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13-04-2023, 09:29 PM
An Introduction to Ataru
By Faelice Winter
Ataru is the fourth form of lightsaber combat, referred to on occasion as the Aggression Form, or the Way of the Hawkbat. The form has a focus on attacking first, and attacking fast, trying to use the aggression it carries to end fights quickly, sometimes before an opponent even has a chance to enter into the fight properly themselves. An exact opposite mindset to the form that came before it, Soresu.
Ataru achieves this through a bold focus on acrobatics, rotating around one’s axes to build momentum, adding power into the strikes, and offering increasing intensity to the volume of strikes one can deal out. A key point of these intense motions is that they should flow seamlessly off of one another, each attack leading into the next, creating an insurmountable pressure for your opponent. A pressure that leads to your success.
Where other forms may contain actions that lead to defensive manoeuvres, or outright blocks; the fourth form expends extremely little energy on defensive tact, instead employing evasion techniques to keep the user safe. The speed demanded of the form ensures that openings made from evaded attacks can be exploited aggressively, even turning what little defence might be present into an offensive move.
The first of the aforementioned offensive motions I will mention is along the horizontal axis, a Jung Su Ma rotation. Either clockwise, or counter-clockwise, this is an effective way of building momentum into your attack, whilst either closing the gap to - or moving around a target. This type of motion can also be used for quick momentum changes, allowing a rapid counterattack even in tight environments - needing only to turn around your feet to do so.
The next of these motions is along the vertical axis, a Ton Su Ma rotation. Jumps, rolls, and somersaults. These can be used as some of the evasive into offensive motions mentioned earlier. In addition to this, use of the vertical axis is effective at closing gaps quickly, as well as adding strength to your strikes with both the weight and momentum of the approach.
Finally, the lateral axis, an En Su Ma rotation, commonly performed with cartwheels. Moving to your sides with a cartwheel, you can both evade strikes, and build momentum for harsh kicks to your opponents. Somewhat of a staple of the fourth form, you wield your entire body as a weapon in ways such as this, truly embodying the idea that the weapon under a Sith’s control is the Sith themself, not the blade within their hands.
![[Image: unknown.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/758820451605544961/1012349537484025867/unknown.png)
Some other key techniques that the form brings with it are:
The Hawkbat Swoop; leaping into action, seeking an engagement to a fight before an opponent has a chance to counter, ending it before it begins. As is so often the case with Ataru, speed will prove to be a great ally in your success.
The Saber Swarm; striking so quickly your blades appear as a swarm, with intensity as high as you can physically manage. A technique used to overwhelm an opponent and end a fight. Failing this, the hope is that the raw aggression provided by the technique forces an opponent into a defensive stance, or even a different form entirely to compensate and try to gain ground back once more - one they may be less comfortable with using.
Though others exist, and can be used to good effect, the opening stance that will be mentioned has the user's dominant foot behind them, that they can push off into an explosive aggress when needed, their saber held on the same side held in a position between the waist and the pit of one's arm, angled vertically. The exact placement depends on the height of the user, and their preference for opening The position of the saber here means that whilst performing acrobatics, you're less likely to land blows on yourself rather than your opponent through the acrobatics involved with the form.
![[Image: unknown.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/758820451605544961/1012361799892480073/unknown.png)
Something else worthy of noting is that, whilst Ataru is a form that has aerial tendencies, this isn’t the only way the form can be used. A variant referred to as ‘Grounded Ataru’ features much of the same ideas, techniques and mindset, but the feet are kept on the ground, lacking regular use of some of the more airborne applications of the Ton Su Ma, though remembering them where needed.
For all its upsides, naturally, there are downsides to the form that one must be aware of, both for fighting with, and against it. The high intensity demanded of Ataru means that exhaustion comes much quicker than other forms. As such, the form suffers when used for prolonged engagements, or if the user is worked especially hard to gain ground in an encounter. Additionally, the focus on acrobatics means that the form performs much worse in tight environments and enclosed spaces. Whilst this does not stop the form from being used, it does significantly hinder the ability to have it perform optimally.
By Faelice Winter
Ataru is the fourth form of lightsaber combat, referred to on occasion as the Aggression Form, or the Way of the Hawkbat. The form has a focus on attacking first, and attacking fast, trying to use the aggression it carries to end fights quickly, sometimes before an opponent even has a chance to enter into the fight properly themselves. An exact opposite mindset to the form that came before it, Soresu.
Ataru achieves this through a bold focus on acrobatics, rotating around one’s axes to build momentum, adding power into the strikes, and offering increasing intensity to the volume of strikes one can deal out. A key point of these intense motions is that they should flow seamlessly off of one another, each attack leading into the next, creating an insurmountable pressure for your opponent. A pressure that leads to your success.
Where other forms may contain actions that lead to defensive manoeuvres, or outright blocks; the fourth form expends extremely little energy on defensive tact, instead employing evasion techniques to keep the user safe. The speed demanded of the form ensures that openings made from evaded attacks can be exploited aggressively, even turning what little defence might be present into an offensive move.
The first of the aforementioned offensive motions I will mention is along the horizontal axis, a Jung Su Ma rotation. Either clockwise, or counter-clockwise, this is an effective way of building momentum into your attack, whilst either closing the gap to - or moving around a target. This type of motion can also be used for quick momentum changes, allowing a rapid counterattack even in tight environments - needing only to turn around your feet to do so.
The next of these motions is along the vertical axis, a Ton Su Ma rotation. Jumps, rolls, and somersaults. These can be used as some of the evasive into offensive motions mentioned earlier. In addition to this, use of the vertical axis is effective at closing gaps quickly, as well as adding strength to your strikes with both the weight and momentum of the approach.
Finally, the lateral axis, an En Su Ma rotation, commonly performed with cartwheels. Moving to your sides with a cartwheel, you can both evade strikes, and build momentum for harsh kicks to your opponents. Somewhat of a staple of the fourth form, you wield your entire body as a weapon in ways such as this, truly embodying the idea that the weapon under a Sith’s control is the Sith themself, not the blade within their hands.
Some other key techniques that the form brings with it are:
The Hawkbat Swoop; leaping into action, seeking an engagement to a fight before an opponent has a chance to counter, ending it before it begins. As is so often the case with Ataru, speed will prove to be a great ally in your success.
The Saber Swarm; striking so quickly your blades appear as a swarm, with intensity as high as you can physically manage. A technique used to overwhelm an opponent and end a fight. Failing this, the hope is that the raw aggression provided by the technique forces an opponent into a defensive stance, or even a different form entirely to compensate and try to gain ground back once more - one they may be less comfortable with using.
Though others exist, and can be used to good effect, the opening stance that will be mentioned has the user's dominant foot behind them, that they can push off into an explosive aggress when needed, their saber held on the same side held in a position between the waist and the pit of one's arm, angled vertically. The exact placement depends on the height of the user, and their preference for opening The position of the saber here means that whilst performing acrobatics, you're less likely to land blows on yourself rather than your opponent through the acrobatics involved with the form.
Something else worthy of noting is that, whilst Ataru is a form that has aerial tendencies, this isn’t the only way the form can be used. A variant referred to as ‘Grounded Ataru’ features much of the same ideas, techniques and mindset, but the feet are kept on the ground, lacking regular use of some of the more airborne applications of the Ton Su Ma, though remembering them where needed.
For all its upsides, naturally, there are downsides to the form that one must be aware of, both for fighting with, and against it. The high intensity demanded of Ataru means that exhaustion comes much quicker than other forms. As such, the form suffers when used for prolonged engagements, or if the user is worked especially hard to gain ground in an encounter. Additionally, the focus on acrobatics means that the form performs much worse in tight environments and enclosed spaces. Whilst this does not stop the form from being used, it does significantly hinder the ability to have it perform optimally.
