User blog comment:Goddess of Despair/King of Kings Round 1: Saladin vs Charlemagne/@comment-4661256-20131128204819

El Alamein's Edges:

 Close Range: Joyeuse vs. Talwar:  Well, the Talwar's longer, allowing for a longer reach, and it's got that nice long slashing sweep that works so well when powered by the momentum of a galloping horse - or a camel, in Saladin's case. But I just read that there will be no horses or chariots or whatever, which is kind of a dumb idea IMO, but I digress. Although Joyeuse does have the capability to slash and stab, and although it's probably going to be more effective against Saladin's armor than the talwar will be against Charlemagne's armor, there's one fatal flaw with this weapons comparison: Joyeuse is one specific weapon. The talwar can be carried by Saladin and his troops - only Charlemagne will be carrying Joyeuse. His army has no swords... apparently.

MONSTER EDGE: SALADIN

 Mid Range: Boar Spear vs. Pike:  The pike is mostly good against mounted warriors, who are - shockingly - absent from this tournament. But it is a good deal longer than the Boar Spear, which will allow Saladin's troops the opening jabs of the mid-range contest. That being said, longer often means more unwieldy, and as the fight gets closer and closer, the Boar Spear will prove to be the superior weapon.

Edge: Charlemagne

 Long Range: Fransisca Throwing Axe vs. Recurve Bow:  No contest. Although the throwing axe is a formidable weapon in its own right, especially in the hands of the Franks, who made it their signature weapon, it does not compete against a true ranged weapon like the bow. The bow can fire from a longer range, is (debatably) more accurate, and most importantly, can be reloaded. Once you throw that axe, it's gone - and in fact, it can be picked up and chucked right back at you. You can't do that with an arrow.

Edge: Saladin

 Tactics: Invasion of Spain vs. Horns of Hattin:  I completely agree with Leo on the whole "war strategy vs. battle strategy doesn't really make sense" analysis, but I have to disagree with him when it comes to giving an edge. Saladin is fighting one battle against Charlemagne, not a war, so his preferred style of fighting as presented in this blog post will give him an enormous advantage. On top of that, Saladin's victory against the Crusaders proves that he can handle a heavily armed and armored European army like Charlemagne's by outmaneuvering them and wearing them down.

Edge: Saladin

WINNER: SALADIN

To be honest, this whole mini-tourney thing seems rather poorly set up, considering there is hardly any tactical input involved and the only thing loosely defining it as a tourney is the bracket system that advances each winner. That being said, Saladin easily trumps Charlemagne here - his advantage at long range and close range (considering Charlemagne's men have no swords) are far too much for the Frankish king to overcome.