An analysis of my failure in sparring combat against Sith Soti.

[Andnoa]

An analysis of my failure in sparring combat against Sith Soti


By Apprentice Tutam

Introduction

Another sparring defeat in single combat, though I confess it is not a foe to be ashamed of the loss to. For my execution of Acolyte Dalia, I was granted a private lesson with Sith Soti on a topic of my choosing and with my continued path into Djem So I decided that this would be the topic at hand. I also erred in potentially considering the use of force speed as another topic, but if I am going to put myself into the medical bay (as it is rumored others have from learning this power) I would rather do it in front of a Sith with a vested interest in keeping me alive and relatively whole. This document is likely a shorter one that my last as there were fewer mistakes on my end as well as the whole duel taking less time due to my foe's decisive actions.
The Fight
After deciding what I was to learn from the Sith, I made a holocall to her, asking for a lesson in the aforementioned subject. She asked my presence in the area of camp that has been designated for sparring and asked my knowledge of the theory of the form. Going further into this, I explained my thoughts on the subject, as well as my limitations with the form. From this, Sith Soti explained her own view of the form, a form of dominance where all defenses my be dominated through then countered with offence. This gels well with the theory given by all previous instructors on the form and as such I have taken some time to think on her interpretation of the form. In her view, offensive pressure must be maintained at all costs. To err in the attack is a weakness to be overcome and a pure Djem So duelist be constantly be attacking or defending against their foe, time not being wasted.
It was at this point we drew our Lightsabers. I assumed the Djem So attacking stance, making sure to watch her every movement so as to learn from it. She assumed a stance as well and invited an attack on herself to which I obliged. I charged forward in an attempt to apply as much force as possible in a vertical strike. This opening attack is something I have used before and predictably do so (a weakness to overcome) but it is one that worked in this case. I managed to force a deflection rather than a block with augmented strength.
True to her words previously, Soti turned this defense into an offence for herself with some power, striking diagonally at my left leg upwards. From this I attempted to crush her attack into the ground. This could have been neater but in y view this was not a mistake of a blow. The idea behind it was to maintain the offensive pressure, not allowing Soti to raise her blade into the air. I thought and still think that if I had managed to accomplish this, I could have drawn the fight out longer, controlling her central line perhaps? Never the less Soti found a way through this technique. She augmented her own body and (I suspect her a tad more skillful in it than myself) smashed upwards through my downward stroke. This would be a useful move to learn I think. Against a more dainty foe such as a Makashi user, they would ave little option when the full force of the body is used in such an attack.
Here comes the great error and the turning point of the fight. Sith Soti's next move was what was known as a "Falling Avalanche", a Djem So technique to bring a maximum amount of force against the foe offensively. I do see some similarities to the opening move that I have used so often as the goal is very much the same, batter through the foe and force them onto the defensive. She in fact achieved this result, forcing me to parry the blow rather than outright block it and making me step back from the impact of it. This ruined any sense of offence on my part and in my view is where the fight was lost, the rest being an inevitable sequence as more offence was raised up against my failing defenses.
Her next was a blow to my right shoulder that I parried at the cost of being forced back again. After that a blow to my left leg that cost me my footing. Finally there would be another blow down on top of me that cost me my Lightsaber and forced me to my knees. I do wonder if these would have been block-able to a master, though a master would not have found themselves in such a situation. My priority should have been returning a blow and by not being able to attack in this time, Sith Soti was given free reign to crush my defenses with her superior skill.
Analysis and Conclusions
Many of the same points from my previous spar against my master still hold, but I felt I did better against Soti and have improved somewhat through the hours of training I have put into this. Below is a list of improvements that need to be made:

• My offence must be maintained and absolute in this form. A break in the attacks is a chance for a foe to strike back at me and escape the total domination I could apply to them. This lesson could perhaps be taken into Shii Cho, Ataru and Juyo when I learn the latter two. Offensively focused forms must be stressed for the greatest levels of offense as defensively focused ones must be done defensively.
• I have now honed my rage into a weapon as I have previously found lacking. In these past few weeks, I have noticed my powers in the force coming more easily. I no longer have to stretch myself to augment my body nor raise a potent barrier in the force. With passion I gain strength. I have honed my passions further and through this I am becoming more powerful. Counter to Shii Cho, I need to commit more to my attacks, allow the force I represent to dominate my foes more fully. I am not to err nor falter in the attack. I have skill and power but they need to be applied at all times else I risk wasting them.
• My other goals mentioned in the sparring document against my master still apply. I need more power, more focus, skill and decisiveness in combat. There are a great number of talented swordsmen and women that I could seek to learn from. I must aim to seek out instruction from other sources in not only the forms I aim to use but the others as well so that I can achieve mastery of combat in all of it's forms.

From these goals, I will structure my independent training further and from this I will grow and become more powerful.

Glory to the Empire.

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