Swordsmanship,+Makashi

Form II Makashi "Way of the Ysalamir" or "Contention Form" (By Sam)(ael) (Return to Swordsmanship)

Noteable Practitioners : -Count Dooku -Cin Drallig -The Jedi Exile -Shaak Ti -Darth Vader

Philosophy and History : ―Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit to Yoda on Count Dooku ||
 * **Quote:** ||
 * " He is a fencer. Leverage, position, advantage—they are as natural to him as breathing ."

After Form I's proliferation as a lightsaber combat technique, Form II came about as a means of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It was described as being very elegant, powerful, and requiring extreme precision, allowing the user to attack and defend with minimal effort, while his opponent tires himself out, often wielding the blade one-handed for greater range of movement and fluidity. The form relied on parries, thrusts, and small, precise cuts—as opposed to the blocking and slashing of the other forms. Form II emphasized fluid motion and anticipation of a weapon being swung at its target, and so required very fluid movements of both the blade and the body. Feints would also be commonly used to confuse or set-up their opponents for a trap, a tactic that Count Dooku commonly used in his duels during the Clone Wars. Precise footwork and movements were required for maintaining proper distance from the opponent during defense and/or when moving in for an attack. The blade manipulation required for this form was very refined and required intense focus, such as Dooku's hurling objects at Anakin while using a one-handed bind to keep Obi-Wan at bay. Timing, accuracy, and skill, rather than strength, were relied on to defeat one's opponent, and with a skilled practitioner, the results were extremely potent. The footwork of Makashi practitioners followed a single line, front and back, shifting the feet to keep in perfect balance as the practitioner attacked and retreated. Makashi was a style based on balance, on back-and-forth charges, thrusts, and sudden retreats. Elegance, gallantry, enchantment, finesse, artfulness, and economy were the core of Makashi. Dooku displayed this to the extreme during the duel aboard the Invisible Hand, using his footwork to evade Anakin and Obi-Wan so that he could fight them one-on-one instead of at the same time. Makashi duelists also trained themselves to avoid enslavement to form, as such enslavement opened the practitioner to be defeated by predictability and the unforeseen. Makashi users were elegant, precise, calm, confident to the point of arrogance (as befit Dooku's personality). Form II users were supremely confident in their chances for victory, and often looked so relaxed when they were fighting they even appeared to be dancing.

Tactics : Everything is precision, plan, and smooth arrogance. Since you usually do not rely upon strength you are saving your energy, tricking your opponent, and calling every bluff and mistake by taking blood for it. It is a master of using the physics of force and at anticipating the force and direction of the opponent's blade and their movements taking advantage of every mistake. The reason Makashi users hang back is so that they can dodge or lightly parry powerful blows and then step closer (while the opponent's blade is busy somewhere it wasn't meant to go) to the opponent and stab them to death.

Weakness : Two specific areas of weakness in Makashi are that the ability to deflect blaster bolts (or flying objects) is not usually emphasized and the form is ideally designed to duel one opponent. many opponents make this form far less effective, though Count Dooku could duel as many as four opponents with relative ease.

Posture : Makashi uses a forward stance with one foot forward and the other behind at about 45 degrees. Also the form is most often one-handed since it gives the practitioner added range. The practitioner is usually turned so that the sword-shoulder is pointed at the opponent in question. This presents a smaller area to defend.



Opening stance : The opening stance was a single handed low guard. The saber would be held in the strong hand of the user, and held at his side, the blade pointed down, and the feet would be shoulder width apart. Some faced their opponent side on, so the blade was pointed in their direction. Dooku often used this stance when he prepared to fight. The lightsaber hilt would be held with the thumb pointing down the length of the blade to allow for smaller, tighter, more accurate movements of the saber. The rest of the fingers wrap around the hilt holding it tightly, but not so tight as to limit the fluidity of the movements.

Makashi salute : The Makashi salute was not an attack or maneuver but a challenge to an opponent. The saber was held in one hand, brought up vertical directly in front of the practitioner's face, then swung down and made a rapid X in the air. One of the best examples of this ancient tradition was when Count Dooku was fighting his former master Yoda at the Battle of Geonosis.

Physics of the Form : Makashi is an energy converving form, It anticipates the swings from opponents, turning them just out of harm's way. It flicks attacks at the opponent looking for an opening and using weaknesses to gain ground, and it is fluid and precise, making very few mistakes.

Makashi Line : The Makashi line is a single imaginary line between the duelist and his or her opponent. It is perfectly straight and always conects them. The benefits of this tactic are that Makashi dielists are very aware of the angle and distance of every move the opponent makes and is able to take advantage of the goemetric principles of force. All attacks and defenses are to pursuade the opponent to turn themselves at an angle to the makashi line, and thus leave one angle less defended which allows for a stab. The line also reminds Makashi duelists of their own angle.

Basic tactics : -Makashi follows a single line of combat and keeps a specific distance from the opponent. Whenever the opponent moves forward the practitioner moves back. Whenever the practitioner takes ground the opponent must move back. Up and down this straight line. At any tine the duelist may step to the side but the line connecting both opponents remains the most important line. If either duelist turns off of the line at an angle, they are less able to defend themselves because their sword is farther on one side than another. Everything is distance, angle, and power. -Much like fencing the parries and attacks of Makashi are done mostly with the tip of the blade pointed at the opponent and they parry most attacks instead of blocking them which uses up less energy and tires out the opponent. These cuts are not usually meant to do more than draw blood or draw out mistakes. Cuts are traded back and forth attempting to get an opponent to turn onto a bad angle. A stab is what usually ends a duel. -Makashi uses feints, terrain, and tricky attacks to expose an opponent. -When using terrain Makashi can make great use of just a little higher ground. This makes the opponent attack lower areas and their head is always a little more exposed so even an experienced swordsman is at a disadvantage.

Other sources : http://www.martinez-destreza.com/articles/spanish1.htm

Unique movements : -Makashi performs most attacks and parries with the blade pointed in the opponent's direction. -Makashi Parries all turn the opponent's attacks instead of blocking them. This causes the blade to miss it's target instead of just stopping the opponent's blade. Because you are not blocking these attacks you tire less quickly when parrying. If the parry is creative, you can even use it to unbalance or angle an opponent wich spells death for the opponent in Makashi. -Makashi makes use of the follow-through stab (A stab where you do not bend your elbow but press the stab forward with your body) and reglar stabs. -Makashi (usually) has no attacks 5 and 6 but (usually) uses stabs at either leg instead. This is bacause Makashi is all about distance and geometry. In order to sweep or slash at an opponent's lower areas the practitioner whould have to bend forward too far. This would expose the head to attack. A stab however does not do this.

Practice : If you watch 'The mask of Zorro' it uses Destreza fencing mostly accurately. In addition you should study the extra source above carefully.

Step 1 : Movements maintaining the Circle Practice with a friend moving up and down the line of engagement. Remember to keep the circle described above in the destreza article between you both and move directly forward and backward. Do not look at your opponent's feet but look at the face. As they move forward match their steps moving backward keeping the exact same distance. (REMEMBER to use the forward footing [one foot in front the other at a about a 45 degree angle] and keep your shoulder towards the opponent with a hand extended as if holding a sword.) When your opponent decides they can say 'pass' and you will be the one who must now do the forward steping until you say 'pass'. Do this until is feels natural to keep that circle of distance between you.

Step 2 : Parries without effort Now as you practice the stepping movements your opponent should attack you and you should practice parrying. These parries should be just enough to turn their blade away from your body (See instructions under picture) and the defense should be precise and expend little energy. There are five parrying angles to use.



Parry 1: Usually when you black with parry one it is against attack 1 which is a downward strike towards your head. In makashi you will either stab your opponent (because to attack your head with attack one gets them too close and too open) then dodging to the side to avoid the blade, or you will forcefully tap their blade to one side (your blade mostly vertical but moving horizantally) and lean the other way, this will leave them open to an attack from the side (excellent for a crippling kick or force push to make them lose balance).

Parry 2 or 3: When your opponent attacks your shoulders or torso (above your waist) they will either attack diagonally downward or make a horizantal sweep. When blocking the horizantal sweeps you can push their blade up before it reaches your body and then kick them. If they attack diagonally you should move backward out of range if you can and either push their blade harder towards it's target or make a stab toward the face as the blade lowers (especially if they let it get too low [thigh-foot level]). If you cannot dodge or duck the diagonal you will have to block it normally.

Parry 5 and 6: If your opponent can make this attack, either they have a very long sword or you let them get too close to you. if you can, you should jump this attack or step back out of it but you can also come back with a reparte (an attack that comes instantly after dodging the opponent's). If the opponent's blade is heavier/longer you will be able to attack quickly, causing a dodge and giving you command or even victory. Remember that this attack also causes the opponent either to lean forward into head-danger of their weapon is long and they will have an opening to one side because of it's weight while they return to a defensive stance.

Parry 7: This is a Makashi parry. It is used against stabs of all kinds. Whenever an opponent makes a stab at you, they will move forward (Or they are probably clueless about swords). Either you should move backward with them or move forward as well but be very hesitant to move forward until you are sure you are more in command. While moving either forward of backward you should turn your opponent's blade-point away from your body while keeping your own point inside. This means that your blade is on the side of their sword that their body is. This makes you a threat and might allow you to take command if you can stab back. Additionally you can flick their sword away from their body and attempt a quick attack but this can be dangerous unless you get them off of their guard first. You can also attempt to flip their weapon out of their hands but this requires you to distract them for it to work most of the time.

whenever an opponent slashes or stabs at you in one of these angles you will parry the attack or dodge it by jumping ducking or shifting just to the side (not with feet but by leaning).

Make sure that the opponent remembers that each movement forward should alway comes with an attack or stab.

When you can parry each of these attacks while maintaining the distance between the two of you without effort and at high speed you will be ready to start leaning attacks. Then you should 'pass' the role of attacking between yourself and your friend.

Step 3 : Attack Each step forward comes with an attack. Keep the blade point in a low guard position at all times. When attacking you are either making an attack at the 1, 2, or 3 positions (small slashes at the head or one shoulder that go vertically or diagonally downward.) These slashes are not powerful but meant to threaten the opponent or cut them. Usually it is a stab thet kills the opponent so these are not usually killing moves and are not executed powerfully but precisely.

Attacks at the lower body are usually stabs downward (as in towards a leg or the stomach) with a very slight bend of the elbow. Stabs towards an opponent's torso should be follow-through stabs. All of these also executed with a forward step.

Step 4 : Precision You should practice attacks against a wall of board or even our friend so that you can practice hitting each spot (shoulder stab and shoulder slashes on each side, then chest stab in the heart area, then leg stabs on each side.) perfectly. You should practice follow-through stabs as well since they are a little more difficult to aim well.

Step 5 : Special tricks and feinting Feinting : You should next practice your attacks in sets of three or four. You will attack three times but one of them will be a feint. The attacker should practice keeping their poker-face so they don't give away the feint and the opponent should practice trying to detect which one is the feint while defending against the two-three real attacks. Their Job is also to not defend against the feint and waste energy (Though still keeping their guard up).

You and your friend should 'pass' attacks back and forth.

Special tricks : three of the most common tricks are as follows; -You can feint a movement -Flick and opponent's weapon instead of parrying it (best used against stabbing) -You can attempt to disarm an opponent by a twirling action (best used against stabs)

Step 6 : Asserting command Now you will practice gaining the command of the duel. Instead of announcing 'Pass' each time you switch from attacking to defending you will remain silent and attack as much as you can trying to stay in the position attacking. If the opponent can throw you off enough to launch their own attack of course you must defend or lose.

The point of this practice is to remain in the offensive since it is the person who can keep attacking that has the better chance of actually hitting the opponent. The attacking person usually has control of the duel so it is best to learn to seize the command.

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