Romuald Brunet
Original text for French readers (Google Books);
There is currently no English translation.
Overview
Table of Actions
| Strike | Parry | Riposte |
|---|---|---|
| Head Cut (cut-over straight strike) | High parry with the blade horizontal and forward | Point Thrust, Stomach Cut or Flank Cut |
| Chest Cut (diagonal from high outside to low inside) | Hanging parry to the inside | Head Cut, Stomach Cut or Flank Cut |
| Right Cheek Cut (high inside) | High tierce (point high, hilt low) | Left Cheek Cut (high outside), Flank Cut or Stomach Cut |
| Left Cheek Cut (high outside) | High quarte (point high, hilt low) | Right Cheek Cut (high inside), Flank Cut or Stomach Cut |
| Flank Cut (low inside) | Hanging parry to the outside | Head Cut, Sash Cut or Stomach Cut |
| Stomach Cut (low outside) | Hanging parry to the inside | Head Cut, Sash Cut or Flank Cut |
| Arm Cut | Withdraw the arm out of range either as tierce or quarte, depending on the direction of the arm cut. | Point Thrust, Stomach Cut or Flank Cut |
| Point Thrust | Low tierce or quarte (hilt low, point high) or seconde (hilt high, point low) depending on the height of the thrust | Head Cut, Right Cheek Cut or Left Cheek Cut |
| Thigh Cut (extend to slice on the same side as the engagement) | Slipping the leg | Head Cut, Stomach Cut or Flank Cut |
Compound Actions
I'm not sure of Brunet's purpose with these. It appears to be nothing more than a movement exercise. The sequence is feint 1, feint 2, strike performed by Fencer A. Feints 1 and 2 are parried by Fencer B. The final strike lands.
- Stomach cut, Head cut, Flank cut
- Flank cut, Head cut, Flank cut
- Sash cut, Head cut, Stomach cut
- Forearm cut, Flank cut, Point strike
- Point strike, Right face cut, Right face cut (
Does this make sense?) - Leg cut, Point strike, Head cut
- Head cut, Flank cut, Stomach cut
- Right face cut, Left face cut, Flank cut
- Left face cut, Right face cut, Stomach cut
These are listed as compound attacks. Brunet says that they can also be compound ripostes and counter-ripostes provided that they are preceeded by a parry.
Tactical Advice
Généralement, pour avoir au sabre un résultat certain, deux ou trois feintes suffisent pour désorienter l'adversaire et permettre d'avoir une ligne ouverte. A l'épée, les coups les plus simples sont souvent les meilleurs. Au sabre, les coups composés réussissent mieux. (p.99) Generally, to have a sure result in sabre, two or three feints suffice to disorient the opponent and permit having an open line. With épée, the most simple strikes are often the best. In sabre, compound strikes succeed better.
Souvenons-nous aussi qu'il est plus sûr de toucher en ripostant qu'en attaquant, et, pour cela, parons en temps voulu, avec calme, sang-froid, et sûrs de notre force. (p.100) Remember also that it is more sure to touch in riposting than in attacking, and, because of that, we parry in good time, cooly, and sure of our strength.
Les coups de sabre, entre bons tireurs, n'ont de résultats, généralement, qu'après une série de feintes, pour trouver la ligne de l'adversaire ouverte. (p.84) Sabre strikes, between good fencers, only result, generally, after a series of feints in order to find the opponent's open line.