Mair's Sickle, Plate 1

Or in other words, let's do this thing! As a reminder, I'm using the translation available here to base things on. If you want a quick look at the plate, wiktenaur has a version here. (Wiktenaur's version is from the Dresden version and the translation is using the Codex Iconografico 393, but it should work well enough for a quick glance reference.)

This is my first attempt working through a new manual, a new weapon, and a very different way of structuring the instruction in the play; I'll almost certainly post revised versions of this as my understanding grows, and I work through this more in person. I strongly suspect that working through this in person is going to lead to some fairly important clarifications in terms of body mechanics, how the torso is going to twist, and things like that. I'm really looking forward to those updates.

I'm going to try to preserve how I see the structure of the play set up in the text, and include the break points as I see them. For a first attempt, I'm going to be scaffolding up each variation of the play as I go, rather than trying to do it all in one big sequence.

The plate itself is helpful for understanding the opening position of the play. One thing that does jump out at me is that while each figure in the plate is in the same general position, it's worth noting a couple differences in arm and foot position. The figure on the left has his right foot leading, while the figure on the right has his left foot leading. Their arm positions are slightly different as well, varying by which hand is in front, though the sickle remains withdrawn by the left side of their head, regardless. Both starting positions are correct, depending on where you start with the play.

Here's my first run at a breakdown, then.



Fencer A starts with his right foot forward, his sickle on the left side of his head, and leaves his left hand free and ready to reach or grapple. (This is the fencer on the left in the plate.)
Fencer B starts with his left foot forward, his sickle on the left side of his head, but his left arm behind his right, ready to brace or bolster it. (This is, surprisingly, the fencer on the right in the plate.)

First Variation

• Fencer A passes forward with his left foot while cutting his left to right into the right side of his opponent's head.

That's it. That was simple!

Second Variation

• Fencer A passes forward with his left foot while cutting from his left to right towards the right side of his opponent's head.
• Fencer B cuts left to right, while bracing his right hand with his left, to deflect A's sickle off to B's right side. As he does this B grabs A's right wrist and cuts to the right side of A's head.

Third Variation

• Fencer A passes forward with his left foot while cutting from his left to right towards the right side of his opponent's head.
• Fencer B cuts left to right, while bracing his right hand with his left, to deflect A's sickle off to B's right side. As he does this B grabs A's right wrist in preparation to freeing his sickle and attacking with it.
• Fencer A uses his left hand to grab B's right. A pulls backward on this, and cuts B's leading left leg.

Fourth Variation

• Fencer A passes forward with his left foot while cutting from his left to right towards the right side of his opponent's head.
• Fencer B cuts left to right, while bracing his right hand with his left, to deflect A's sickle off to B's right side. As he does this B grabs A's right wrist in preparation to freeing his sickle and attacking with it.
• Fencer A uses his left hand to grab B's right. A pulls backward on this, and prepares to cut B's leading left leg.
• Fencer B pushes hard on A's right hand (the text has A use his left hand to "push the right elbow of the opponent more inwards") and pulls back his own right hand to strike B on the side of the head.

That's it! I'm hoping to get a chance to run through these on Saturday, if I can find a willing partner. If not, I'll take some time at a fencing practice to sort through these before I get back to swords. If anyone has thoughts, I'd love to hear them!