====== Week 5: Attacks in Time ======

This session covers timed strikes, and relies on the opponent making an error which can be exploited. As such, attacks in time represent exploiting an opportunity which a more skilled fencer may not give away.

**Attack in Time**: This is a strike which interrupts an opponent's action, usually their preparation for a strike of their own. The opponent's forearm is the usual,bit not only,target. There are two phases to the attack in time:

  - Seeing the opportunity given away by the opponent and striking,
  - Defending against the strike the opponent is planning to make.

===== Leader/Follower Distance/Attack in Time Exercises =====

Start this execise following the regular leader/follower distance exercise and add the cues given below to signal the attack in time.

**Against the vertical strike**

  - One partner is leader and moves forwards and backwards. The other partner follows to maintain distance.
  - The partner giving the trigger (extends and) raises their sword arm to make a head strike.
  - The other partner strikes at the exposes forearm with an horizontal cut and immediately makes a head parry while withdrawing.
  - Swap roles. Start again.

**Against the horizontal strike**

  - One partner is leader and moves forwards and backwards. The other partner follows to maintain distance.
  - The partner giving the trigger (extends and) moves their sword hand to their inside line (to give a flank strike or stomach strike).
  - The other partner strikes at the exposes forearm with a vertical cut and immediately makes a parry of the face strike on the outside (or parry of the flank strike) while withdrawing.
  - Swap roles. Start again.

A variant of these exercises is almost identical except the partner giving the trigger for the attack in time is not the partner leading the distance management.