User blog comment:El Alamein/Centurion vs. Hersir/@comment-4661256-20160131063142

El Alamein's Edges:

Yeah, I'm voting on my own battle--not because I think it will affect the outcome but just because I want to get my opinion out there since (at the time of my posting this) everyone's overlooking a lot of advantages the Hersir has.

Anyway...

 Sidearm: Pugio vs. Long Seax:  While I agree with the general sentiment that this category will not be of particular strategic value, it will still be tactically useful as this is the tool that a soldier relies on if his sword is too cumbersome in a close-quarters engagement. The Long Seax's length could honestly be construed as a disadvantage (since at over double the length of the Pugio it could quickly become unwieldy in a space where the Pugio is still effective), but its length still gives the user a reach advantage that can't be ignored. It all depends on how close the warriors are when they're using the weapons. If the Hersir and his Vikings can maintain a distance with the Seax then they have a definite advantage, but if the Centurion and his Romans can close that distance it's the other way around.

Edge: Even

 Primary Weapon: Gladius vs. Viking Sword:  A similar argument could, in theory, be applied in this comparison regarding the effectiveness of length depending on the distance of the engagement. The Viking Sword's length could indeed work against it in a space where the Gladius still functions. However, I find this to be different for two reasons: one, if the Viking Sword is too long for a close-quarters fight the Seax could easily replace it and contend with the Gladius. Secondly, and more importantly, the heavier weight and slashing design of the Viking Sword will allow the Viking warriors to rain heavy blows down on the Romans if they hide behind their scutum shields, which has the potential to inflict blunt trauma damage (or, at the very least, inflict psychological damage and threaten to disrupt a formation). The Gladius simply can't hit as hard as the Viking Sword.

Edge: Hersir

 Mid Range: Pilum vs. Spear:  No, guys, this Viking spear is not designed to be thrown. Yes, I know that Vikings could throw their spears, but that's stupid in a formation fight. The Roman pilum is designed as a javelin, but this spear is a melee weapon. According to |this page, it was more common to be used as a thrusting weapon anyway.

That aside, the Pilum gets my edge. While it's true that the Viking spear will last longer in the fight because it won't traditionally be thrown, the Pilum will stick in and bend on the Viking shields, rendering them in effect useless thanks to the big heavy weight of the javelin dangling off the edge. In a formation fight this will be huge as it will deprive a large portion of the Viking force of their shields, making them more vulnerable in the ensuing melee. The Viking spear will still be useful at keeping the Romans at bay, but I think the Pilum's specific shield-busting design lends itself better to this type of battle.

Edge: Centurion

 Long Range: Plumbata vs. Throwing Axe:  The Plumbata has a longer range than the Throwing Axe, but its much smaller killing surface makes the chance of landing a lethal blow significantly lower. The Throwing Axe's heavier weight and larger killing surface ensure that even if the blade of the axe doesn't make contact with a Roman soldier's body, he'll still feel the shock of the blow behind his shield more than a Viking soldier will feel a Plumbata behind his. Also, I feel like you can throw an axe more accurately than a dart in a combat situation anyway (but I could be wrong). And, if it comes down to it, you can certainly use your axe in a melee fashion quite effectively. The same cannot be said for the Plumbata.

Edge: Hersir

 Shield: Scutum vs. Viking Shield:  The Viking Shield is certainly more mobile and can be used more easily as an offensive weapon, but the Roman Scutum still wins. This design was so integral to the Roman formation that it effectively offers an all-encompassing defense through the testudo formation, which can even protect from missiles raining down from above. The Roman can protect himself much more effectively with his shield than the Viking, but even more importantly he can protect the men next to him more effectively as well. This is what gets the Roman Scutum the edge.

Edge: Centurion

 Armor:  The Viking mail is definitely heavier than the Roman lorica, although the Vikings were bigger and could deal with it better. However, I think that the mail is actually better in terms of general protection since it could stand up to both slashes and stabs, while the Roman armor's overlapping scales could be compromised by a stab through the plates. That being said, the Roman's armor still did offer better mobility and did not restrict the field of vision as severely, so this comes out as pretty much a wash.

Edge: Even

 Formation: Testudo vs. Swine Array:  Here's where I disagree with most of you the most strongly. The Svinfylking was literally designed to defeat shield-wall formations just like the testudo. The Romans can brace themselves all they like, but their formation is much, much less maneuverable and they'll be hard-pressed to stand up to a concentrated charge from a mass of charging Norsemen. I'd also like to point out that the fighting style of the Vikings closely resembles that of the Germanic tribes who fought the Romans so fiercely in battles like the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. The Romans are very disciplined, but the Vikings use force and shock as effective tactics while the Romans basically try to weather it out and exhaust their opponents into submission. I don't think that will work too well for them here.

Edge: Hersir

WINNER: HERSIR

Okay, so in my opinion the Hersir actually wins out for a few reasons. First and foremost his formation counters the Centurion's formation hard. His soldiers are bigger and stronger and they're using weapons that utilize superior force and hit much harder as a result. Their formation is also more mobile, but even if it does fracture the Vikings are capable one-on-one fighters, while the Romans have a nearly-crippling dependency on maintaining formation (as has been demonstrated several times throughout history, once the Roman formation crumbles it's a matter of time until their troops are slaughtered). It's certainly a close fight and the Hersir will have a hard time marshaling his forces to defeat the Centurion, but he can do it.