It is vitally important that you do not skip over the “common fencer” drills. These are not drills of the incompetent fencer, but merely one who hasn’t had the additional instruction from Fabris. So it is something that you would see in the marketplace.

The reason you specifically need to practice these exercises is so that your partner can learn to counter them using the techniques of Fabris. If you cannot reliably use them, then your partner won’t know if he is performing the counter correctly or not.

These are the first partner drills given to us by Fabris. (Though he does hint as possible partner exercises in earlier plates, especially on the guards.)

Plate 21 – Common Fencer 1a

Both fencers start in 3rd on the inside.

The agent performs a straight, fast feint.

The patient counters with a parry.

The moment the blades touch, the agent disengages under the sword and attacks in second from below, lowering the body for safety. See illustration 34.

Plate 21 – Common Fencer 1b

Both fencers start in 3rd on the inside.

The agent performs a straight, fast feint.

The patient counters with a parry.

The moment the blades touch, the agent disengages under the sword to the outside and attacks in third over the arm as shown in illustration 22.

Plate 21 – Fabris Fencer 1

Both fencers start in 3rd on the inside.

The agent performs a straight, fast feint.

The patient counters with a straight thrust in fourth, picking up the agents point in the process as shown in illustration 21.

It is vital that the patient concentrate on the counter-thrust itself. If he overemphasizes the parry, it will throw his point offline which is exactly what the agent wants to happen.

Plate 21 – Common Fencer 2a

Both fencers start in 3rd on the outside.

The agent advances while disengaging to the inside.

The patient counters with a parry.

The moment the blades touch, the agent disengages under the sword and attacks in second from below, lowering the body for safety. See illustration 34.

In this and the next drill, the agent can use a constraint or blade contact to further encourage the patient to parry.

Plate 21 – Common Fencer 2b

Both fencers start in 3rd on the outside.

The agent advances while disengaging to the inside.

The patient counters with a parry.

The moment the blades touch, the agent disengages under the sword to the outside and attacks in third over the arm as shown in illustration 22.

Plate 21 – Fabris Fencer 2

Both fencers start in 3rd on the outside.

The agent advances while disengaging to the inside.

The patient counters with a straight thrust in fourth, picking up the agents point in the process as shown in illustration 21.

Timing: The patient starts his counter-thrust as soon as the agent’s point crosses the vertical plane formed by the patient’s quillon. Any sooner and you’ll be on the wrong side, any later and you may not have enough time.