Cross-weapon fencing?

[inigomontoya]

Who would win if equally skilled fencers fought with different weapons?

I fence sabre and epee, and I think the sabreurs would hit first because the epeeists would forget to move. Those foilists look pretty quick though, so my money's on them.

Anyone tried it or should I be the first to experiment?

[keropie]

Given the lack of consistent rules (ROW), target (duh), and delivery method (duh) it's not a very practical question, now is it? I will say this: I've seen more epee fencers be successful out of weapon than anyone else. There's something to be said about NOT being used to that priority shield when it comes time to not get hit.

[inigomontoya]

Well I was thinking of not having right of way.

Maybe sabre lames would be the fairest targets. Would that make the lights and buzzers work for all weapons?

I'm not sure what delivery method is, hitting with the side of the epee blade wouldn't count if that's what you mean.

Could be expensive though, if some swords are stronger than others. That's why I was interested in seeing if anyone else had tried it.

[Feltan]

I agree, it is not a practical question.

However, you will occasionally find a "three weapon" competition where each competitor has to fence foil, saber and epee, and the winner is determined by a composite score in all three weapons.

These are great fun. It is amusing to see a person who is great with one weapon (and one weapon only) cringe and flail about with an unfamiliar tool in their hands.

Regards,
Feltan

[keropie]

So, other than the fact that the machine won't work that way (i.e., on a saber setting an epee will not set of the lights by depressing the tip, etc.), there is no such thing as saber or foil without ROW (no matter what the FIE seems to want with these ever decreasing lockout times ><). If somehow you were to successfully set this up, I'd guess that a good saberist who liked to counterattack and attack to extended target would win, as, if everything else is equal, it's easier to hit with edge than with point.

[kalivor]

The fencer with the best mastery of the basics would probably be strongest in a different weapon.

As it stands, each weapon has some thing in common -- these (to me) are the biggies:

Foil and sabre both have RoW.
Foil and epee both use the tip to hit.
Sabre and epee both include the arm as target.

Hence, foilists have trouble protecting their forward target, epeeists have trouble adjusting to RoW, and sabreurs have trouble using the tip to hit. All these things generally amount to performing the basics well. An epeeist who has ignored their parries, a sabreur who bludgeons with no sense of distance, or a foilist who seems to have no awareness as to the location of their weapon arm will all be in trouble on the switch.

When both fencers have switched weapons, though, it often comes down to one thing: Who's the better fencer?