing out at those not similarly handicapped. You have my sympathy.

P.S. There is that handy ignore function, if you are so very put out of sorts by my jocularity.