(With input from Dante di Pietro and Celric d’Ravelle)
A while back on the Atlantian Rapier Discussion Boards, we had a thread about which commands and maneuvers every Atlantian fencer should know. That, combined with my own thoughts, led to this list:
Forming a Unit:
Rally: Form as a unit on the person calling rally, or the location indicated (Rally on the Flag, Rally on Enemy Commander). If you hear rally called, repeat the call while moving towards the person calling it.
Form a Line: What it sounds like. Can be modified to “form a double line” (one line behind another) or “pike line” (one line kneeling in front of another) or “skirmish line” (fighters a sword’s length apart)
Dress the Line: Check left and right to make sure you’re still in a line. If you’re not, fix it.
Stay the Line: Also given as Stand Fast or Keep the Line. Do not move from the spot you are at, do not step out of line, do not back up.
Form a Column: Line up behind each other, usually given as “Column of #”. If this is followed by a charge, you charge forward. If you stop, your column backs up behind you and everybody dies.
Moving:
Advance: Walk forward, in good order.
On the Double: Trot/jog forward, in good order
Charge: Charge, in good order. Also given as “Lay On”. Now, the mechanics of what happens when you reach the enemy are of some dispute, but try Dante’s Charge Drill.
Fall back: Retreat backwards, in good order. Also known as Advance toward the Rear or That Thing the Enemy Does.
Slide Right/Left: Also given as Shift. Move sideways in the direction indicated, without breaking out of formation.
Wheel Right/Left: Swing the line to the direction indicated (so “Wheel Right” swings towards the right, with the right end staying stationary and the left end moving). This is frequently gotten wrong and done backwards (sometimes by me).
Face left/right/about: Turn where you stand and face the direction indicated (about = behind you)
Attacking:
Engage Lightly: Often given as Delay or Die Slow. Your job is to hold the enemy in place for as long as you can.
Run Right and Run Left: See WWW6. Also given as Flank or Wrap
Prepare to Step and Step: When engaged in a line, the call will be Prepare to Step, followed shortly by Step. At Prepare to Step, start firing more shots and controlling your enemies’ blades more actively, and at Step move forward one pace. If the line does this in unison, it will force the enemy line back. If it does not, everyone dies.
A pretty small list, but a comprehensive one nonetheless. Learn them, practice them.
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