User blog:Pygmy Hippo 2/Byzantine Cataphracts vs. Emishi Horse Archers

Knight vs. Samurai is probably the most famous debate among history fans alongside Pirate vs. Ninja and for good reason, they were both the best warriors of their time with the best equipment and typically cavalry units. However they both had extremely ancient ancestors who were similar to them in appearance but not completely the same which is why we're going to see whether thr prototype for the Western or Eastern cavalry will win a battle. Swords will swing, polearms will stab, arrows will fly, and armor will be tested as these two squads ride in on their mounts to defeat the other.

The Byzantine Cataphracts, the Eastern Roman Empire's tanks on horseback that crushed their enemies by rapidly closing the distance!

The Emishi Horse Archers, the tribal warriors who matched one of Japan's greatest armies for over 30 years with mobile tactics!

Who is Deadliest?

Byzantine Cataphracts
"...all the companies were clad in iron, and all parts of their bodies were covered with thick plates, so fitted that the stiff-joints conformed with those of their limbs."-Ammianus Marcellinus

Short Range:Spathion Sword

The Byzantine's straight long sword is 36 nches long, weighs 2.7 pounds, made of iron with a cross-guard, and double-edged to slash and stab.

Mid Range:Kontarion Lance

The Cataphracts' lance is 7-13 feet long, weighs 5-7 pounds, with a capped point made of iron, and had a chain attached to the horse for enough power to penetrate medieval chainmail.

Long Range:Byzantine Composite Bow

The Byzantine's bow has a range of 149 meters, weighs 2.5 pounds, made out of horn, sinew, and animal glues to fire iron arrows, and was based off of the powerful Hunnic bows.

Armor:Iron Scale Armor

The Cataphracts' wore iron scale armor with overlapping rounded plates on their bodies and limbs along with a close-fitting helmet with a mail skirt to protect their head and neck. They also carried the 35 inches in diameter skoutaria domed round shield. Their horses were protected by an iron headpiece and ox-hide lamellar on their chest and neck. Unfortunately this meant that the iron scale armor alone could weigh 88 pounds without the rest of the set included.

Emishi Horse Archers
"In the Eastern wilds there is a country called Hitakami. The people of this country, both men and women, tie up their hair in the form of a mallet, and tattoo their bodies. They are of fierce temper, and their general name is Yemishi."-Takechi no Sukune

Short Range:Tsurugi Sword

The Emishi's straight long sword is 43 inches long, weighs 1.3 pounds, made of iron and based on the Jian, and double-edged to slash and stab.

Mid Range:Kumayari Throwing Spear

The Archers' spear is 5-6 feet long, lightweight, with a long knife-like point made of iron, and could be used for thrusting or throwing to kill wild bears.

Long Range:Ebisu Yumi Composite Bow

The Emishi's bow has a range of 200 meters, weighs 2 pounds, made out of wood to fire iron arrows, and the arrow tips could possibly be dipped in wolfbane poison.

Armor:Keiko Iron Lamellar

The Archers' wore keiko iron lamellar that was based off of Korean armor with metal scales for full body protection and a lamellae skirt to protect their lower body and thighs and they wore a mabizashi-tsuki kabuto helmet and shikoro neck-guard to protect their head and neck. They also carried the 27 inches in diameter rectangular wooden Tate shield. Unfortunately their horses had no armor and their limbs lacked protection but it was light enough to walk in to be able to fight as infantry.

X-Factors
Training:The Byzantine Cataphracts were part of their empire's army and most likely the most important part so they were intensively trained and had drills to prepare for combat. The Emishi Horse Archers served a similar role in their people's army but were mainly hunter-gatherers who hunted animals from horseback to practice their archery skills.

Experience:The Byzantine Cataphracts fought for their empire against foes like the Sassanian Empire, Lakhmids, Vandal Kingdom, and Ostrogothic Kingdom with an early pyrrhic defeat against the first two and victory against the others. The Emishi Horse Archers fought against other Emishi tribes frequently and proved too much for the Yamato army at first but were eventually brought down after a 38 year war.

Tactics:The Byzantine Cataphracts preferred to fire arrow volleys to soften up their enemies for a lance charge and from there, using melee weapons to cause even more damage to the opposing formation. The Emishi Horse Archers didn't want to close the distance and instead used hit-and-run tactics with their bows from horseback to wear down slower forces.