User blog comment:Goddess of Despair/Ikko-ikki Rebels vs Minutemen/@comment-4661256-20130729205633

El Alamein's "Musket, Cannon, and Bayonet" Edges:

 Close Range: Colichemarde vs. Katana:  The Colichemarde may be .1 of an inch longer than the Katana, and half a pound lighter, but the Colichemarde faces a disadvantage being that its primary use is as a thrusting weapon, while the Katana is meant as a slashing weapon but still can thrust. The Ikko-ikki rebels are likely better trained with the blade than will be the minutemen, considering the Japanese peasants' backgrounds as warrior monks, nobles, and other people who would have business owning a katana. Plus, when a minuteman thrusts forward with his colichemarde, he may well be putting his wrists in a very good position to be chopped off with a vertical slash.

Edge: Ikko-ikki Rebel

 Mid Range: Blunderbuss vs. Osutsu:  The blunderbuss has an enormous advantage with the more reliable flintlock firing mechanism over the osutsu's matchlock firing mechanism. The big advantage with a flintlock is that the user can fire the weapon whenever they like - a matchlock is fired when a slow-burning match lights gunpowder in the pan (or something to that effect), meaning the user can't shoot whenever they like. Also the match can be extinguished, rendering the shot useless. And loading a shotgun with arrows doesn't seem like the best idea in a squad-on-squad fight, as the Ming Warriors demonstrated against the Musketeers with their so-called "Nest of Bees."

Edge: Minutemen

 Long Range: Brown Bess vs. Tanegashima:  Easy, easy win for the Brown Bess. Flintlock vs. matchlock, .75 caliber vs. .69 caliber, soldiers whose primary weapon is the musket vs. soldiers who are easing into the gunpowder age. The Brown Bess is the more modern weapon wielded by the more modern soldiers. And, considering the Brown Bess is the primary weapon of the Minutemen, I'm sure they'll know how to use it properly and efficiently.

Edge: Minutemen

 Special Weapons: Tomahawk and Bayonet vs. Tanto and Nata:  So we've got a speargun and a nasty throwing axe going up against a dagger and ... kitchen knife. Well, I think the best weapon being offered here is the bayonet, although it would really help to know if this is the plug bayonet that goes in the barrel of the gun, effectively preventing it from being fired while the bayonet's in place, or if it's a ring/socket bayonet, which sits below the barrel and allows the user to fire the gun while still having the bayonet ready. Either way, it's another great asset that will make the Brown Bess even deadlier than it already is. Combine that with the tomahawk, which is a fluid weapon useful in both close-ranged and mid-ranged combat, and the Ikko-ikki rebels will be thrown comletely off-guard by the alien fighting style the Minutemen will be displaying. A simple hand dagger and an improvised blade can't and won't be able to compete - too short-ranged (Tanto) and too clumsy (Nata) to be used effectively in a knife fight.

Edge: Minutemen

WINNER: MINUTEMEN

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the Minutemen are deadlier. They've got a good 250 + years of technological advantages (1500 for the Ikko-ikki rebels and 1775 for the Minutemen) and it sure shows with the weapons loadouts. Flintlock vs. matchlock is going to make all the difference, and the Brown Bess and Blunderbuss will completely dominate the ranged game while up-close the katana might have its merits, but still won't be able to hold off the ranged attacks of the bayonet (longer reach on the musket) and tomahawk (thrown).