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Joachim Meyer (1570) intermediate 26 states

Meyer's secondary guards and the Mittelhau

Meyer's secondary guards and the Mittelhau: Choose a secondary guardYou on the left, Opponent (Vom Tag) on the right, at long distance. Long distance. Which position do you take? Your weight is neutral; the opponent's weight is neutral.LongYouOpponent (Vom Tag)
Long distance. Which position do you 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. Choose a secondary guard now
Scenario map 1/26 states explored · 25 transitions · 15 complete paths
  • Choose a secondary guard
  • In the barrier guard
  • In the long point
  • In the side guard
  • In the wrath guard
  • Nothing offered is taken neutral
  • Point held, nothing taken neutral
  • The barrier rises advantage
  • The beat at the blade
  • The cut into Nebenhut
  • The cut into Zornhut
  • They will not attack the guard
  • Thrust beaten, head taken you hit
  • Changed through under the beat you hit
  • Krump out of the side guard advantage
  • Mittelhau to the arms you hit
  • Oberhau from the shoulder advantage
  • Point thrown wide you're hit
  • Rising cut to the hands you hit
  • The horizontal cut
  • The invitation taken you're hit
  • Zornhau out of the wrath guard you hit
  • Mittelhau parried low
  • The flat cut overrun you're hit
  • Around to the head you hit
  • Withdrawn neutral
Step 1

Choose a secondary guard

You are at long distance against an opponent in . Instead of one of the four principal guards, take one of the positions the later sources add. Each one changes what the opponent sees and what you can throw first.

Opponent's intent: Attack whatever the guard leaves open.

What do you notice?

0/1 revealed

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

  • What do Zornhut and Nebenhut have in common?

What do you do?

Timing chips: , , .

Techniques
ZornhutNebenhutSchrankhutLangort

Your path

0 decisions
  1. Choose a secondary guard now
Scenario map 1/26 states explored · 25 transitions · 15 complete paths
  • Choose a secondary guard
  • In the barrier guard
  • In the long point
  • In the side guard
  • In the wrath guard
  • Nothing offered is taken neutral
  • Point held, nothing taken neutral
  • The barrier rises advantage
  • The beat at the blade
  • The cut into Nebenhut
  • The cut into Zornhut
  • They will not attack the guard
  • Thrust beaten, head taken you hit
  • Changed through under the beat you hit
  • Krump out of the side guard advantage
  • Mittelhau to the arms you hit
  • Oberhau from the shoulder advantage
  • Point thrown wide you're hit
  • Rising cut to the hands you hit
  • The horizontal cut
  • The invitation taken you're hit
  • Zornhau out of the wrath guard you hit
  • Mittelhau parried low
  • The flat cut overrun you're hit
  • Around to the head you hit
  • Withdrawn neutral

About this scenario

Beyond the four principal guards, the later German sources, above all Joachim Meyer, describe a set of secondary positions: the with the blade hanging behind the shoulder, the at the hip, the in front of the knee, and the . Each hides or extends the blade in a different way and each has its natural cut.

This scenario lets you take each guard in turn and see what the opponent's reaction leads to. The , Meyer's horizontal cut, appears here as the cut that fits the wrath guard and as a reminder that flat cuts are easy to overrun.

Learning goals

  • Take the four secondary guards and know the cut each one loads.
  • Use the Mittelhau as a follow-up and understand when a flat cut is overrun.
  • Recognise that a hidden blade invites, and that the invitation must be answered in one motion.
Terms

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Sources and interpretation