The Anatomy of a Fight: An Appendix

    Every fight consists of the same basic potential components.  The factors that are available to exploit rarely change, but a fighter's understanding and skill level determine how well they can manipulate them.  Today, I'll break down a combat engagement into both its component pieces, and in a future followup article, the timeline of a fight.  These components range from beginner level ideas up to advanced concepts.  The basic concepts are by far the most important, and the most advanced are useless without a certain level of basic competence.  You're guaranteed to look like an idiot if you throw an elaborate fake just to whiff your shot completely.  Solid basics strung together in creative ways trumps a single fancy gimmick move, and indicates a deeper understanding of the game.  I've included very simple explanations for each, though an essay could be written about any of these.

Basic Aspects:
This is the framework upon which everything else is built, build it well.
Range:  How close are you to your opponent?  What is your kill range and how does it compare to theirs?  If you lack range, expect to have to close.  Playing in their kill range but not yours has a one sided result.
Openings:  What potential shots do you see available to you right now?  Have you seen this opponent do something so far where they've created an opening for you?  Take advantage of it next time.
Hand-Eye Speed:  Do you swing and react faster than your opponent?  If so, maybe you should swing first and try to tag them before they're aware.  If not, expect to have to have to beat them in timing.
Foot Speed:  How quickly can you close distance and how agilely can you retreat?  This is even more critical in field battles.
Footwork: How smoothly, subtly and efficiently can you move?  How is your balance while attacking and while under duress?  This is a very important category with a high impact at top level.
Shot/Block Selection:  How wide of a shot and block selection does each fighter have?  How comfortable is each fighter with both their most frequently used and less frequently used options?

Intermediate Aspects:
I would describe these as effective and thorough utilization of the basics. 
Fakes: A fake is any kind of motion or telegraph intended to mislead your opponent.  These come in a wide variety, from eye and body fakes, to stutter steps and sword misdirection.  Very useful in conjunction with other abilities.

Timing: While timing itself is a very basic part of fighting, being able to control timing is much less simple.  Understanding both your potential timing and your opponents is critical for progression.  On a more advanced note being able to change ones timing mid-combat and playing the time between beats allow a ton of counter-play.
Angles: Once a fighter has accumulated a adequate shot selection, it becomes important to learn to use them to their fullest degree.  Skilled manipulation of angles allows that from any given position your potential opportunities multiply, as well as your understanding of when you're being threatened.
Combinations/Block-strike:  This ties in with shot selection as well.  Can you string a series of attacks together?  All quality fighters learn to do that while also expecting potential returns.
Denying:  Whether by stuffing a shot with a shield, stepping into a spear shot, or removing a potential shot, being able to deny your enemy opportunities strengthens your position.
Physicality:  Using your strength to do things like push a fighter over, lock up the enemy's weapon with your own, or shield-edging creates advantages and openings.



Advanced Aspects:
These are the mental disciplines that go beyond the actual use of weaponry.  Some of these come only with experience.
Threat levels:  Being able to quickly and accurately determine which targets are most dangerous based on the available information.  As you grow as a fighter, it becomes easier to interpret this information effectively.
Fighter Knowledge:  Simply put, if you understand what a fighter might do ahead of time, you're immediately at an advantage.  This might be either through personal experience or a second hand account, but it's a subtle and important thing to note.
Prediction:  Can you accurately determine what the fighter before you will do next?  Can you think a step ahead and use his actions against him?  In combination with skilled denying, prediction is a powerful tool.  Equally useful on the battlefield exploiting timing weaknesses. 

Baiting:  Through use of misdirection and the previous category, prediction, one can trick an opponent into attacking a false opening, thus creating your own opportunity.
Dynamic Movement:  If your basic footwork and foot-speed are good, using them in innovative aggressive manners can overwhelm an opponent who's not prepared.  It's like hitting the Nitrous at a critical time.
Intimidation:  Intimidation is not simply looking scary, it's about how to generate fear and how to use that fear effectively.  On a battlefield it can be used to stop-gap sections of line fighting, keeping fighters unwilling to risk the style of death you're offering.  In tournaments, killing intent can freeze weaker fighters, and cause even skilled fighters pause.  In a related vein, there's my favorite aspect...
Swagger:  Have you ever noticed how highly skilled fighters tend to carry themselves, both on and off the field?  These warriors know what they sacrificed for their skills (See my article on Fighter Quality), and it shows in their attitude.  They may be helpful and kind, but when it's game time they're all skill and style.  Intimidation and Swagger tend to directly correlate for very good reasons.

Hopefully my breakdown will help you pinpoint what your strengths and weaknesses are, and how to improve yourself.  Hunt well.

-The Golden Lion