I'm going to start this off by describing exactly what I'm trying to portray here. The following images will show a right handed sword and board fighter, nothing else. (Simply mirror them for a lefty.) The type of shield, for discussion purposes, is going to be a standard Edhellen round (28") and a 32" blue sword. Assume the feet are positioned a shoulder width apart.
The questions I'm asking are:
1) What is considered a more appropriate or effective stance to your standards? Every individual is entitled to his/her opinion.
2) In the three separate stances shown, the third has its footing a lot closer together. When swinging for legs, I see some veteran fighters slide their feet simultaneously backwards. Is this a better tactic then leaving weight on the back leg and lifting?
I'm portraying different stances, according to some fighters. If there are other ones, please feel free to discuss the foot locations and their effectiveness in any combat situation. I want solid arguments for and against the stances listed, even the ones that I haven't. I'll consolidate the statements underneath the stances for easier viewing, once the discussion has progressed and add other stances as they come up.
Defensive Stance:
![Image](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/DragunFly/Defensive2.jpg)
Pros: More defensive, as the name suggests.
Cons: Less weapon range.
Offensive Stance:
![Image](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/DragunFly/Offensive2.jpg)
Pros: Wider range of shots, longer range.
Cons: Less defense.
Square Stance:
![Image](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/DragunFly/SquareStance.jpg)
Pros: ----
Cons: Vulnerable to shield bashing/checking.