Phew! We are getting there, dear readers. We have covered most of the plays of the other six wards, and now we reach seventh ward, also called longpoint.
Of longpoint, i.33 says this:
Fencing is the ordering of diverse thrusts and strikes.
All strikes and thrusts end in longpoint.
Longpoint is core to the art of fencing.
We have met longpoint many, many times. Every strike and thrust made has been to longpoint. We also saw longpoint being used as a counter-ward in its own right against first ward (unsuccessfully, I might add). It is also depicted being used as a counter-ward against fourth ward.
What is longpoint?
The simple answer is that any time you hold your arms and sword at full extension, you are in longpoint. You could have the sword pointing to the ground in a resting position or with an overbind on your opponent's sword. It could be pointing at your opponent threatening a thrust, pointing up over the opponent's head to catch their strike, or off to either side. Your buckler could be on the left, on the right or on top.
There is another type of longpoint called 'high longpoint', which, as far as I can tell, is basically a way of making an upward pointing longpoint without raising your buckler (which would be dangerous as it will blind you to what your opponent is doing and leave your centre vulnerable). I may look at this in a separate post, but I.33 equates its use as similar to half-shield, but with the buckler pointing forwards.
What can I do from longpoint?
Longpoint is mostly the end result of another action - a strike or thrust. Therefore it is not usually 'used'. For example, if you have bound over your opponent's sword to left or right, you are in longpoint, and so are they.
However, the position of longpoint can be specifically used in several ways:
It can keep your opponent at bay: there is nothing like having the tip of a sword pointed at your face to make you back-off! Note, this will only work for a short time.
It can encourage your opponent to do something: if your opponent is in a defensive posture, going into longpoint and 'walking your point in' will force your opponent to do something. They must deal with your sword otherwise they will receive a thrust.
To parry: This is not shown in i.33, but essentially longpoint can parry most strikes. As the strike comes in (let's say from your top left), you move your longpoint to point to where the strike is coming from. Doing this catches your opponent's sword on your blade, where you push it offline, and it slides down to your hilt or your buckler. It is hard to explain, and it does require some practice. Essentially your longpoint is forming an overbind on your opponent's sword.
How can I defend against longpoint?
To simplify this section, we will assume that your opponent is in a straightforward longpoint. You are in any ward you like. However, this section is really about the bind, and so the principles apply whenever you are overbound or underbound with your opponent.
I.33 says that, when faced with longpoint, I must bind left or right, over or under their sword. This means there are four binds:
Over to the right
Under to the left
Over to the left
Under to the right
Note that when someone is in an overbind to the right, the opponent is in an underbind to the left. When someone is in an overbind to the left, the opponent is in an underbind to the right.
We have encountered all of these before in the various plays, but we haven't seen all actions that can be taken from the bind.
To gain an overbind on someone in longpoint, I simply need to step left or right away from their sword and strike my blade over theirs. The act of stepping offline gets their point offline.
Below, I have described the plays in i.33 that explore the different binds. I have grouped them based on which person gains the advantage - the person in the overbind, or the person in the underbind.
A warning: the images in i.33 are flat, meaning that if the priest has secured an overbind to the right, it also looks like the scholar has secured an overbind to his right. We need to rely on the text in i.33 to tell us who has the overbind and to what side.
Overbind to the right
Example 1: The person who has the overbind can make an attack above
The scholar has overbound the priest's sword down to the right. The priest attempts to free his sword by raising his sword and buckler upwards, into a Krucke-like position - this can be considered a high underbind. The scholar makes a shield-knock and performs a Nucken to the head. We've seen this many times in the other plays of i.33.
Example 2: If someone retreats from the bind, they are vulnerable
In this second example, the priest has an overbind to the right. The scholar tries to retreat (or perhaps is is trying to free his sword by going to first ward). The scholar 'chases' and strikes with a blow or thrust.
Underbind to the left
Example 3: The person in the underbind can defend themselves
The scholar has an overbind to the right. The scholar can easily raise his sword and cut or thrust the priest. The priest needs to quickly raise his sword in order to parry the blow. Doing this will allow the priest to gain an overbind on the scholar.
Example 4: The person in the underbind can disengage under and attack the opponent
From high longpoint, the priest has gained an overbind to the right (the same bind could have been made from half-shield). This means the scholar is in an underbind to his left. The scholar turns a little to the right and frees his sword out from under the priest's sword. With a step to the right, the scholar makes a false edge cut to the priest's arm, or makes a low thrust to the priest's stomach. If the priest raises his sword to try and defend against this, the scholar performs a high thrust which will block the priest's sword.
Example 5: The person in the underbind can disengage under and rebind over the opponent's sword (changing of the swords)
I will not illustrate this as it has been described many times on this blog.
Overbind to the left
Example 6: From an overbind, it is possible to thrust low
The priest here has an overbind to his left. He thrusts under the scholar's sword and buckler. Not a lot of this play is shown in i.33. It notes this is due to 'a fault of the artist'.
Example 7: When you have an overbind, shield-knock and Nucken!
The priest has overbound the scholar to his left. The priest makes a shield-knock and Nucken. (The scholar has attempted to block or catch the Nucken with his buckler arm).
Underbind to the right
Example 8: The person in the underbind can disengage under and attack the opponent
Here, the priest is overbound to his right. From this position, the priest can turn his body to his left, and free his sword out from under the scholar's sword, where he can thrust the scholar with a stichslach.
Example 9: The person in the underbind can disengage under and rebind over the opponent's sword (changing of the swords)
I will not illustrate this as it has been described many times on this blog.
Summary
Hopefully this post gives you an idea of what can happen in the bind. Remember that the bind is not something that you 'give to your opponent'. When trained fencers fence, they may both willingly go to longpoint and 'rub swords', whereby the person who works best from the bind will usually win. However, people are usually not so willing to 'give you the bind', it must be taken - either because you have parried a strike or thrust made against you, or you have forced your opponent to parry a strike or thrust you have made against him/her.
The bind is where most of the interesting stuff happens. You always want to try to gain the overbind. From here, you have options - to shield-knock and Nucken is what i.33 recommends. However, if you are in the underbind, then act quickly! You need to disengage and attempt to get the overbind yourself, or you can make an attack from below, but beware that the opponent may simultaneously attack.
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