Comments on: Page 329

By: ExPaladin

ExPaladin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:44:50 +0000

He’s not wasting any energy with his attacks. Impressive.

By: The Old Hack

The Old Hack — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:18:16 +0000

@Sleepinin: Speaking as a onetime teacher, I personally would MUCH rather teach someone like Yatta-ta than Prince Maldik.

As a small aside, there is also somewhat of a genre precedent for ancient and wise martial arts teachers having… shall we say, individual personalities of their own. For all we know, Yatta-ta _developed_ his odd personality as a consequence of having to deal with this kind of master… >_>

By: Jean

Jean — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:09:23 +0000

It is possible that Yatta-ta could’ve developed the *ahem* Joxer-esque attitude -after- being taught martial arts…

By: Sleepinin

Sleepinin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:19:05 +0000

I’m rather curious though….where and how did Yatta learn his swordsmanship?

I mean, it’s not as if there are any really established schools of swords around the time frame JED has set his world in (unless he made some without our knowledge), mostly individual masters.

And I can almost GUARANTEE a master would easily grow weary of dealing with Yatta’s….individual…personality day in and day out.

Could he be self-taught? And if so, then he is way more l33t than most of us initially thought.

By: Jan Jansen

Jan Jansen — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:43:26 +0000

Hello. As a swordsmanship instructor I feel some stuff should be clarified:

Using giant strenght with small blades doesn’t work on skilled opponents - it’s good for fun, scaring amateurs and movies, but unless you have a much bigger piece of steel than your opponent, upper body force swings won’t give you much of an edge

While Yatta-ta is focused she has no chance of breaking his sword. There’s a small amortisation trick anyone who really feels the blade knows. In short if properly blocked it’s ALWAYS (only) the attackers blade that breaks. I’m no Yatta-ta and Zona would kick my ass any day of the week, but over the last 8 years 5 different dumbasses have broken their oak training swords trying to break down my battered old oakey.

Zona is obviously the faster one and with greater range - s’ she like 7ft tall?

As for the cavalry block in panel four it’s only good instinct that he turned his eyes that way - It’s a touchy moment with his hand blocked:
-If she tries to keep on forcing this attack, he has to revolve and distance himself without changing the position of his blade by turning left on his right foot
- if she lights up to ready for another strike he can either get his distance by jumping away and turning right or face her at close distance, turning right and using the force of the tun to make a stronger headstrike, jump back and make a very low cut-thrust for the right ankle (Zona is not used to such a short sword so legwork and using high angle cuts that have to be defended by the tip of the blade are his best bet)

Yatta is still acting routinely - not really trying any serious attacks so he too still hasn’t shown his skill yet

By: The Old Hack

The Old Hack — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:42:03 +0000

@Peregrin: For count Tethik, of course. ^^

In honour of Tricksterson and the excellent Scaramouche movie, a paraphrased quote: “A blade is like a bird. Hold it too tight and you strangle it; too loosely and it flies away.” Again alluding to the fact that more raw strength is not solely better, too much can be as bad as too little.

By: Peregrin

Peregrin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:49:01 +0000

I’ll tell you something else I like about this fight - no banter.

Hevaess, a future love rival for whom? I believe it would take more than skill with a sword to win Zona’s heart.

By: Hevaess

Hevaess — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:28:10 +0000

I sense…a future love rival in the force….

By: Jean

Jean — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:39:44 +0000

As for his cut while she’s leaping, he may have made the cut juuust out of actually hitting her range. I’ve seen similar blows used with the intent to force an opponent back, rather than to force them to block or be hit, when helping to marshal and herald combat on the tourney field in the SCA. It’s more of an intimidation move than a method to actually attack, when done that way. That Zona leaps up over his head instead of jumping back is even more intimidating in its own way. Given the angle and trajectory ,she’s clearly beating the Olympic high-jump record here, leaping well over his height, probably his actual height and a half–and yes, I’m accounting for the fact that it looks like he’s both bent over and lunging, making him shorter than his actual height.

…I would like to take a moment to apologize to JED if anything we say here seems excessively nitpicky. Please remember that the GOOD thing about this nitpickiness is that you have stimulated our imaginations and invested our interest in your wonderful, wonderfully crafted story. i’m quite sure Leonardo da Vinci winced a lot whenever his many admirers dissected his works, too, back in his day…

By: dolo-pzora

dolo-pzora — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:39:19 +0000

Arrogance and true skill often go hand in hand. Just think of a fighter pilot, race car driver that are a totally clueless persons when they are out of thier element though reign supreme in their little world. Yatta-ta is probly such a person. He will be gracious in his defeat, though if he wins Gods there will be no one who will not hear of his boasting.
And does Tula see her sisters defeat coming. Her body language and expersion is not of someone who’s looking forward to a win.