RP386 En Garde

 RP386 En Garde!

"Sir, I demand satisfaction!" This cry, heard among the upper classes of early modern England, would be shouted by a man who felt his honor had been insulted. Unless an apology was swiftly offered by the offending party, a duel would follow to settle the score, sometimes resulting in death.
Fencing, a sport in which two people engage in close combat using one of three different kinds of swords, is the modern manifestation of these duels, which were fought in countries all over Europe.
Fencers stand on a piste, which is a long strip usually 2 meters wide and 14 meters long, with two lines on either side of the midpoint where the fencers take their starting positions. Fencers stand on these lines and salute each other, then, the referee calls" En garde!" This is the signal for the fencers to put on their protective masks and raise their swords. After the match begins, whoever manages to score a hit (called a "touch") on their opponent's body gains a point, and five points wins a match.
In medieval Europe, skill with a sword became unnecessary as the use of armor demanded strength, hacking, and heavy weapons to cut through an opponent's tough metal suit. However, the development of guns made armor useless, and swordplay became popular once again during the fifteenth century. The development of the rapier— a long, light sword— in the sixteenth century caused swordsmen to emphasize skill, speed, and technique over power. Later swords developed from the rapier were even lighter and pointed rather than sharp-edged, which encouraged thrusting attacks rather than slashing.
Modern fencing weapons consist of three swords: the foil, the épée, and the saber. The foil is light, flexible and pointed, the épée is slightly heavier, and the saber is an edged weapon, making it perfect for cutting as well as stabbing. In the past, fencing matches were scored by judges who would watch the match and shout if they saw a hit. However, this was unreliable and was replaced by the current electronic scoring system in which a flashing light is triggered when the system detects a hit, truly bringing the art of dueling into the modern era.