BAT

So I didn't write about BAT last Sunday. Mea Culpa. It was a bit odd. We all got into armor late but I had a 6:30 curtain to make, so I just quickly fought each of the guys three or four fights and then split. As is often the case I was the only knight. I fought Avran, Timur, Wolfy and Everet. I was not really in teaching mode. I was mostly just getting helmet time.

Really there is one thing to discuss, my fights with Avran. He is finally getting better with his primary weapon, the greatsword. He's got a long way to go but he is finally showing improvement. I have been teaching him the Belatrix greatsword style, and it's not easy. Paul has basically two wards. A high right side ward with his left foot forward, that looks very samurai, and a right foot forward ward with the sword on his hip and the tip pointed toward his opponent's face. Avran insists that the tip forward style works best agaisnt most people but the high form ward works best against me. He killed me once in five or six fights, and it was from that ward, so I guess that's right. But it might be that I have a good attack for people who present the tip. It's simple but it does work much of the time:

With a left foot lead, shield (I was using the centergrip) high to ward the thrust and the sword low, pass forward on the left and bring the broadsword up to knock the thrusting tip out of the way, maintaining contact between your sword and his as you step under the greatsword. Pass forward on the left and transfer control of the greatsword from our broadsword to the shield. I always try to control a greatsword by putting my shield into the strong of his blade, right above the quillions. Move laterally to the right or mass forward off line on the right and cut with the sword, either a false edge cut to the head or shoulder or a true edge cut to the head or body.