User blog comment:Goddess of Despair/King of Kings Round 1: Saladin vs Charlemagne/@comment-422690-20131128195607

So...

Short Rage: Talwar wins. Surprise surprise, coming from me. But the Talwar is longer than Joyuse, and when they're both made of the same material, that matters. While less versatile, the Talwar is also easier to use as well as less possibly dangerous to the user. The double edge provides a little more versatility in combat, but also greatly increases the likelihood that the wielder will get injured by his own weapon. Edge: Saladin.

Mid Range: Tie. The Boar Spear will do more damage due to its far greater mass, but the Pike can hit from a father distance. They're both very good weapons in specific situations. Edge: None.

Long Range: Recurve bow wins. It's got more than 10 times the range, it's more powerful, and it's more likely to hit. You can't nullify the effect of an arrow by taking a couple steps backwards, but you can do so with the Fransisca, since throwing axes require incredibly precise force to hit at range, and merely moving a step or two back will cause the handle to hit rather than the bladed head. It'll still hurt, but I'd rather take a bruise over a blade.

Tactics: Well, this is really apples to oranges, since a war strategy is a completely different beast than battle strategy. Hattin showcased Saladin's ability to manipulate his enemy, while the Invasion of Spain showcased Charlemagne's ability to barrel into a war and still come out ahead. Honestly, though, I can't give an edge - as stated, victory in war and victory in battle come from two similar but still distinct areas of strategy.

Overall: Overall, I think this will end in Saladin's favor, but barely. Since he is denied his greatest strength, his cavalry, his forces have to rely on more hidden, hit-and-run strikes. The immense range of the Recurve Bow makes this possible; Saladin can open up from nearly 500 feet, which as mentioned is over 10 times the range of Charlemagne's longest-range weapon. If they are found in close-quarters, though, Charlemagne's troops are the likely victors of that match. I think, however, that the range of the bow will whittle Charlemagne's 4 down while Saladin's 4 are safely out of reach.