The Water Book—Techniques

Use the Zornhau when your opponent strikes a diagonal Oberhau; strike from your right shoulder with the true edge and in your strong. If he is weak at the sword then thrust into his face along his blade in an almost single-time counterattack as you step towards the right side.

If your opponent counters your thrust by displacing it with strength, pull your sword upwards, away from his. And then strike to the head from the other side, also along his blade. If your opponent tries this on you, then bind strongly with the true edge and strike him on the head.

If you Zornhau and he displaces it and remains strong at the sword, hold strongly against it. With the strong of your sword, slide up to the weak of his blade, wind the hilt in front of your head while remaining on the sword and thrust into his face from above.

If he displaces this thrust by lifting up his arms and his hilt, stay in the Winding and thrust down between his arms and breast.

Christian Tobler says: “Anyone can strike a Zornhau, but there is sophistication to its usage… that the mere ruffian will not perceive. The novice fighter will naturally try to swing a powerful blow at his foeman, but this does not necessarily prevent his being stuck in the bargain. So, instead, Liechtenauer advises that the Zornhau be used to strike into an opponent’s stroke and to thrust as soon as contact is made, all the while maintaining opposition with his sword; the line of attack must be effectively closed so that counterattack may be made in safety. It is the point of the sword which threatens him.”

The Krumphau is an Oberhau that goes out well to the side with a step, and then goes in a crooked manner to the other side. And you shall throw or shoot your point in over the cross guard at the opponent’s hands. Step well out to the right side as you strike.

Krumphau may be used to counter the Longpoint of a master by “Striking to the Flats of the Masters.” When you Krump to Longpoint you should stay on it with strength (the strong of the sword). Push firmly and then see where you can strike, or thrust, or cut by the easiest and straightest way without cutting short. Do not forget the changing through [Durchwechseln], were it is suitable do it.

Krumphau can also be used against any Oberhau. After you Krump against his sword, immediately strike upwards against his head with the short edge (i.e. Schielhau). Or after the Krumphau wind the short edge at his sword and thrust him into the breast.

The Zwerchhau is a single-time counter to the vertical Oberhau. As you take a good step or leap out to the side turn your sword so that your hilt is high in front of your head and your thumb is down (on the flat of the blade) and strike at his left side with your short edge. You will catch his strike with your hilt and hit him simultaneously on the head. With a good step or leap out to the side you will hit the head and it will be impossible for the opponent to protect himself or turn away.

If you bind against his sword with the Zwerchhau and he is "soft" at the sword, push his sword down with the Zwerchhau and lay the short edge at his throat.

If you opponent holds strongly against you or pushes your blade away, rake him down with your hilt and then strike around with a Zwerchhau to the right side of his head. If you are too close, you can go to the half-sword and thrust to any available opening.

When you bind at his sword with an Oberhau or another strike from your right side and he strikes with the Zwerchhau at your other (left) side, forestall this with a Zwerchhau to his neck under his sword.

You can attack with the Zwerchhau to both sides, to the Ochs and to the Pflug (to the upper and the lower opening) from one side to the other, above and below continuously and without any interruptions so that you are in constant motion and the opponent cannot come to blows. Each time that you Zwerchhau above or below keep your hands in front of your head so that you are well covered.

The Schielhau breaks what the “buffalo” (or a fool) strikes or thrusts; strike from the right shoulder to opponent’s right shoulder with the short edge. Shoot the point well, or your opponent will change through [Durchwechseln] against you.

You can Schielhau when your opponent pulls his sword back off of his shoulder or strikes without extending his arms. It can also be used to stop someone who is trying to change through [Durchwechseln].

You should always deceive him with your line of vision; pay attention in case he fights short (feints).

The Squinter breaks the "long point" as follows: When he faces you and points his point against your breast or face with extended arms, place your left foot forward and look at his point. Feint a strike against his point, strike strongly against his sword with the short edge and "shoot" (thrust), with a forward step with the right foot, your point against his throat, with your arms extended.

If your opponent stands in the guard Alber, strike vertically downward with the long edge, keeping your arms high. Throw the point to the face (aim at the face or breast).

If your opponent displaces the point with his hilt up, turn your sword, lift your hilt high above your head and thrust him down into the breast.

If your opponent defends with the crown [Kron] then you can rush in. If he tries to rush you from the crown, then cut him in the arm under his hands and push upward, so that the crown is broken. Then turn your sword from the low cut into a high one and free yourself in this way.

• Krumphau breaks Ochs
• Zwerchhau counters vom Tag
• Schielhau (or Krumphau) counters Pflug (or Langenort)
• Scheitelhau counters Alber (or Kron)

If your opponent pulls away or telegraphs his Oberhau, strike or thrust him as he pulls back. Or fall on his raised arms with the long edge and push him away from you.

Or void an Oberhau and after he brings the blade down with the strike, travel after him with a strike on the head before he can get his sword up again. But if he wants to thrust at you and pulls the sword back to prepare for the thrust, travel after him and thrust at him, before he can do it himself.

As soon as the swords clash together, fall on his arms with the long edge and push him away from you. Or cut through his face. Practice this from both sides.

When attacked from below, such as a cut to the leg, don’t set it aside. Rather, void the cut and strike or cut at his head. You will win because your Oberhau and thrust have longer reach then his Unterhau.

When your opponent looks as though he will strike your lower opening, go to right Pflug. This leaves your left side open. When he strikes, shift to left Pflug [winding against his sword as you take one step with your right foot toward him] and thrust. The result is that you displace him and thrust at the same time.

Or, when you stand opposite him in left Pflug and he strikes towards your open (high) left side move your sword high to your left side, with the hilt before your face [Ochs]. Take one step towards him with right foot and thrust through his face—always step if you wish to hit.

If your opponent strikes at your sword or tries to bind against your weak, dip your point under his sword and thrust upward (maybe with winding) or strike over his cross guard from the new side.

When you move in to strike him from your right with an Oberhau to the head and he binds your sword, take a single step towards him, maintaining pressure against his sword. Then jerk your sword backwards and away from his to disengage. Then strike his head from the other side. If he sets this aside, then hit him on the other side and work skillfully to his upper openings with Duplieren and other pieces.

“Running through” are grappling or wrestling moves to do as you move past your opponent in the Krieg.

When he holds his sword aloft to strike you a powerful blow then hold your sword with the left hand on the pommel, above your head, and the blade over your back. Duck under his right arm and spring your right foot behind his right foot. In the spring grip him with your right arm around his body. Take him on the right hip and throw him to the ground.

OR after you duck under his right arm, leave your right leg in front of his and grip him with your right arm around his back, then throw him behind you.

When you come in, let go of your sword with your left hand and hold it in with your right. Knock his sword away with the hilt out of your right side. Spring your left foot in front of his right, grip him with your left arm about his body take him on the left hip and throw him to the ground. Be careful to make no mistake.

Or, when you come in, let go of your sword with your left hand and hold it in with your right. Knock his sword away with the hilt out of your right side and spring with the left foot behind his right. Grip him with the left arm around the chest; throw him over your leg behind you.

Or, when you come in, let go of your sword with your left hand and hold it in with your right. Throw the pommel over his right arm, and tear it downwards. Grab his right elbow, spring your left foot before his right and pull him over your leg so that he goes over your right side.

If someone comes in close to you, then use your left hand and drive with it over his right arm. Seize his sword at the handle between his two hands and pull it to your left side, taking his sword.

If he sits in the bind with your sword, then seize both swords in the center of the blades with your left hand. Hold them together firmly, and drive through with your right hand to your left side with the pommel down, over both of his hands. And then pull upward to your right side thus you take both swords.

The three wounders are striking (or hewing / hauwen), Thrusting (Stichen), and the third is slicing (schnitt or abschneiden). There are four cuts—two below and also two above. You cannot cut from Zufechten but you must close first.

Slice under the hands in Ochs, and then pivot on your feet to slice over the hands in pflug.

There are two hangings on each side. One upper and one lower hanging and with these you can bind against Oberhau and Unterhau. Remain in the bind and wind to thrust your opponent.

There are eight windings, or places and ways that swords can bind, with steps when going from one side to another. Winden is the rightful art and foundation of all fencing with the sword. From these stem all other fencings and techniques and it is impossible to be a good swordsman without knowing the Winden.

When you are in the bind and you remain in touch with your opponent’s sword it will speak to you. Stand with him on your sword for an instant [Indes] and then instantly feel [Fühlen] the pressure applied to you blade while following his movement to decide if it is soft or hard, then take action based on what you feel. If your opponent is soft, cut or thrust. If your opponent is hard, be soft and yielding and speedily find another opening. If your opponent pulls off, strike him by the most direct means.

If your opponent pulls off of your sword before you can do anything then you should follow at once and strike or thrust by the most direct method before he has a chance to do anything. You have a shorter way to go if you remain on the sword and thrust than he has in trying to go around for a strike.

But if he remains with you on the sword, then try and feel if he is soft or hard on the sword. If he is soft and weak then you should quickly and courageously go forward with the strong part of your sword and push back and press his sword and seek all openings to the head or the body wherever you have a chance.

If your opponent is hard on your sword with his strong, trying to push you away or thrust at you, then you should go soft and yield to his strong pressure. If you do this as he is pushing hard his sword will shoot away from you. Once that happens, but before he can gather himself again, you should attack his openings with strikes, thrusts and cuts.

Do this in the easiest way possible; quickly and boldly and briskly so that he can’t come to blows.

The talking window also applies secondarily (but no less importantly) to the body. If at the bind you feel your opponent trying to push forward with footwork, yield by stepping off line. If you feel your opponent may have been off balance on his attack, you can try to press him and further weaken his stance.

Remember, weak against strong, hard against soft and vice versa; because when it is strong against strong, the stronger one will always win. Liechtenauer’s swordsmanship is a true art because the weaker wins more easily by use of his art than the stronger by using his strength.