In simple terms, the Nach means 'after' and refers to the defensive actions. It also designates the status of the fencer who is being attacked. The attacker is in the Vor (before) and so the fencer in the Nach has to respond to that attack.
In my last post, I talked about how to attack without your opponent attacking at the same time. This in large part comes down to experience and confidence. A new fencer may be unable to recognise when they are being attacked. They may not know how to parry. They also usually let their opponent attack too closely, meaning they do not have time to parry.
We can't always be in the Vor. Even if we succeed in making the first strike, that is likely to parried and a riposte made, meaning we at least need to be able to parry the riposte.
I wrote a separate post on Parrying (in fact I've written several!):
Therefore, in this post I will try to give some practical advice that helped me:
Do not let your opponent attack from too close. The hand is quicker than the eye, meaning any attack that is made at you that can reach you without the opponent needing to take a step forward is likely going to hit you. You may be able to parry it by getting lucky, but you will not be able to parry it often. This is referred to by Di Grassi and George Silver in later centuries as the 'time of the hand', and the 'time of the foot'. In fencing, distance equals time, meaning an attack made over a longer distance (time of the foot) takes longer than an attack made over a shorter distance (the time of the hand). Do not let your opponent attack in the time of the hand.
Parrying takes time. If your opponent attacks in the time of the foot, you parry in the time of the hand. This means you do not step and then move your hands/sword to parry; you move your hands/sword to parry, and then step if you need to. If you are in Plough on the left and want to parry right, a hanging parry is often quicker to make trying to get into Plough on the right. Likewise, the more complicated types of parry that are preferred in LL's system, e.g. Absetzen (thrust parrying) and Versetzen (strikes, including Secret Strikes) can take too long to perform, depending on what guard you are in and where and how your opponent attacks you. Simple blocks are often good enough, and give you the chance to make a quick riposte. If you need even more time to parry, step backwards with the parry.
Once you have parried, riposte - seize back the Vor. However, do not do this out of habit, try to see what your opponent does at the moment of the parry; is s/he try to make a second attack (keep the Vor)? Parrying and riposting by habit will lead to doubles. Prepare to defend again, if needed, but do not hesitate. Learning this will take some time.
Likewise, look out for Indes opportunities. Parry-wind-thrust is the preferred way to seize back the Vor in LL's system (even better if you can do all three with a single action using the Secret Strikes and Absetzen). These require that you do not riposte immediately, but you try to control the opponent's weapon and stay in the bind when you parry.
These are just a few suggestions. If you have more, leave a comment.
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