shot selection and strategy

[audax]

How do you choose your shots in a fight?

Is it always just targets of opportunity, do you have something of a plan, adjust on the fly, etc? Do you change your approach depending on who your opponent is, whether they are someone you've fought before, what belt they wear, etc, etc?

I see fighting partly as a live action, full contact chess match, so I am curious regarding strategy and knowing when to do what.

So thanks again,

audax

[Stefan ap Llewelyn]

I start with a couple of routine shots (the first is usually a flat snap to the right side of the lid in SCA, to the shoulder in re-enactment).

I do not really expect to get through with these, especially as I throw them at about 80% my max speed, I use them to gauge my opponents commitment point, timing, body mechanics etc. I also use it to show my opponent clues for when I am moving, e.g. I will roll my shoulder back slightly for a shot to the right hand side etc.

Once I have this in place it depends on my opponents re-action and guard:

If he commits to parrying early I will try to wrap around it.
If his guard has a gap I will feign a shot to it (to see whether it is a trap).

Otherwise I will throw a shot or two, faster and without the intentional telegraph I put into it previously and revert back to the other shots every so often.

I may also expose my arm now and then, or my leg. In order to draw my opponent into a trap.

As I am fighting I keep track of shots my opponent has thrown and how he has parried shots I have thrown and use this to plan combinations.

For me the live action chess match is a good analagy, I am not a fast mover but I can compensate by thinking several moves ahead.

[Gaston de Clermont]

I only really plan when I'm out of range. When we close I might have an idea of what I'll try first, and maybe an exit strategy depending on my opponent's strengths. But you have to adjust, and be careful about over committing to a strategy that might be forced to change.

[Syrfinn]

Pretty much like Gaston said.

I look at it like I do wars. Have a good solid battle plan before contact, but be prepared to throw it all out the window once first contact is made, and after that, harness the chaos that just happened, and win the day.

But I also have certain shots, that I will set up a whole tourney getting ready for, to use towards the end of it.

[David S]

I do a mix of pre-set combinations and improvisation. When I start a fight, I usually have in mind several moves or combos that I want to try, and against the less skilled fighters, one of these usually works. If my opening volley (or perhaps flurry) of shots doesn't result in a kill, then I disengage and wait for my opponent to attack. In the organizations I fight in most of the time (Dagorhir, sometimes Belegarth), the shin is a legal target area, and one that lots of people aim for, especially since I don't use a huge tower shield like some peope. I like to bait a leg shot, and attack the arm when my opponent swings downward, since I'm usually faster than my opponent. Other times, I'll just wait for my opponent to do the attacking, try to gauge where his next shot will be aimed, and see if I can't hit him as he swings. This approach works more against people I know well, than against those I've never fought before (or new fighters) since, as might be expected, I can't predict their movements as much.

[Murdock]

" How do you choose your shots in a fight? "

What hurts least to throw.

I have a multitude of joint problems.

[Sinister_Theo]

I have seen the great fighters often. It seems that have made a decision on the fight within the first 1-2 minutes. How is the person standing, where is there shield and sword, etc. From there they pretty much seem to make the decision on where and what to throw.

I personally try to do the same and if I an unsure I throw a couple bread and butter shots to test the persons reflexes and attitude.

[Jean Paul de Sens]

I don't plan really... I just fight... I reflect after the fight.

JP

[Kilkenny]

I don't plan really... I just fight... I reflect after the fight.

JP

The first time I realized that I might be getting good at this game was when I had to ask the other fellow why he had fallen down.

There are some things that (after thousands of repetiions) have become hardwired and are reflexive strikes.

There are some combinations that flow more easily than others and therefor get used more often.

I try not to build combinations of more than three shots, but I can chain three shot combinations together indefinitely. This means I can respond fairly quickly to opportunities that may appear, because none of the "canned" bits are very long.

By nature I'm something of a counter-puncher, but I think our game generally favours those who can make their own opportunities. So I'll generally begin a fight in a reactive mode, taking what I'm given. If that's not proving enough to carry the day, then (if I last long enough) I'll quite consciously shift into a much more aggressive mode.

I actually prefer melee to single combat, because I don't overthink as much in melee. Letting my instincts, experience and reflex handle the situation generally works better than cogitating about how to fight this person

Gavin

[SirBrand]

I try not to consciously select shots during a fight. I actually try not to think at all. The clear mind chooses shots much quicker than thinking about it. I try to stay in the fight mentally, reacting to the flow of the fight, trying not to rush the fight to an unnatural finish and to allow my shots to simply happen.

I am not a master swordsman, but I'm pretty good. Someday I can hope to attain some level of true proficiency where fighting is truly like breathng.

-Brand