Overview
This introduction will start with one of the earliest Sword and Buckler manuals in the Liechtenauer tradition, and draws on the work of Andre Liegniczer who was a German fencing master from the late 14th/early 15th Century. His works have been preserved in the writings of Peter von Danzig, a later writer the same tradition.
wiktenauer.com/wiki/Codex_Danzig_(Cod.44.A.8)
Codex Danzig contains a number of sections, one of which is Liegniczer's sword and buckler section.
Source for the 6 set plays with sword and buckler.
wiktenauer.com/wiki/Andre_Liegniczer
The ARMA have interpreted these plays as follows.
An Essay on Liegnicz
www.thearma.org/essays/LeignitzerSandB.htm#.U62UtJRwbqD
Pictures for the sequences
www.thearma.org/essays/LeignitzerSandBSetplays.htm#.U62ULpRwbqD
Guards
pflug
This is the defensive position that is known in the I.33 as “half-shield.” Stand with right foot forward, sword held in front at waist level with point aimed at the opponent’s face, buckler held edge-on at the left side of the sword hand. When performed as a lower winding from the bind, this is essentially the same as the “lower hanger” with the Longsword.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-001Fb.JPG
Wild Boar
This is actually a guard from the I.33. But it can be seen as a variation of Pflug that would be a natural starting position for many of the thrusting attacks illustrated in the 1467 Talhoffer. Stand with the left foot forward, sword held back by the right hip level to the ground and pointing towards the opponent, buckler held extended out in front. This essentially “hides” the sword behind the buckler.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-002Fb.JPG
Ochs
This has two variations with the sword and buckler. The first is what Lignitzer describes as Zweien Schilten or “paired shields.” It results when you wind at the opponent’s sword with both your sword and buckler at the same time, and is the equivalent of the “upper hanger” when winding with the Longsword. Stand with the right foot forward, sword held to the left side with long edge up and point aimed at the opponent, buckler hand held against the back of the sword hand.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-006F.JPG
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-007F.JPG
For the other side, stand with left leg forward, sword held to the right with long edge up and point aimed at the opponent, buckler hand held against the palm of the sword hand. The other version is held only on the right side. It is more of an actual “ready position.” Stand with left leg forward, sword held to the right with hilt back by the shoulder and point aimed at the opponent, buckler held extended out in front. Similar to the “Wild Boar” described above, but rotating the sword upward rather than holding it at the waist.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-005F.JPG
Vom Tag
This is one of the primary positions from which an attack is launched. Stand with the left leg forward, sword held near the right shoulder, buckler held extended out in front. If the point of your sword is aimed straight up, or nearly so, then this is Vom Tag. If you allow the blade to slope back over your right shoulder so that the point is aimed downwards, then this is Zornhut.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-008F.JPG
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-009F.JPG
Alber
This guard is a natural counterpart to the same guard with the Longsword. It is found in the I.33 as Langerort or “low longpoint.” Stand with the right leg forward, sword held extended out in front and angled down at 45 degrees between the legs, buckler held edge-on to the left side of the sword hand.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-010F.JPG
Nebenhut
This is another of the primary positions from which an attack is launched. It has a left side and a right side version that differ in their execution. The left side Nebenhut is found in the I.33 as the “underarm” guard. Stand with the right foot forward, sword held under the left armpit with the point directed behind you, buckler held just in front of the right elbow. The right side Nebenhut is found in the I.33 as the “tail” guard, though Talhoffer shows it a little differently. Stand with the left foot forward, sword held near the right hip with point angled forward and downward at about 45 degrees, buckler held extended out in front. Note that in Talhoffer’s version the point is forward rather than being angled to the rear as one finds in the I.33 and with the Longsword Nebenhut. This takes stress off of the wrist and positions the sword better for a thrusting counter while still allowing all of the motions available from the point rearwards version.
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-011F.JPG
http://www.thearma.org/images/New_Folder/1/MVC-012F.JPG
Schranckhut
The closest Longsword analog to this sword and buckler position seems to be the Schranckhut as described by Sigmund Ringeck. As the name implies, this guard forms a defensive “barrier” in front of you. It comes in two variations. Stand with either foot forward, sword held out in front at about chin level with the point aimed forward and downward at about 45 degrees, buckler held against the back of the sword hand on the left side. This is the position shown in the I.33 as the Krucke or “crook.” Just as the Nebenhut and the Schranckhut with the Longsword are closely related in Ringeck’s Commentaries, this version of the Schranckhut with sword and buckler is closely related to the left side Nebenhut. The second variation has you standing the same way, but with your sword held across your left forearm on the outside just behind the buckler. This is similar to the guard known as the “fiddlebow” in the I.33, which angles the sword upward rather than downward. This second variation is one that can be transitioned into very readily from Pflug after a little practice.
Set Plays
Here begins the techniques with the buckler that the Master Andre Lignitzer has been said to have written as follows:
First Play: Oberhau
The first technique with the buckler from the Oberhau...when you drive the Oberhau towards the opponent, stay with the pommel of your sword inside of your buckler at your thumb and thrust him from the outside to his face and wind against his sword and let it snap over.
_The first play with the buckler from the Oberhaw. Mark when you drive the Oberhaw (over strike / strike from above) to the man: with the pommel go inwards, your sword close to the buckler and your thumb, and thrust in from beneath to his face. Wind against his sword and then go with a snap over and around._
Lignitzer’s first technique illustrates an important principle that is also a major feature of the I.33. He advises us to “stay with the pommel of your sword inside of your buckler at your thumb.” When launching a strike of your own, your sword and buckler hands should “track together” so that the buckler provides protection for the hands and forearms. Failing to do this leaves one very vulnerable to a counter-cut to the forearm during the strike. While Lignitzer mentions this only once, it is a principle that should be adhered to when performing any of the strikes described in the subsequent set-plays. Another important feature of this technique, though not noted in Lignitzer’s text, is that of using the buckler to trap the opponent’s arms while striking him. This is known in the I.33 as a Schiltslac or “shield knock.” It is also illustrated in the 1459 and 1467 editions of Talhoffer’s Fechtbuch as well as Paulus Kal’s of c. 1462/82, so it is not out-of-line to assume that it was part of Lignitzer’s first set-play as well.
