Nachreisen

15th Century

Nachreisen is usually described as chasing or travelling after, and as the name suggests it is a movement which follows after a movement of our opponent. Lew gives an excellent description of when we should use it when he says:

"Travelings [...] pertain to driving with great prudence against the fencers that fence from free long hews, and otherwise do not hold the right Art of the Sword..."

Travelling after is best deployed against fencers who cut past their target and provide no pending threat at the end of the cut with edge or point, especially those who don't have distance and timing.

Item, the first technique from the Traveling-after

Item, another technique.

When he forehews at you and you hew after him, if he then drives quickly up with the sword and parries, then remain strongly with the long edge on his sword. If he then lifts upwards with the sword, then spring with the left foot well behind his right, and strike him with the Thwart (or such) to the right side of his head, and work quickly around to his left side with the Doubling (or such with other techniques) thereafter, if you find he is Soft or Hard on the sword. And that is the Outer Conduct, etc.

Ringeck: Note,[18] this is when he mis-hews himself before you: so race after him with a hew to the upper opening; if he then drives up and binds[208] under you upon the sword, so note just as soon as one sword sparks[209] on the other, [and] so fall upon him from the sword with the long-edge over his arm, and also press him from you (as stands pictured next),[42] or cut him from the sword through the mouth. Deploy this to both sides.

Mark, when you fence against him from Under-hewing, or from the slashing, or lie against him in the guard that is called Fool, if he then falls with his sword on yours before you therewith come up, then remain thus with your sword below on his and heave upwards. If he then Winds on the sword with the point into your face or breast, then do not let him off from the sword, and follow him thereafter, and work in with the point to the nearest opening. Or, if he strikes around from the sword, then follow him or Travel-after with the point as before.

Mark, you shall travel after him from all hews and from all guards[13] as quickly as you can when he fore-hews from you or opens himself with the sword. And see that afterward you do not open yourself nor fore-hew with the Travelling-after, and mark that to both sides.

Application Examples

Application 1

This Nachreisen begins in the Zufechten.

Teacher	Student
Vom tag, left leg forward	Vom tag, left leg forward
Cut an Oberhau all the way through the target down into Alber	Void the blow with a slight movement back (or a step if necessary)
	Cut back in with to his right side, Springing forward with the right foot.

Notice we are cutting to the right opening with a springing of the right foot - the exact cut we should be using is unspecified, though a simple Oberhau is easy enough (though other cuts can be used, even such cuts as a Krumphau.

16th Century

The general term for following behind an opponent's movement by attacking to the opening just created. For example if the opponent cuts down from above avoid the stroke and cut in from above to the newly vacated opening. Likewise if the opponent lifts up in to Vom tag from Alber immediately cut in from below under the arms.

Application Examples

See Kniechelhauw Application