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Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing
Fencing

Fencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or slapping Club ing weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned....
. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none will. In military tactics
Military tactics

Military tactics are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an Enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics....
 (and most types of combat
Combat

Combat, or fighting, is purposeful violence conflict intended to establish dominance over the opposition.The term "combat" typically refers to armed conflict between military forces in warfare, whereas the more general term "fighting" can refer to any violent conflict....
), there are two types of feints: feint attacks and feint retreats.

>feint attack is designed to draw defensive action towards the point under assault.






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Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing
Fencing

Fencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or slapping Club ing weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned....
. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none will. In military tactics
Military tactics

Military tactics are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an Enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics....
 (and most types of combat
Combat

Combat, or fighting, is purposeful violence conflict intended to establish dominance over the opposition.The term "combat" typically refers to armed conflict between military forces in warfare, whereas the more general term "fighting" can refer to any violent conflict....
), there are two types of feints: feint attacks and feint retreats.

Feint attacks

A feint attack is designed to draw defensive action towards the point under assault. It is usually used as a diversion to force the enemy to concentrate more manpower in a given area so that the opposing force in another area is weaker. Unlike a related diversionary maneuver, the demonstration, a feint involves actual contact with the enemy.

Feint retreats

A feint retreat is performed by briefly engaging the enemy, then retreating. It is intended to draw the enemy pursuit into a prepared ambush, or to cause disarray. For example, the Anglo-Saxon downfall to the Norman invasion was instigated by this tactic where the dominant shield wall of the Saxons broke in pursuit of the Norman cavalry. This forfeited the advantage of height (as the Saxons were positioned on a hill-top) and the line was broken, providing the opportunity to fight in single handed combat on a neutral vantage point, a battle that the Saxons were not ready for.

The Parthian shot
Parthian shot

The Parthian shot was a military tactics employed by the Parthian Empire, an ancient Iranian people. The Parthian horse archers, mounted on light horse, would feint withdrawal ; then, while at a full Horse gait#Gallop, turn their bodies back to shoot at the pursuing enemy....
 is another example of a feint retreat, where mounted Parthian archers would retreat from a battle and then, while still riding, turn their bodies back to shoot at the pursuing enemy.

Feint is similar to the word fake.