by Keith Anderson

Created on: January 22, 2007   Last Updated: April 03, 2007

Epee: The Weapon of the Gods!
OK, so maybe I'm a little biased. Epee is generally the second weapon a fencer learns, but the rule is no longer hard and fast. Some people go straight to epee or even saber, but the generally recognised course is foil -> epee -> saber. Epee is the heaviest of the three weapons, with a blade that is triangular in cross-section and a larger, deeper bell guard that covers the whole hand. It is, like foil, a thrusting only weapon, with points only being scored with the tip. However, the whole body is target area, from the top of the mask, to the soles of the feet (yes, it's been done, I've seen video - the guy on the right kicked up his front foot to lunge, and the guy on the left dropped his tip and nailed him on the sole of the foot). There is also no right of way in epee! If both people land touches within 1/25th of a second of each other, they both get a point (1/25th of a second after one person touches, the scoring box locks out any further touches). In epee, you parry less and counter-attack more, bearing in mind that if you are down a few points, scoring double touches will win the bout for your opponent.

Epee is supposed to be a tru(er) representation of rapier dueling - I want that guy dead, and I'm willing to die (or at least take a hit) to see that happen. Foil, on the other hand, represents dueling with small swords in a more enlightened time when a mere nick (first blood) was enough to satisfy honor. This explains the right of way - I'm not going to risk taking a wound when all I have to do is nick the guy - I'm going to block before I attack. What is weird about this is that in epee, the most common target is the weapon hand and arm, which is much less likely to yield a lethal wound, while foil only attacks the torso, where all the vital organs are. Go figure.
Next time:
Saber

Learn more about this author, Keith Anderson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.