Epee Tactics 101

You can only be doing 4 things in fencing: Attacking, Defending, Counter-Attacking and Preparing to do one of the previous three. The question is when how and why should you do any of these.

1. Counter-Attacking: this is the primary method of scoring in Epee. It requires patience, good distance and point control. A good counter-attacker can be very frustrating to fence as it seems nothing you do can make it through without you getting tagged on the way in. It works best when you are ahead and your opponent starts becoming impatient and rushes his attacks in order to catchup before time runs out. Stay cool and don't let your opponent have your blade, keep your actions small and the tip on the target.

Mix up your counters: angulation and displacement (squats, slides and spin-outs) so your opponent isn't sure what to expect and therefore cannot plan effectively. If your opponent is another counter-attacker use opening to lure out the attack, once you are ahead they are forced to come to you.

If you are ahead in points by 2 or 3 then counter into their attacks and "double-out."

2. Attacking: Be patient and look for the opening, create the opening or use speed and surprise.

Attacks to the hand and wrist are attacks of opportunity and are the most frequent opening you will see.

Create and opening by using short attacks to draw out the counter the take their blade and finish. You can also create openings when your opponent likes to parry. Just make a short attack, avoid the parry (you may need to avoid multiple times) and finish. Another option is to feint and attack somewhere else then hit you target unexpectedly.

Use the fleche or a fast lunge to the foot/thigh when surprise and speed warrant it. Use this especially if your opponent is slower than you are or seem weak against the fleche/ foot shots. Keep good distance and use feints to hit the foot (feint high / hit low). Fleches work really well after your opponent has made a probing attack or a failed attack with a lunge. Hit them as they are recovering.

Attacking is usually used when the score is tied or you are down and need to catch up.

3. Defending: Defend when you have an aggressive opponent or you need to control the blade. Parries can be powerful in epee if you do them well. It requires speed and power. Lure them into attacking then take their blade out of the way and hit them. You CANNOT LET GO of the blade. control the blade all the way in. Use either speed or take the opponent's blade into a different quadrant and while maintaining pressure against the opponent's blade launch your riposte. Use this when you absolutely cannot let them hit you

Defending is best used when you are tied or when you are able to control the opponent's blade better than they can release off.

Well I hope this little Tactica helps..... comment away.