La Zone Dangereuse

(With absolutely no apologies to Kenny Loggins)

There's two parts to this game: one played from engagement, as close to the decision point as possible, as per CLA best practice; and one played starting at wide distance with an approach into engagement.

This game starts as close to the point of decision as possible: engagment and subjection. The teaching/learning aim is to devlop a sense of when and how to deal with, for the attacker, how to use the defender's action to buy time to make the touch, and, for the defender, how to counter being subjected and make your own touch. Additionally, both the attacker and defender are challenged to maintain their safety while acting.

Rules: In this game there is an attacker (A) and a defender (D). Both are seeking to make a touch on the other. The trick is the initial setup.

D starts in either tierce or quarte as they please. They may not act until A subjects their blade. D may not move their feet through the game; only sword actions are allowed. A starts at close measure and engages D's sword, weak-on-weak. A subjects D's blade using a half-thrust, strong-on-weak engagement, etc. Only when A's action to subject D is in progress (or complete) is D allowed to act. A may move in any way they deem useful to make the touch.

Success criteria: A wins the game if they make a touch on D. D wins if they make a touch on A. If both make touches on each other, neither wins. If neither make touches, both win.

Skills demonstrated: This game plays with timing, and attacking safely.

Notes: The trick for A is to use the tempo given them by D reacting to the subjection to make the touch, while positioning their blade to defend against whatever counter-attack D is making. This defence may be gained, in textbook fashion, by stepping around D on either the inside or outside attack path.

For D, the trick is to escape the subjection in such a way that they set themselves up to make a counter-attack on A. Textbook methods for this are to contest the subject with strength, or disengage to either re-take the engagement or to counter-attack immediately. Of course, D may choose to do nothing. In which case, A may simply strike.

Variants/Increasing complexity: D can move in any manner they see fit. They still may not act until A's subjection is in progress (or complete).

The is an extention to the basic game which adds the approach into engagement from wide distance, bringing the whole game to more closely a “live” sparring environment.

Rules: