Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 introduced the key concept in rapier, and showed the hierarchy of actions that stem from a stringer on the inside. But of course fencer A may also stringer fencer B on the outside. Many of the actions that stem from this, with one or two exceptions, are the same as in the previous blog posts, except they are done on the opposite side. I will therefore not go into detail on most of these actions, and I will try to demonstrate all techniques in this single blog post. Make sure you read parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 before reading this, otherwise this post will not make sense.
As a reminder, here is the hierarchy of actions from both fencer's perspectives:
I will go through each of these boxes one by one.
You have them stringered. If they do nothing, thrust them
Blue fencer (fencer A) approaches orange fencer (fencer B) and gains a weak stringer on the outside, and then a strong stringer by turning towards seconda. If orange fencer does nothing, blue thrusts them in seconda.
If you are stringered, disengage from the stringer and counter-attack
The above takes at least two tempos, therefore orange fencer will disengage from the stringer and attempt to counter-thrust blue fencer on the inside in quarta.
(Note, as we have seen from part 3, this assumes that orange fencer is NOT a clever fencer.)
Just like in part 3, blue fencer has four main categories of actions to counter this, with a few more advanced variations that can be performed. These are:
1. To counter-thrust in one tempo
2. To parry and riposte in two tempos
3. To perform a void attack
4. To counter-disengage and attack
1. Counter-thrust in one tempo
As orange disengages from the outside to the inside to thrust, blue counter-thrusts with (or without) a lunge in quarta.
Advanced variation
Plate 18 shows the pass with the left foot and thrust in quarta. It is hard to see from the image alone, but what has happened is a orange disengaged to the inside to thrust, blue stepped diagonally to the left with a thrust in quarta. The force of this has knocked orange's sword aside. Video from Guy Windsor here: https://swordschool.com/wiki/index.php/Plate_18
If orange was a clever fencer...
Parry and riposte in two tempos
The counter to this is that, when orange disengages to the inside, they should feint a thrust. Then when blue performs the counter-thrust, orange should parry and riposte in two tempos. The parry can be in quarta, or it can be a beat to the blade. The riposte is then a thrust in quarta.
2. Parry and riposte in two tempos
As orange fencer disengages from the outside to the inside and makes a thrust, blue fencer parries the thrust in quarta or with a beat, and then ripostes with a thrust in quarta.
Advanced variations
In plate 20, blue fencer does the same as above, in that they parry orange's thrust on the inside with a beat. Then in one tempo, Blue fencer steps in with a pass of the left foot and grabs orange fencer's wrist. Blue fencer simultaneously thrusts orange fencer in seconda. Video here: https://swordschool.com/wiki/index.php/Plate_20
Another variation of the parry-riposte in two tempo is called The slaughtering, or the Scannatura. The image doesn't show the technique, but basically when orange disengages from the outside to the inside, blue will drop the point of his/her rapier down towards the ground and over orange's rapier (with a bit of a beat), and then drive the point under orange's arm and up the other side, grabbing orange's sword arm and thrusting orange to the inside body.
You can see the scannatura being performed here:
If orange was a clever fencer...
Disengage
When blue attempts the parry, orange fencer will avoid the parry with a disengage and then thrust in seconda.
3. Void attack
Orange disengages from the outside and thrusts on the inside. Blue steps to his/her right and thrusts orange in quarta.
There are two variations of this:
the step to the right can be made with a void of the right foot, as seen in the image below.
Alternatively, the step to the right can be made with the left foot, as in the image below.
From above, both examples look something like this:
Videos:
If orange was a clever fencer...
Parry-riposte in two tempos
If orange fencer was clever, when stringered, they would disengage with a feint, and then parry blue's attack in quarta or with a beat, and riposte a thrust in quarta.
4. Counter-disengage
As orange disengages from the outside to the inside, blue counter-disengages by following orange's sword, with the result that both fencer fencer up on the outside, where blue then thrusts in seconda.
If orange was a clever fencer...
Counter-disengage
Orange can actually do a number of things against a counter-disengage, including a parry-riposte or a counter-thrust. However, for learning purposes, orange will counter-disengage. This basically means that, following orange's first disengage from outside to inside, blue counter-disengages to get orange back on the outside, so orange disengages again during blue's counter-disengage to get back on the inside, and then thrusts in quarta.
Videos
The entire hierarchy of actions drill can be seen from both stringers here: https://www.swordschool.com/wiki/index.php/Hierarchy_of_Actions_drill
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