Sarah Tactical Guide by Shiwapon

Link to the original article on Shiwapon's blog: https://nantejaakuna.hatenablog.com/entry/2021/03/24/154730

Shiwapon's Youtube/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLaVUj3C3F48pWD2JozpuiQ

Shiwapon's Twitter: https://twitter.com/shiwaponkun

[This is a rough translation with the help of Google Translate and DeepL, and some edits to match english VF terms, it won't be completely accurate but I wanted to share this since this guide helped me. Additional comments are in brackets]

Sarah Tactical Guide

Beginner

・Control the attack from 6P

6P is one of the starting points for reading with this character.
From this point, there are various derivatives such as 6PK, 6PP, and 6P4K, but the first priority is to learn how to read each other with the 6PK.

6PK is a technique that is quite vulnerable when blocked, so the opponent will also be wary and try to guard the second hit.
Therefore, Sarah's side should develop bold attacks such as throwing after 6P.

Then your opponent will also perform techniques without taking care of the derivatives, so try using 6PK at that time.
6PK will start a combo when the second shot hits, so from there it's a good idea to pick up something like 1K+GK to complete a combo.

If the opponent crouches [after blocking 6P], hit 6P again to pry the opponent out of their crouch.

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・Make a choice with 3P+K and throw

When 6P hits a crouching hit or a counter hit, you have two options [nitaku].
In this case, use 3P+K and 46P+G or 64P+G to make 2 choices.

3P+K is an excellent technique that gives Sarah an advantage of +2F even on normal hit, so when you get a normal hit, try attacking from 6P again.

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・Let's develop the Flamingo attack from 4K

If the opponent is guarding, you can throw, but at this time, I recommend using the 4K attack.
Even if the opponent guards against this move, Sarah will have a +4F advantage, and she can still attack from the Flamingo stance.

After 4K, Flamingo 6K will be a combination that cannot be interrupted even with 2P, so you should develop various attacks based on this.
If your opponent is hardening their guard, use Flamingo P2KKK to start a combo, or use the low hit throw of Flamingo 2KP+G to break them down.

If your opponent doesn't like it and crouches, you can use 6K, but it's more effective to aim for 3K to start the combo.

If the opponent evades it, use the full-circular attack Flamingo K+GK to break up the opponent's evading and hit a combo.

Remember that you basically have three options: mid attack, low attack, and circular attack.

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・Use half-circulars that occur quickly

Sarah's half-circulars are fast, and the return when aiming in the direction of the opponent's evade is large.

If your opponent evades to Sarah's back, take him down with 4PKKK+G.

If your opponent evades to Sarah's stomach, use the powerful KP or 8K+G to create a combo.
In particular, since K has a fast start-up, it is also attractive that it is easy to crush the opponent's rampage [abare] if they didn't evade.

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Intermediate

・Recommendation for Okizeme

The wake-up attack [okizeme] is Sarah's signature move. The key point for Sarah is to take damage here.

Let's first layer 4K on the opponent's tech roll.
From here, as mentioned above, let's mix between three choices while focusing on the Flamingo 6K, which cannot be interrupted.

If you stack 4K on an opponent who stays down such as after a Flamingo 6KK knockdown, 4K will sometimes pick them up with a side hit, but you can still make 3 choices [from Flamingo] in that case.

If your opponent stays on the ground, 4K is likely to be skipped, in which case you should release Flamingo and attack again after the opponent gets up.
If the opponent chooses not to tech roll when they are knocked down on their back, such as after 6PK, you can pick up the down by 1K+GK, etc., so show it to them once in a while.

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・Cancel the move and make a choice with Flamingo

Derivative techniques such as 3KK and 6P+KPK can be shifted into Flamingo by pressing G during the last step.
If your opponent is waiting for a derivative, it is recommended to attack with Flamingo 3K, Flamingo 2K, and Flamingo K+G.

Of course, if the opponent reads the Flamingo transition, you will receive a painful counterattack, so in that case, you should dare to go into the derivation [string follow-up] or stop after a single shot to invite the opponent to attack!

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・Sideturned offense starts with Flamingo

After evading your opponent's technique or succeeding in using OM [Offensive Move], you have a chance to attack from the side.
Flamingo is also powerful on the side, so let's use it here as well.

The first thing you want to hit from the side is the 3K mid kick.
A counter hit will cause the opponent to collapse to the side, allowing you to aim for a combo.

If you want to develop a powerful attack, use 4K on the side as well.
By having the 4K guarded on the side, the advantage frame will be larger than usual, which means that Flamingo 3K, Flamingo 2K, and Flamingo K+G will not be interrupted.

Also, even if they are able to evade it [after blocking 4K on the side], you will have less disadvantage than usual, so be sure to attack at the fastest possible speed.

Furthermore, if you're receiving a guaranteed counterattack after getting evaded, by counterattacking with 3PK instead, you can attack with Flamingo while gaining the same advantage as when guarding from the side with 4K, so it is best to be able to return with a solid 3PK when your opponent is evading.
If you are not confident in your Flamingo offense, you can attack safely [after evading an attack] by punishing with PPK on the side and then going for okizeme.

If your opponent evades, use half-circulars such as 8K+G, 3PK, and 4P to crush your opponent's avoidance.

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Advanced

・Let's try to deal with the opponent's attack with Backward Slide

During a Forward Slide such as 6PP6 or KP6, you can input 4 to transition to Backward Slide. The initial movement of this stance is a sabaki against high and mid punches, so if the opponent hits a punch move, Forward Slide P+K, etc. can be confirmed while handling the punch move.

Then, if you show this stance, the opponent will hit you with 2P or other moves that cannot be sabaki'd.

In such a case, try to mow down the opponent's low attack with 8K+G, etc. after 6PP, etc.

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・Approach to the wall

●Opponent's back to the wall

4K comes in handy even when your opponent has their back against a wall.
After this, I would like to say go for Flamingo 6K which cannot be interrupted... but let's aim for Flamingo 4K first.

This move will hit opponents who evade to Sarah's back, and if they hit a wall, they will be wall staggered
After the wall stagger, Flamingo 3K will hit, and connect to the wall combo with 1K+GK.

3PK hits opponents who evade Flamingo 4K or get violent.
After that, let's do the usual three-choice race with Flamingo 2K, Flamingo 3K, and Flamingo K+G.
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●Parallel to the wall, Sarah's stomach facing the wall

When in this foot position, aim for a wall combo with 4PKKK+G.
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●Parallel to the wall, Sarah's back facing the wall

In this foot position, you can use 44KKK for a wall combo.
If your opponent tries to evade away from the wall, counter with 8K+G, 3PK, or KP.

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・Overwhelm with a quick attack from behind

Sarah's 44P occurs quite quickly, and she turns her back after the technique.
The backturned attack from here develops quickly, making it difficult for the opponent to keep up with it, so if you hit it quickly, you may be able to get some unexpected damage, so try aiming for it.

From 44P, start with the backturned 2P low attack that occurs quickly.
When it hits, you have a +4F advantage, so 3P+K and 6P cannot be interrupted.

If your opponent can't keep up with your moves and crouches behind you with 2P, aim for your opponent's crouching position with backturned P+KK.

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・Dodge your opponent's attacks with a neck cut

2P+K/8P+K that appears in Flamingo.
This is a special technique that attacks while avoiding the opponent's attack. (From experience, [the evasive property lasts from] 1-8F)

After avoiding the opponent's attack, it becomes a combo, so if you are at a disadvantage during Flamingo, don't give up and use this technique to create a miracle.​