Killing is for the unimaginative

Another discussion has come up on Artemisia Militaris on the propriety of "sniping." Is it honorable? Is it showboating or a display of skill? Is it robbing your opponent of a good fight? Does a person's tendency to snipe change depending on the level of the tournament or melee? Is it embarrassing for your opponent?

For those who don't know, sniping in SCA fencing is the taking primarily of hands, although sometimes it can refer to feet. The question of whether sniping is honorable or not is, of course, up to each individual to decide, but I see no valid argument for sniping to be inherently dishonorable. To me, sniping is no different than taking an arm or a leg: it is a way to remove a weapon or defense from your opponent. And, if you manage to take both of your opponent's arms, you have defeated them without having to kill them.

Okay, so is sniping showboating or a display of skill? Yes. Just as advanced enough technology is indistinguishable from magic, a truly skilled fencer will come across as showboating. As fencers, we pride ourselves on our gracefulness. We strive for the apparent effortless fluidity that turns a bout into a dance. We strive for that perfect shot. And sniping the hand comes very close to that perfect shot: you're trying to hit a 3"x3" target that's almost completely protected. That'd be the equivalent of an archer hitting a target behind a tree: no small feat.

What about the idea that you're robbing your opponent of a good fight by sniping? Well, I suppose it depends on your opponent's definition of a good fight. Personally, I'd rather be sniped than one-shotted, but then again, I am ambidextrous and enjoy challenging fights.

Does my tendency to snipe change depending on the level of the tournament or melee? Not really. It actually depends more on the level of my opponent: the better they are, the more likely I am to snipe them. And in melees, I don't snipe at all. Sniping is precision work while melees are quick and dirty affairs.

And lastly, is being sniped embarrassing for your opponent or is it an opportunity for learning? I can't speak for others, but I don't find it embarrassing. To me, it is an opportunity for learning, especially when I get into instructor mode. It's one of those bad habits I picked up from my teacher way back when: if your guard slips into neutral, I'll tag you on the outside of your forearm. Guard too high? I'll tag you in the Ulna. Likewise, if I can see your hand, odds are, I can hit it.

The short of it is: if you don't like sniping, don't do it and if you don't want to be sniped, get a better guard. In theory, you only need a 3/4" x 3/4" opening in a guard to snipe a hand. More realistically, any opening less than about 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" is probably safe from sniping. Zen Warrior's R13, although pretty, is made for being sniped. Likewise, Hanwei's SH1032 has an opening you could drive a truck through. Instead, get yourself one of their SH2206N, or one of Alchem's Swept Hilts. And move your hand every once in a while: it's harder to hit a moving target than a stationary one.