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Liechtenauer tradition intermediate 25 states

Taking the Vor: attacking from Vom Tag

Taking the Vor: attacking from Vom Tag: Your turn to beginYou (Vom Tag) on the left, Opponent (Vom Tag) on the right, at long distance. Both in Vom Tag. The first strike is yours to take. Your weight is neutral; the opponent's weight is neutral.LongYou (Vom Tag)Opponent (Vom Tag)
Both in Vom Tag. The first strike is yours to take.
–
Static position

Seen from behind your right shoulder: left and right, off-line steps and blade lines are visible. Drag the scene to orbit.

  • You
  • Opponent
  • Attack line
  • Exposed opening
  • Blade contact
  • Blow landed
  • Weight: you neutral · opponent neutral

Schematic diagram: it shows position, guard, blade angle, hip and shoulder rotation and the line of attack, not exact body mechanics.

Your path

0 decisions
  1. Your turn to begin now
Scenario map 1/25 states explored · 26 transitions · 21 complete paths
  • Your turn to begin
  • The choice goes to them disadvantage
  • The feint
  • Your Oberhau descends
  • Your Zwerchhau strikes around
  • Caught on the flat
  • Set aside you're hit
  • The cut falls short
  • The feint costs a tempo you're hit
  • The feint lands you hit
  • Their Zornhau binds your cut
  • Under your Zwerch you're hit
  • Zwerch met high
  • Back to measure neutral
  • Chasing into the cut you're hit
  • Following after the step back you hit
  • Pressing into the parry disadvantage
  • Taken off, head covered advantage
  • Tempo given back disadvantage
  • The Nachschlag lands you hit
  • The Zornhau-Ort arrives you're hit
  • They wind against your push you're hit
  • Wound under the parry you hit
  • You wind first you hit
  • Zwerch to both sides you hit
Step 1

Your turn to begin

You stand in at long distance. The opponent waits in the same guard and gives you nothing. Someone has to begin, and the sources say it should be you: strike first, at a real , with the next strike already in mind.

Opponent's intent: Wait for your attack and answer it.

What do you notice?

0/2 revealed

Look at the diagram first. Decide what you see for each cue, then reveal the note.

  • Which openings does Vom Tag leave, and which can you reach with a step?
  • What happens if you wait?

What do you do?

Timing chips: , , .

Techniques
OberhauZwerchhauFehler

Your path

0 decisions
  1. Your turn to begin now
Scenario map 1/25 states explored · 26 transitions · 21 complete paths
  • Your turn to begin
  • The choice goes to them disadvantage
  • The feint
  • Your Oberhau descends
  • Your Zwerchhau strikes around
  • Caught on the flat
  • Set aside you're hit
  • The cut falls short
  • The feint costs a tempo you're hit
  • The feint lands you hit
  • Their Zornhau binds your cut
  • Under your Zwerch you're hit
  • Zwerch met high
  • Back to measure neutral
  • Chasing into the cut you're hit
  • Following after the step back you hit
  • Pressing into the parry disadvantage
  • Taken off, head covered advantage
  • Tempo given back disadvantage
  • The Nachschlag lands you hit
  • The Zornhau-Ort arrives you're hit
  • They wind against your push you're hit
  • Wound under the parry you hit
  • You wind first you hit
  • Zwerch to both sides you hit

About this scenario

The is the state of being the one the opponent must answer. This scenario starts with you in at long distance and the opponent waiting in the same guard. Every branch begins with your first strike, the , and continues with the that the sources insist must follow it.

The lesson is that an attack is not finished when it is thrown. It is finished when the opponent's answer has been answered.

Learning goals

  • Open with a strike that aims at a real opening and keeps a follow-up ready.
  • Recognise the four common answers to an Oberhau and respond to each in the next tempo.
  • See when a feint helps and when it merely hands over the tempo.

The order of answers to a parried cut (strike around, wind, withdraw) follows the general advice of the glosses rather than any single device; the step-back branch is a common modern training situation.

Terms

Click a term to see its definition without leaving the page.

Sources and interpretation