From the beginning we knew that the drill books were not going to be perfect. And that over time we’d learn new things and make updates to the book. That’s one of the reasons we chose to self-publish. It gives us the freedom to release new editions without arguing with a publisher about unsold copies.
If you already have one of our books, you can get just the key updates in PDF form from here:
You can also download all of the books for free. If you don’t want to burn out your printer you can buy a copy from Scholars of Alcala Published Books, but please don’t feel obligated. We only make $5 each, which we just use to pay for the copies we give away to visiting fencers.
Meyer Longsword vol. 1: Changes for 2nd Edition
- Updated the Liechtenauer Classifications table for guards.
- Added Attacking from the Guards and Transitioning Between the Guards exercises in Chapter 3 (Glossary of Guards)
- Added Stepping into the Guards exercise in Chapter 3 (Cutting Through the Postures)
- Added the Sword Dance exercise in Chapter 4 (Glossary of Cuts).
- Completely rewrote Parrying an Oberhauw (High Cut) with a Underhauw (Low Cut) in Chapter 5 (Some Useful Advice About Parrying).
- Minor updates and corrections to Withdrawing Last Exercises 1 and 2 in Chapter 6 (Withdrawal).
- Finding Your Measure and Finding Your Opponent’s Measure exercises in Chapter 7.
- Tag 5 and Tag 7 were significantly rewritten.
- Cutting diagram for Tag 6 was corrected.
- Several plays received minor changes, additional instruction, and commentary.
Meyer Rapier vol. 1: Changes from Previous Editions
Changes for 2nd Edition
- In the first edition, the terms “mutation” and “transformation” were used interchangeably. In this edition, only “mutation” is used.
- Corrected errors in annotated illustrations.
- Several plays received minor changes, additional instruction, and commentary.
- The footwork and counter-thrusting drills were removed from the Verkehrter Stich (Reversed Thrust) and replaced with explicit footwork instructions.
- Added tables of actions and responses.
- Verfierte Stich (Deceitful Thrust) 2 was rewritten entirely. The previous interpretation can be found in appendix 3.
- A context drill using driving cuts was added to Nachreisen (Chasing).
- Bleiben (Remaining) was greatly expanded with context drills that explain where the technique fits into fighting from the bind in general.
- The way disengage is performed in the Winden (Winding) device was changed to lead with the point rather than the pommel.
Changes for 3rd Edition
- Several plays received minor changes, additional instructions, drills, and/or commentary.
- Thrust to Cut 1: The patient should be in a low guard and the agent needs to emphasis the power of the thrust to draw an over-committed parry.
- Additional quick reference tables.
- Renamed “Upper Cross”, etc. to “Upper Kreutzhauw (Upper Cross Cut)”, etc.
- Added Attacking from the Guards and Transitioning Between the Guards exercises in chapter 3
- Added the Sword Dance exercise in chapter 4.
- Added Thrusting from the Bind exercise in chapter 5.
Andre Paurenfeyndt’s Staff: Changes for 2nd Edition
- Additional illustration for vom Tag.
- Several plays received minor changes, additional instructions, drills, and/or commentary in devices 10 thru 13.