Writing sword fights -- a few technical tips from your local fencer
Now a disclaimer: I’ve only been fencing for a few months, and am by no means an expert. However, there are a few things you learn in your first fencing lessons that easily translate to writing sword fights.
A general piece of advice if you want to write technically sound, believable sword fights: if it looks like it belongs in a Pirates of the Carribean movie…it’s not technically sound.
One: Your fighters shouldn’t be too close.
In fencing, there’s something called lunging distance. This means that you should be far enough away that even with your foil (sword) extended, you can only hit your opponent if you lunge. There may be times that warrant getting closer than this, but only by a step or two. If your fighters are close enough to touch each other with their hands, they’re too close.
Because if you get that close, A) it’s harder for you to hit your opponent, and B) you’re making it easier for them to hit you.
See this? Every time they attack, they lunge to close the distance rather than rushing in. This gif is a good example of lunging distance.
Two: Movements should be small!!!!
This is a big one. Parrying (knocking your opponent’s blade off course with your own) should use just enough power to alter the course of the blade. If your charecters are slapping each other’s blades halfway across the room, they’re doing it wrong. You can’t parry someone else’s blade without moving your own. The more you move their’s, the longer it will take you to get back in position to strike. WASTED TIME IS BAD AND IF IT’S A REAL FIGHT IT COULD BE FATAL.
Three: En Garde exists for a reason.
En Garde is the director’s call for fencers to get into position. Your non-gloved (AKA the hand NOT holding the weapon) goes behind you to act as a counterweight. As for your gloved (weapon) hand, the elbow should be bent enough that the tip of the foil angles at your opponent’s face.
This is not the attack position, but it’s just as important.
With your foil in En Garde, it’s easiest to parry, as well as make more offensive measures like taking the blade. Unless your character is attacking (in which case their arm should be fully extended) they should not move far from the En Garde blade positioning. If they drop the weapon towards their feet, raise it to the sky, or T-pose with it (which I have seen), they’re opening themselves up for a clean attack. They’ll be defenseless, and won’t be in a position to parry in time.
Four: Fencing really is a physical chess match
Your charecters should be thinking a few steps ahead. It’s not just waiting for the perfect moment to strike – it’s creating that moment. If one character attacks, the other should parry, and follow through with an attack of their own. Charecters may try to trick each other with moves like the disengage (acting like you’re going to hit them on the left side, then going under their parry to hit the right and vice versa). The fighters should be playing off of each other’s moves! Unlike most sports, fencing itsn’t solely a game of out-powering your opponent. The key really is to outsmart them.
Hopefully, this helped with some of the more technical aspects of fencing and sword fights!! If you have questions, I’m more than happy to try and answer them to the best of my ability!
