Two on One Tactics

Safety

When executing Two on One Tactics there are a few safety issues to consider:

Don’t Over Do It: The two need to make sure they aren’t pushing the one into unsafe areas. Remember it’s not a mobbing session and we aren’t trying to hurt any one. The one needs to not let their adrenaline make them flail back and forth between the two opponents.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings: When performing any Two on One Tactics, your focus may narrow and you become blind to what’s around you. Stay aware of your surroundings.

Two on One situations are the purest forms of melee. This situation happens when a pair of fencers face a single opponent. Two on One Tactics are the strategies and principles that allow a pair to defeat a single opponent, even if the single opponent is more experienced.

Principles to Remember

Keep Together: The first rule is to keep together. You want to stay side by side. Never let yourself get directly in front of or behind your teammate. Don’t let yourself get too far apart. It is imperative to not become separated. This is best accomplished using pivoting. Pivoting is the principle of having a steady center point between things, in this case two fighters, around which everything revolves.
Two on One Wins: The goal is to outnumber your opponent. If done correctly, two fencers can take out any single fencer no matter the skill level. Never go in alone against your opponent. When you attack, attack together.
Communicate: Communication is key to working together. Talk about what’s going on. It doesn’t matter that your opponent can hear you. Always communicate with your team mate.

“45” Maneuver

A “45” is a simple maneuver to perform when in a two on one situation. It’s a coordinated effort to split your opponent’s attention by attacking from two different directions.

Typically in two on one situations the team of fighters will stick together and attack their single opponent head on. A better tactic would be to split his attention and use the 45 maneuver.

A proper “45” is executed when the team of fighters separate slightly and attack the single opponent from a 45 degree angle on the left and right simultaneously. This forces the single fighter to choose a side to defend, leaving the other open for a kill. This tactic needs to be coordinated and synchronized to have full effect. The success of the maneuver depends on the simultaneous attack. Communicate how and when you want to initiate a “45” maneuver. To do this you need a command that you both recognize.

The standard command is: “Ready, 45!” Then attack. This command can be shortened to just “45!”, but you run the risk of catching your partner off guard. Whatever you decide to call, the important thing is that both fencers are coordinated and ready to go. Don’t call for a “45” if you think your partner is not ready to help or if your single opponent is out of range.

Remember it doesn’t matter if your opponent can hear your plans. If you execute the maneuver properly there will be little the single fighter can do to prevent it.