Sword and buckler 102 - i33 - Part 2: Wards

This post covers the pink part of the diagram

Wards ('custodia') are 'resting' positions. They generally keep the sword held back close to the body in a position from which you can make an attack or other action. Each ward best facilitates an attack from a certain angle (although will usually allow attacks from multiple angles). Wards can therefore be used strategically to prepare you to counter whatever the opponent is planning on doing from their own ward.

There are seven wards, although in reality there may be infinite variations of these wards, so it is up to you to learn to recognise and 'categorise' the ward your opponent is in, which will allow you to understand how best to counter them.

In each ward the buckler can be held close to the body or extended in front.

Do not try to copy the illustrations exactly. Just get into a position that is natural and comfortable.

2.1 Primary wards

First ward: Sword is held under the buckler arm facing backwards. The true edge is usually facing up.

First ward

Second ward: Sword is held above right shoulder facing up or back.

Second ward

Third ward: Sword is held above left shoulder.

Third ward

Fourth ward: Sword is held directly above the head, pointing up or backwards.

Fourth ward

Fifth ward: Sword is held at the right hip pointing off to the side.

Fifth ward

Sixth ward: Sword is held at the chest pointing forwards.

Sixth ward

Seventh ward (longpoint): sword is held extended forwards pointing towards the ground. The buckler is held over the sword hand. Longpoint can be held with the sword pointing in any direction, including to the left, right, or even straight at the opponent (but this last one then becomes a 'counter ward'). Cuts and thrusts end in a variation of longpoint.

Seventh ward (longpoint)

2.2 Special wards

These are additional wards you might see or use.

Priest's special longpoint (PSL): like first ward but the hilt of the sword has been moved across the body in front of the right hip.

Unnamed ward: A position from which we can thrust. Probably has sword hand at the right hip, and the sword is held across our body, point to our left and somewhat forwards. Facilitates a quick thrust to the left side of our buckler. It is similar to PSL.

Priests special second ward (Walpurgis ward, or ward of the lady): This is just a variation of second ward. The sword is held below the shoulder and back against the body on the right hand side. It probably represents people who hold their sword and buckler separated from each other.

2.3 Discussion

Despite seeming to be straightforward, there is some debate over the wards. In particular, these are the points I've seen contended:

• Are the wards meant to be used in i33? There are some who believe they are used in some 'common fencing' ('generalis'), and i33 is a system that uses something else (usually called obsessios) to defeat this common fencing.

• How do you use hold the wards? In particular, should first ward be held under the armpit like shown in the image, or can the sword be held lower such as at the left hip?

In my interpretation I've made an assumption that the ward positions are general positions and that you should experiment with them. The wards are really just positions that help us to make an attack or a parry or other motion, therefore where you hold the sword is fairly trivial, with the real question being whether you can perform the necessary action that you want to perform. They are also, perhaps more importantly, positions to help you determine what you opponent can and might do, so we cannot expect them to be highly specific in how they are held (unless you think you can control how your opponent holds his or her sword!).

As for whether you should use the wards at all, I say 'yes'. This does not mean that you hang out in the wards for extended periods of time. The wards can be seen as a way of classifying various attacks: if you hang out in one ward and then attack from that ward, your attack will be fairly obvious, but if you move from ward to ward, perhaps by performing cuts from out of measure, if will be less obvious when your attack is real.

Also remember that some actions will be impossible or more difficult from certain wards. You will see in the later sections on attacks and parries that, since your sword hand can't pass through your buckler hand, the wards will determine what you can and can't do.

2.4 Videos

Let's look at some videos!

I quite like this one, with nice costumes and music. The fencers are clearly trying to look like the i33 images, and they do a good job of showing some of the things you can do from the wards. Notice how sometimes when they attack, they attack from the opposite side of the ward, by basically moving from one ward to the next during the attack. It's a shame they do not show fifth ward from the other side, so it is not clear what they are doing.

This next video is long but is a good overview of the wards and what you can do from them. I like that it treats the wards a fairly general positions, particularly fifth and sixth ward.

Forget the other videos. This video from Dave Rawlings is basically summing up how I also think of the wards. Blink and you miss it, though: he also shows Priest's special longpoint.

One more video below. I don't have much to say about this one, other than the actions being performed from the wards are very controlled and this demonstrates some of the thrusts very nicely: