Cooperative Drill: Attacking in Contratempo with the Void against the Feint with Advance (09-September-06)

Description
This drill will help you identify one of the tactical situations in which you can execute an attack in Contratempo accompanied with a Void. The attacker performs a Feint with Advance (see the Drill of the Week for September 02, 2006). The Defender attempts to parry or perform a blade seizure against the feint, and the Attacker eludes the Defender's action with a cavazione around his blade followed immediately by an attack to the open line. However, the Defender counters the attack by performing the appropriate void (see the notes below) while simultaneously attacking. Obviously, since this drill includes the advance, the action must start from one step outside of measure (Misura Camminando). Note that the feint will be a straight-line feint when the Defender presents an open line or makes an invitation, but a feint by cavazione (i.e. feint by disengagement) when the Defender finds or engages the attacker's sword.

Here is a typical Italian rapier example that begins with straight-line feint to the outside:

	Attacker's Action	Defender's Action
1	In Guard	In Guard, Defender presents opening to the outside line.
2	Feints to the outside line with advance.	Attempts to parry feint to the outside.
3	Avoids parry with a cavazione and lunges to the inside.	In the tempo of the opponent's attack defender turns his hand into Quarta and performs an Inquartata, evading opponent's attack while striking opponent.

Prerequisites
The voids (Passata Sotto, Inquartata, Intagliata, etc.) for the various lines. This will differ by style. Parise only uses two: Passata Sotto (against attacks to the outside and the high line), Inquartata (against attacks to the inside). Marcelli uses three: Passata Sotto (against attacks to the high line), Inquartata (against attacks to the inside), and the Intagliata (against attacks to the outside). A careful analysis of the system you study will yield this information.

Goal
The fencer will learn to instantly recognize and counter a Feint with Advance when it is performed against him.

Notes
The drill should not be too difficult, provided that all participants remember that it is a Cooperative Drill.

Variations
Allowing the Defender to select the line of the initial invitation or the specific engagement: for example, if the Defender presents and opening to the inside, the Attacker's feint is a straight-line feint to the inside, but if the Defender engages to the inside, then the Attacker's feint is a feint to the outside by cavazione.

List of Drills