Belegarth

As a lefty, I've been pondering if there are any certain shots that work well with the opponents sword arm on the same side as yours. I figured this would be the best place to ask. I'm sure you guys have some good stuff.

Any ideas are welcome!

In my case I use an Edhellen Strap Kite, and a 35 inch sword.

Learn from the masters:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sd5XJGgvdXQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QdqTKPCfgC0
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Etv5XkEokHw

Against lower to mid level righties, you'll have a definite edge. Against upper level fighters, you pretty much have to learn how to fight like a righty (or at least think like one) since every advantage you have over them, they also have over you. Bread and butter shots include:

Any sort of pump fake followed quickly by a wrap shot to their sword arm. If you can get really good at selling pumps and don't abuse them, you will learn to love this shot. It also has the advantage of utterly confounding n00bs. It is the money shot for begining lefties. It's not as useful against experienced fighters since they'll see it coming a mile away and should already be set up to counter it.

If you can fake their shield out of the way, a high cross to their left shoulder can be a great move to learn. It takes quite a bit of practice and experimentation to learn how to finesse their shield out of the way. This works especially well against lefties, just reverse the motions.

I've found slots and stabs much more difficult to use against a righty, probably because when you move in for the slot, they can easily back up and pull a wrap shot on your back.

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The wrap and cross to their shield arm are the two shots that consistently land me kills against low-mid level fighters and should become second nature to any lefty fighting long enough. To add to that, there are tons of "trick shots" that I've found success with. The effect of a trick shot comes primarily from the element of suprise, so while they're good to practice, they can quickly become predictable.

A quick 360 pivot to your right can work as an excellent fake and frequently opens their right side to you (since it appears that you're moving to their left). It also adds momentum to your swing and gets a very satisfying "thud!' when it connects. Just make sure your back isn't over exposed.

One of my personal faves is to pump high to give the illusion that you're going to swing low, then tap the ground with your weapon and spring up for a cross to their shield arm. When it works, the "*?" reaction is priceless.

And for one final dirty trick: If you're fighting against someone who doesn't nescesarily know you're a lefty, hide your weapon closely behind your shield with your arms crossed to give off the illusion that you're a righty. When you move in to their left for what seems to be a wrap, pull your weapon out and instead wrap to their right side.

Remember that there is no actual advantage to fighting left handed at a higher level of competion. The best advice I could offer is to learn how to think like a righty. Once you know what's going on in your opponents mind, you will be better informed about which fakes and shots they won't be expecting.

Disclaimer: This is coming from a lefty fighter with several years of experience. I am merely average but am constantly learning and teaching. Take it or leave it.

I *prefer* fighting lefties when I go sword and board. I got this way a long time ago as having a left-handed brother in Dag who I fought all the time and because when I went to college and fought SCA, 5 of 9 baronial fighters were lefties (and 3 of those were 6'4" or bigger). To this day, I constantly "spot" left-handed people in movies, TV, and in real -life as I trained myself to identify them.

Kit is right, lefties (assuming a same skill-to-skill match) have a huge advantage over noob right-handed fighters, a moderate advantage over moderately experienced fighters, and a slight advantage over veteran fighters. Against an elite fighter, a leftie will have no advantage.

Still, all-in-all, being a lefty fighter is an advantage so USE it.

My advice it to fight right handed all the time. Until your as good with either. This is very possible, even though it seem like it's not at first. Once you can switch hand at will, do it all the time. It totally screws up people who think they know where you're coming from.
I also gave up fighting S&B as my primary weapon. Once you can switch hands at will, using a red is soooo much easier. You have twice as many shots available.
I have always felt the real advantage is that you can much more easily become ambidextorus. THat is the real edge.
FB

Ask Lord Tarmac. Last time I fought him he kept killing me with a sweet lefty move that I'm having a hard time understanding.

Forkbeard wrote:My advice it to fight right handed all the time. Until your as good with either. This is very possible, even though it seem like it's not at first. Once you can switch hand at will, do it all the time. It totally screws up people who think they know where you're coming from.
I also gave up fighting S&B as my primary weapon. Once you can switch hands at will, using a red is soooo much easier. You have twice as many shots available.
I have always felt the real advantage is that you can much more easily become ambidextorus. THat is the real edge.
FB

Hmmm...I might have to make a shield to fight with right handed. Seems quite difficult, though. My right arm as it is right now, has no control.


Thanks for the great advice guys.

Myself also being a lefty I've found something that seems to work quite well for me, I still get owned, however, when fighting, but that's more because most of the people I fight against have been fighting for 5 years or more; but what I've found works for me a lot of the time is:

The first shot I'll throw 80% of the time is a cross over to their shoulder on their shield arm and then I'll come back over throw a shot at their sword arm, cross over one more time, throw a leg shot, and then I kind of back off for a moment to recover, at which point I'll generally block a few shots and then throw something at their legs and their shield arm.

Conversly, the other 20% of the time, I'll open by throwing a shot at their sword arm once or twice, cross over and then go for a few leg shots.

Among both of those scenarios, I'll sometimes throw in a spin to my right side because they aren't used to people spinning that way; and the key to spinning is when you start to spin (this works especially well with a round shield) you start to drop your arm a little bit and rotate the shield to go around behind your back while you spin, and as you come out of the spin, you start to throw a lateral shot so that it'll catch the moment of the swing therefore gaining some extra power; if you do the spin well enough and/or you catach them off guard with it, you'll often times catch them across the back with the lateral shot at the end of the spin.

Thanks, Digoza.


Spinning has been mentioned a couple of times, so what is the best way to pull a spin move? I don't think I'm really too qualified for it, seeing as I use a 48" x 26" (widest point) strap shield, and I'm 5'10 and 230lbs.

lefty chop will be your friend.

Mekoot Gorlock wrote:lefty chop will be your friend.

Elaborate?

well the main thing is whats your main fighting style.

Would you care to actually contribute, Leonidas?

The lefty chop (if I'm not mistaken) is any kind of slight fake followed by a chop to the opponents hip or occasionally shoulder. I call it the "money shot." The reason it's so effective is because not many people are used to such a basic shot coming from their right side. Only really works if your opponent doesn't know how to fight a lefty.

Mekoot Gorlock wrote:lefty chop will be your friend.

from what I have seen it is just a drop of the weapon. when fighting a righty you have a chance of taking their elbow or faking and whip around for the waist shot. Also there is the fake for a leg and as the person drop's their sheild you step in, move your shield in front of their weapon and span your weapon around and hit them on the back. dam effective...

Ah, okay. I do that a bit, though I'd be more than willing to take any help offered at Spring War

If you are a more aggressive close quarter fighter look me up. If you were at War of the Roses you saw me there. I am a def old school heavy fighter that is a southpaw. I dont use trickshots save for my shield work but use hard and trained blows. If traditional swordplay is what you are looking for send me a pm and I will see when I will be travelling through your area.

Ahh, I talked to you a bit at WftR.

I know you said you're planning on coming to Neldoreth some time, so we'll have to talk about that.

not a problem