I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
If You Have Superhuman Reaction Time, Skip This!
Master Timing, Dominate the FightDear Fellow Sword Fighters, If you’re like me—a mere mortal—mastering timing is key to success in sword-fighting. But most medieval treatises don’t address it. A coherent theory of timing (tempo) doesn’t emerge until the Renaissance. However, the rules of tempo always apply, whether we recognise them or not. Our new online course, Counterbound!, offers a concise, practical introduction to timing/tempo, helping you regain control in critical moments. In just 30+ minutes, we show how to handle a common fencing dilemma, with insights that apply to all sword traditions—not just sword-and-buckler. Learn to dominate blade binds by understanding tempo—not just leverage or blade position. For only $50, you’ll get lifelong access and a coupon for 50% off our foundational I.33 course. Better still, owning Course 1 secures you the best value when Course 2 launches next year. Cyber Monday deals don’t get better. Act now—don’t let time slip away!
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Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Exploring Prehistoric Fighting Arts Bronze Age weapons from the inventory of the Museum of Prehistory in Halle Hello fellow fighters and (pre-)history aficionados, This newsletter is all about Bronze Age weaponry — their design, handling, and function. As this email goes out, I am on my journey home from two days of filming at the Museum of Prehistory in Halle, home to the world-famous Nebra sky disc. Professor Harald Meller in front of the Museum in Halle At the invitation of Professor...
Mark Your Calendar Contents of my sword case Hello fellow fighters, sword enthusiasts and living history experts, I’ve just returned from a wonderful sword-and-shield weekend in Berlin, training at the 24th Berlin Buckler Bouts with around forty dedicated practitioners from all over the world. As one of the organisers, I’d like to express my gratitude for a cheerful and safe training environment. It was a physically demanding two days — yet I enjoyed each of my 500+ passes. Thank you all! The...
Final Event Info Dear fellow buckler fighters, This weekend, we will gather for the 24th Berlin Buckler Bouts — hurrah! We anticipate 35 dedicated fencers from the Czech Republic, the US, Poland, Denmark, and Germany. If you’d like, you can watch my video of the BBB XI, which nicely captures the atmosphere. The event logo is available for download. Additionally, you’ll find links to a great article on slow fencing and another video on the BBB here. These two texts are also highly recommended:...