MelonHead

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

To clarify, is Chimera going to edit to reflect the blade hitting the right side? (with whatever damage or non-damage that may entail)

I ask because I'd like to see exactly what I'm working with before I start thinking about what to do next.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

Anyway, I'm going to go think some more. It's always when I rush posts like the last one that I make less effective moves then I could of.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

That's fine, although a lot of my point was based on Sigurd's prior movement. If they were fighting face to face a strike to the side of the sword would be highly effective, but at a diagnol more of the thrusts forward power would negate the incoming pressure.

Also, we are talking about a three foot longsword. Somewhere along the line the distances probably got messed up, but Sigurd's arm is by no means fully extended. It wouldn't need to be.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

That's the issue then, your character's shield is attached to her forearm, if you go through the motion of drawing a sword you see that it would be impossible to do that without your shield being moved out of position.

Unless she's wearing her sheath around her stomach, which would be highly irregular. Only Samurai spring to mind in wearing their sheaths in such a way that they aren't drawn from the waist.

However, despite me personally finding your description of disguising drawing the sword impossible, I went with it. Sigurd only exploited that specific opening on side-stepping, before that he intended to strike at her right side.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your character's shield is strapped to her forearm which is how she's able to draw her sword with her left hand. While drawing the sword the shield would be pressed up against her left side, so moving it to compensate for Sigurd's sidestep would be impossible at that time. It is indeed fairly easy to redirect kinetic force from the side, but I highly doubt you could divert the blade sufficiently in this disadvantaged scenario (sword is angled to the right, pressure coming in from the same direction) to push it from the left side of your characters body to the right and completely away from her. It would either hit the opposite side of her chest, or presumably her arm or shoulder. The sword isn't going to rebound backwards like hitting a brick wall with a hammer.

I'd have to let @Drifting Pollen review the events so far, as I can't accept my character's thrust being voided in this fashion.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

Is there something magic about her shield I'm missing? I'm unsure how striking the blade from that angle would result in anything more than diverting the point into your character's right lung rather than her heart. It seems like Sigurd's thrust is just dissapearing into nothingness.

Anyway, I can see your still editing, which is dodgy but I'll let you finish and reserve my post until tomorrow. Though my opponent in a recent tournament actually lost for editing their post after the fact (with anything more than cosmetics).

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

That's quite clearly me rationalising the situation and my own understanding of it, I didn't say "You should do this young Padawan." I don't teach anyone, certainly not close combat with swords and spears, which I've admitted in the past to being poor with (due to a complete lack of real world experience.)

Also, as you're clearly here to bait Doc, I'd ask you to leave now, unless you'd prefer I ask Pollen to request you stay in your own fight thread?

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

Is it my lack of any arena wins that makes it seem as though I need to be taught how to fight?

/Cracks her knuckles/

@Chimera

I don't remember trying to teach you to fight.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

Hmm, I'm unsure what you were going for with that move. You had the choice to maintain distance and use the lance, or close and use the shield, but trying to do both was always going to cause conflict. Also, drawing the gladius at such an important point seemed like a mistake to me, though feel free to refute, as T1 usually goes it's disadvantageous to try too much at one time. Simpler moves are usually more effective.

Black Mountain Tournament: Iolanthe vs Sigurd

With a single step, she brought ruin upon herself.

Sigurd moved in sync, the distance between them closed to four feet as she closed on the swordsman and rendered her own lance useless, caught on the same line as Sigurd’s shield behind him, unable to be retracted far enough to strike him in his new position. He stepped forward and leftward on his left foot, right dragging behind, not much distance gained. His sword, hovering ready for the lunge, burst forth, at first aiming for the gap in her shields on her right side. However, Sigurd could take advantage of an opening in record time, and his enemy had unconsciously granted him a massive one. The shield strapped to her left forearm could not provide her cover as she drew a blade from her left hip, and in Sigurd’s new position the opening made itself apparent to his keen eye. The steel longsword hurtled forward in a killing strike destined for her heart.

Her shield may perhaps still menace him, but not before his steel served its purpose.