User blog comment:Postapocfan1999/Joel (The Last of Us) vs Bill (Left 4 dead 1)/@comment-4661256-20130716044743

El Alamein's "Guns, Guts, and Glory" Edges:

 Sidearm: Model 66 Revolver vs. M1911:  The M1911 has a 7-round magazine, which is one more than the revolver's 6-round cylinder, but that's not what makes the semi-auto the superior pistol. Its clip-style magazine allows for a simple slide-out and slide-in reload, as compared to the revolver's awkward one-bullet-at-a-time reload. Combine that with far less recoil and comparably even stopping power (the .44 round of the revolver is on par with the .45 ACP of the M1911) and you've got a winning combo. Plus, Bill has been using an M1911 since his days in 'Nam - it's a weapons system he's familiar with, and he'll perform accordingly with it.

Edge: Bill

 Close Range: Mossberg 500 vs. Benelli M4:  The Mossberg, ironically, is a Vietnam War-era weapon (used in jungle patrols for its ability to shoot through dense foliage), so Bill will know what weapon he's going up against when he sees it. The pump-action design is more reliable (it eliminates the chance of a random shot going off if you don't have the pump slid forward) but suffers with a slower rate of fire - you can only shoot the gun as fast as you can pump it. The Benelli is not likely to misfire thanks to its more modern design, and its semi-automatic fire mode combined with its 3 extra rounds gives it another easy edge.

Edge: Bill

 Mid Range: M4 vs. M16:  Interesting comparison. For starters (and in spite of sounding like a broken record), the M16 is another 'Nam-era weapon that Bill will have been using for a long, long time. However, the M4 is a carbine, which means it's got a telescoping stock and a shortened barrel, allowing for greater mobility thanks to its smaller size. That shortened barrel will give it comparatively less range than the M16, but the M16 is prone to jamming. The M16 is a descendant of the AR-series developed at the height of the Cold War to counter the Soviet AK-47. It was sleek, accurate, and lethal. But its barrel couldn't cope with internal ballistics pressure created by the heavy 5.56 NATO round and that would cause it to melt or break off completely. Misfires like that were corrected in later variants (like the M4), but for poor Bill and his 'Nam-era buddies, it was trial by fire and only a matter of time until the gun broke. And a broken gun is a bad gun.

Edge: Joel

 Long Range: Winchester Model 70 vs. Ruger Mini 14:  The Winchester series of sniper rifles are powerful and reliable thanks to their legacy as hunting rifles and bolt-action design. That power pays a price with heavy recoil and a shortened rate of fire, however. The Ruger, alternately, has twice the magazine size of the Winchester and can be reloaded much more quickly. To reload the Winchester, you need to pull back the bolt, lock it into place, and load one bullet at a time, then close the bolt again. To reload the Ruger, you need to take out the empty box mag and put in a new one - much faster and simpler. Both of these warriors are likely good marksmen, so when it comes down to one bullet, I'm backing the one that can be followed up quickly in the event of a near miss. Bill can do that - Joel simply can't.

Edge: Bill

 Explosives: Nail Bomb vs. Pipe Bomb:  The pipe bomb's loud beeping won't do it any favors in the stealth department - but then again, explosives aren't meant to be stealthy, are they? Still, a battle-competent foe like Joel won't fall victim to a beeping bomb. If anything, the noise will alert him to get out of the way. The ever-silent, ever-deadly nail bomb will be by far the more useful bombita with the bigger blast.

Edge: Joel

 Melee: Pipe vs. Buttstroke/Pistol Whip:  Buttstroking and pistol whipping get a lot of crap on this Wiki, and I believe rather undeservedly. Sure, against something like a Katana or even a Bowie knife it can't compare, but a pipe is no better a weapon than a brick - it's just got more reach. Bill is big and tough, and when he puts his weight behind the blows on a buttstroke or pistol whip, it's going to break bone. Plus, buttstroking and pistol whipping are nice attacks that don't require you to transition between weapons. If Joel charges at Bill while he still has his pistol out, he can just swing. If Bill charges at Joel with an empty gun, Joel has to fumble and put the gun down, then take out his pipe.

Edge: Bill

 Special Weapons: Flamethrower vs. M79 Grenade Launcher:  No contest whatsoever. The flamethrower is heavy, bulky, and will explode if the tank is shot. Plus, it can only be used at very, very close range. The M79 has greater range, greater lethal radius thanks to the shrapnel it'll produce, and it can be reloaded if need be. The flamethrower is nice for a quick burst of flame, but once you use up the fuel in the tanks, it's just dead weight.

Edge: Bill

WINNER: BILL

Bill takes this fight because he's the tougher man. His weapons might not be as new, but they're battle-tested, (with the exception of the M16) reliable, and he's been using them since the 1960's. Joel might be younger, but he doesn't have a huge physicality advantage because Bill is still one fit fighter and he can keep up with his team despite his wounded knee. I believe that it's Bill's longer combat record and the fact that he's still using the same weapons that he always has that will allow him to triumph over Joel. He's the Punisher of the zombie apocalypse world - literally.