Any cut delivered from above, travelling downward toward the opponent's upper openings.
The Oberhau is the most basic strike in the German longsword: a cut that starts high (typically from ) and descends, either straight down or diagonally, at the head, shoulders or arms.
Because it is so natural, it is also the attack you will meet most often. Much of the Liechtenauer longsword is organised around answering an Oberhau: the cuts against it, the takes it off to the side, and the slips under it while striking.
Observe the cut's line (straight or diagonal), where the hands are when it starts, and whether the opponent steps as they cut. Those cues tell you where the cut will land and how much time you have.
Your familiarity
Sources and interpretation
- Johannes Liechtenauer (Wiktenauer article, with the Zettel and its glosses) Article text CC BY-SA 4.0; hosted translations generally CC BY-NC-SA 4.0; the historical text is public domain The Zettel's Zornhau verse is framed as the answer to an Oberhau.