User blog:Pygmy Hippo 2/Pier Gerlofs Donia vs. Zhu Yuanzhang

It's a new year and a new season, starting with a fight to celebrate two revolutionaries who fought against corrupt governments. These two aren't as famous or advanced as Washington and Bonaparte but they are similar and yet opposites. Both had great success at sea and are from the blackpowder era but one comes from the West and the other from the East, one was successful in toppling his rulers and became the new leader of his lands while the other failed and died of grief.

Pier Gerlofs Donia, the Frisian giant who took up arms against the Landsknechts with their own weapons!

Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming leader who sent the Mongols running with his innovative new technology!

Who is Deadliest?

Pier Gerlofs Donia


"Butter, bread, and green cheese: whoever cannot say that is not a true Frisian."

Short Range:Katzbalger

Pier's blade is 31 inches long, weighs 3 pounds, used primarily for cutting but can also stab, and has a s-shaped guard for blocking cuts.

Mid Range:Pike

Donia's spear is 10 feet long, weighs 5.5 pounds, used primarily for countering cavalry, and perfect for formation combat.

Long Range:Arquebus

Pier's firearm has a range of 328 feet 1 inch, fires one .69 caliber musket ball, weighs 11 pounds, and is a matchlock with a stave to stabilize it.

Special Weapon:Zweihander

Donia's sword is 7 feet long, weighs 6.2 pounds, and is his signature weapon for decapitating his many enemies in battle.

Zhu Yuanzhang


"A good millitary man first surpress moving enemies with stability, then bewilder them with ease, finally crush them with joy."

Short Range:Dao

Zhu's blade is 36 inches long, weighs 2.5 pounds, used primarily for cutting but can also stab, and is easy to use with a single hand.

Mid Range:Qiang

Yuanzhang's spear is 9 feet long, weighs 6.6 pounds, has a tassel for distracting enemies, and is called "The King of Weapons".

Long Range:3-Barrel Pole Gun

Zhu's firearm has a range of 30 feet, fires three .69 caliber lead balls, weighs 11 pounds, and acts similarly to a hand cannon with a wooden handle for stabilizing it.

Special Weapon:Mechanical Landmine

Yuanzhang's explosive has multiple detonations up to 25, weighs 10 pounds, and is activated by someone trying to take the spears out of its ground or its wire being tripped.

X-Factors
Armor:Pier Gerlofs Donia and his Frisians wear steel breastplates, helmets, and chainmail that weigh 32 pounds. Zhu Yuanzhang and his Ming wear iron-studded leather lamellar and bronze helmets that weigh 14 pounds and use rattan shields which weigh 5 pounds.

Experience:Pier Gerlofs Donia fought the Habsburg and their allies which included Landsknechts but ultimately lost the war. Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the Yuan Dynasty in a revolt, defeated other rebels during the same period, and forced the Mongols out of China.

Tactics:Both of these warriors are similar in that their greatest tactics were at sea, Pier Gerlofs Donia was a master of piracy tactics and Zhu Yuanzhang was a master of naval warfare. Both were still skilled with infantry however, Pier had his Frisians fight in guerrilla warfare and Zhu had his Ming trained in Shaolin and Wudang Kung Fu.