User blog comment:BattleGames1/BattleGames1's Season of War Episode 3 - Zande vs Celt/@comment-4661256-20140915030858

El Alamein's Edges:

 Close Range: Makraka vs. Longsword:  The odd thing about the Makraka's performance in Deadliest Warrior was that it was pitted, as an executioner's weapon, against another execution weapon in the Aztec's Tecpatl. This doesn't really make sense, as neither weapon was really mean to be used in combat - I'm sure the hugely curved blade of the Makraka does not lend itself well to overhand chopping attacks or slashes unless the victim is perfectly positioned and subdued. The longsword, on the other hand, has no such shortcomings - it can take a head off just as cleanly, but it's longer, can stab and slash, and is just plain and simply meant for actual combat.

Edge: Celt

 Mid Range: Makrigga vs. Lancea:  The Makrigga was pretty nasty thanks to its barbed tips, and I'm not gonna lie, that's going to make extraction a very painful and debilitating process. But in a 5-on-5 fight like this, if you get your spear stuck in the abdomen of your opponent, congrats! You've killed one guy but lost one of your (arguably) most effective weapons in doing so, and leave yourself open for a revenge attack by one of your victim's teammates. On the other hand, the Lancea is just as much a one-shot weapon thanks to its use as a projectile weapon. And, if the javelin somehow misses completely, it can just as easily be picked up by the enemy and be hurled back at the user. Still, these detractors ignore the fact that the warriors are trained and experinced in the use of their respective weapons, and I have to declare this comparison even as a result.

Edge: Even

 Long Range: Botto and Pima vs. Sling:  The Botto and Pima is a terrible weapon. The sling is a terrible weapon. However, a poisonous arrow, no matter how inaccurate or how mattress-proofed it may be, is still superior to a rock, no matter how bone-breakingly bad it may be. The Zande were not really impressive archers, but at least they're archers. Throwing rocks does one no favor in a fight.

Edge: Zande Warrior

 Special Weapon: Kpinga vs. Burda:  The Burda is going to be a devastating close-ranged weapon in this fight, as its durable metal, coupled with the intimidating size and ferocity of the Celtic warriors, will inflict horrific trauma on the lightly-armored Zande Warriors. However, the psychological impact of a flying buzzsaw that will shred flesh no matter what end hits is something that will seriously put a damper in the Celt's battle plan. It's a super-effective close-ranged weapon against a super-effective long-ranged weapon, so I can declare no edge in this apples-to-oranges comparison.

Edge: Even

 Shields: Wicker Kube vs. Wooden Shield:  The Kube is all right, in the sense that it's better than nothing, but it won't even stop an Atl-Atl, so I doubt it will hold up against even the Burda, never mind the longsword. The Wooden Shield is no be-all, end-all game changer, but I believe it's enough to stand up to light punishment, giving the Celts the edge they need long enough to close the distance and make their kills.

Edge: Celt

WINNER: CELT

Both of these warriors use iron, but I believe that the Celts do so in a superior fashion. It really comes down to the killer combo of the longsword and the burda, and the ineffectiveness of the Zande's armor. The Kpinga might give them a decent edge at a distance, but it's painfully apparent that neither side here has a truly effective long-ranged game - it's basically pointy sticks vs. pebbles at this stage. The superior size and greater military prowess of the Celts is just the icing on the cake that will lead them to victory over their ferocious foes.