Originally posted by yenhoi
If you want to fence, fence.

Looks to me like there is sword-fighting (no holds barred fighting with swords), then there is fencing (with all its rules and regulations imposed ontop of the "fighting with swords".)

If a fencer told a kalista to bring it with a blade or any weapon, I doubt he would consider himself bound by any rules, specially the ones that make sword-fighting into fencing. What does it matter that the kalista would do poorly in a fencing format?

"Fencing" is just a set of rules, no matter how well documented. Just a game.

I guess I'm out of the loop, news-wise. I've missed all the reports of murders & deaths by swordfighting. Where is all this no-holds-barred fighting with swords going on?

There is fencing and, to use Mr. Ching's term, stickball. :-]

That aside, your latter analogy doesn't wash. Fencers train to use their blades to hit their opponent in the most immediate and effective manner. If you mean by throwing out the rules, they would throw out their technique, then you miss the mark by a wide margin. If, and this is a mighty big IF, I was ever in a position to use a sword to defend myself, I would use one I was very familiar with and use it in the way I've been trained. I wouldn't pick up a duelling sword and start grappling with my opponent or attempt to use my free hand to strike my opponent's eyes. I'd use the duelling sword the way it's meant to be used. Every rule of combat I've ever learned would come out in spades, except stopping - until I knew I was safe. The only rules that apply to fencing as a sport that don't apply to fighting or duelling are counting points and common courtesy. Other than that, it's a fight with swords, full speed. And nobody gets hurt. That's what makes it such a cool sport.