The sport of fencing has been described as "chess with muscles," suggesting that complicated strategy lies behind the thrusts and parries that constitute a duel. Today fencers employ a combination of archaic and modern customs; combatants still salute before a match and wear the traditional white uniforms, but scoring is now determined by electronic sensors on a fencer’s body. Like other Olympic sports such as archery and javelin, fencing is a form of ancient combat. Around 1200 BC, the Egyptians began the custom of fencing for sport, as seen by images in decorative reliefs from that period showing knobs on the end of weapons to prevent injury, along with protective armor. Sword craftsmanship evolved through the ages, from the short, wide swords used by the Romans to the heavy two-handed broadswords in use during the medieval times. However, after the invention of gunpowder and guns, armor became useless and lighter swords became the sidearm of choice for European officers and gentlemen. The Italians, Spanish, and French all claim ownership for modern fencing, but modern fencing is a combination of forms and technique from all of their styles. In the 18th century, rules appeared in print describing regulations of a duel and a method of scoring, and describing the foil, a metal mask, and protective jacket or vest. The rules intended to simulate real combat while keeping the safety of the fencers. "Conventions" were used to limit the target area of the body and to provide for a "right of way" for attacks. Fencing was a clear choice for inclusion in the Olympics from 1896 and onward. At the time, the sword was still an important military weapon, and swordsmanship remained a well-established European custom backed by centuries of tradition. In addition to the foil, weapons were the epee, descendent of the dueling sword, and the sabre, a weapon with a curved blade for cutting in addition to thrusting. Fencing is one of six sports to have appeared in every modern Olympic Games. In the early years of competition, Europeans dominated, with France, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, and the Netherlands all having champions. Following World War II, the communist nations of Eastern Europe rose, with the Soviet Union, Poland, and Hungary taking their places on the medal stand. Foil, epee, and sabre are the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. It is legal for a fencer to compete in all three events, but many fencers choose to concentrate and hone their skill in one instead. Until recently, women were only allowed to compete in foil fencing, but now the USFA offers national competitions for women in epee and sabre. Women's epee was added to the World Championships in 1989 and was held for the first time at the Olympic Games in 1996. The target areas differ for the three weapons, though all three are scored electronically. The main object of a fencing duel (what an individual "game" is called) is to effectively score 15 points (in direct elimination play) or five points (in preliminary pool play) on your opponent before that number is scored on you. Each time a fencer scores a touch, he/she receives a point. The foil has a highly flexible rectangular blade, around 35 inches in length, weighing less than one pound. Points are scored with the tip of the blade and must land within the torso of the body. The valid target area in foil is the torso, from the shoulder to the groin, front and back. The foil fencer's uniform includes a metallic vest (called a lamé) which covers the valid target area, so that a valid touch will register on the scoring machine. A small, spring-loaded tip is attached to the point of the foil and is connected to a wire inside the blade. The fencer wears a body cord inside his uniform which connects the foil to a reel wire, connected to the scoring machine. There are two scoring lights on the machine. One shows a green light when a fencer is hit, and one shows a red light when her opponent is hit. A touch landing outside the valid target area (that which is not covered by the lamé) is indicated by a white light. These “off target” hits do not count in the scoring. The epee, the descendent of the dueling sword, is similar in length to the foil, but is heavier, weighing approximately 27 ounces, with a larger guard and a much stiffer blade. Touches are scored only with the point of the blade. The entire body is the valid target area. The epee is also an electrical weapon. This causes the colored bulb on the scoring machine to light. Because the entire body is a valid target area, the epee fencer's uniform does not include a lamé. Off-target hits do not register on the machine. The sabre is the modern version of the slashing cavalry sword, and is similar in length and weight to the foil. The major difference is that the sabre is a point-thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon (use of the blade). The target area is from the bend of the hips (both front and back), to the top of the head, simulating the cavalry rider on a horse. The sabre fencer's uniform includes a metallic jacket (lamé), which covers the target area to register a valid touch on the scoring machine. The mask is different from foil and epee, with a metallic covering since the head is valid target area. One shows a green light when a fencer is hit, and one shows a red light when the opponent is hit. Off-target hits do not register on the machine. One of the most difficult concepts to visualize in foil and sabre fencing is the rule of “right-of-way”. This rule was established to eliminate apparently simultaneous attacks by two fencers Right-of-way is the differentiation of offense and defense, made by the referee. The difference is important only when both the red and green lights go on at the same time in foil and sabre. When this happens, the winner of the point is the one who the referee determined was on offense at the time the lights went on. Epee does not use the right-of-way in keeping with its dueling origin - he who first gains the touch earns the point.