The Advantage

I've been thinking a lot about fighting. Not only in a *gestures wearily at the world * sense, but in a missing practicing kung fu sense, a need to be in safe situations where tactics and strategy are essential sense. (I think that and the community are a large part of why I love Helldivers2 so much but man do I want something in real life also.)

I'm not a big guy. Well, I'm fat (reminder this is a statement of fact not a derogatory thing), but I am not remotely tall. Though I am taller than Jenks. *grins* I frequently fought opponents who were bigger than me during sparring (also ones who were more skilled), so tactics became just as important, if not more so, than anything else I could do. I had to learn how to watch my opponents. I had to learn how to be patient and to pick my moments.

And over the years there were three major takeaways about fighting as a smaller person.

The importance of strategy:

As fun as charging headlong into a fight screaming Leroy Jenkins may be, it's usually the easiest way to lose. You might get lucky but the odds are stacked against you and if you find yourself in a position where you're suddenly face to face with a larger opponent there's a very good chance you're screwed. Unless...

Fast will beat big nearly every time:

Fast is always great, but especially so when you're little and faced with a bigger opponent. Your number one priority is to keep them from getting a hold of you. You want to be able to get in and land hits and dance away while they're still trying to process what's happened. Speed is key and it will save your life. (this includes knowing when, as the song says "hold 'em, known when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run." Were you expecting a Kenny Rogers reference here? *laughs*)

Honor's important. Survival is better:

I'm a big proponent of personal honor, it comes up in my writing and I always try to make ethical decisions in ways that I'll be able to live with. That said, my absolute first piece of advice is that if you're fighting for your life - fuck honor. You do whatever you have to to stay alive. Kicking a cis male in the nuts might not be "civil" but it'll put them down and give you the chance to get away. (TBH you kick anyone in that spot and they'll go down. It's not fun regardless of who you are.) In fights of survival, you do whatever you can, however you can so that you are the one who walks away alive.

When you're smaller you learn how to run, how to hide, how to ambush. It's no wonder I prefer sniping from high, concealed spots whenever I can. I hold grudges and will happily wait for my moment to strike versus jumping back right away into the fight. Outlasting my enemies is always my goal, be it out of sheer spite or the determination to see a better world. The small guys don't always win, but we can, no fight is impossible.

Love,
K