Combat Structure

From A Definitive Treatise on The Arte of Combat by Maestro Domenico Angelo

“The Philosophy of Combat

In which we discuss the theoretics of fighting, the strategics of attack and defense and the dichotomy of intent and action.

The Attack: An attack, by its nature, is a hypothetical matter as its success depends on the defensive action that follows. One cannot assume the attack's success, only execute its intent.

Assuming the outcome of an attack, such as, “Tybalt stabs Mercutio.” does not constitute a valid attack.

An attack should be clear in its purpose, well defined yet concise. While an attack may be stunted if oversimplified, it may also lose itself if overcomplicated.

It is not enough to say “Tybalt swings his sword at Mercutio.”

The key to the attack is a balance of concise and detailed explanation of its intent and execution.

“Tybalt lunged forward, his blade dipping under Mercutio's as he thrust for the left side of his adversary's chest.”

The Defense: A defense, by its nature, is a definitive matter as it is a response to a defined action. As with the attack, it must be clearly presented to be effective.

“Mercutio blocks Tybalt's attack.” does not constitute a valid defense.

Once again, the key is in a balance of clarity and detail. The manner of the defense must be understood for it to be effective.

“Mercutio turned his wrist, bringing his blade down in an arc which swept across Tybalt's line of attack and knocked the attacking blade away to his right.”

The Counter Attack: While an effective defense does prevent one from being struck, it does not eliminate the threat. The counter attack, or riposte, combines with a defense to retake the offensive position. This counter attack must be executed by the same standards as an attack.

“Mercutio turned his wrist, bringing his blade down in a n arc which swept across Tybalt's line of attack and knocked the attacking blade away to his right. He immediately disengaged his blade, bringing it around to cut horizontally at Tybalt's face.”

It's important to note how the defense was stated as a definitive action, whereas the counter attack was presented as intention.

The Strike: In an exchange of attacks and defenses, eventually one party will be struck. Ultimately, it is the defender's responsibility to state the strike, as the success or failure of an attack is dependent on the defender's ability to stop the attack.

“Tybalt ducked under the slash, letting the blade pass over his head by scant inches. With Mercutio's midsection exposed by the wide slash, Tybalt seized the opportunity to thrust his blade forward in a quick stab at his opponent's stomach.”

“Mercutio tensed and shrunk back from Tybalt as the blade punctured him. His left arm came to grip the bleeding wound as he stepped back from his opponent.”

All combatants, no matter how skilled, how powerful, or how experienced, will be struck at some time. Such is the hazard of engaging in the fighter's craft.”

For more advanced and in depth technique, reference A Definitive Treatise on The Arte of Combat by Maestro Domenico Angelo in its full version, which will be in print soon.

(In other words: No called shots, no lazy posts, and take your hits. For anyone seeking to learn or improve their skills, please email maestrodomangelo@yahoo.com or post in the forum for an appointment.)