User blog:LB&SCR/Sam Houston vs. Simon Bolivar



Nations tend to be born and forged in fire, blood, sweat and tears. Whether or not said nation will last has yet to be seen. Some men build nations, some men tear nations down. Today, we take a look at two of great nation builders of the modern world: Simon Bolivar, the man who led Venuzuela to independence, and then conquered Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia (though it wasn't called Bolivia then) and led them to independence as an 'independent fiefdom;" and Sam Houston, the man who led Texas to become an independent nation despite having almost all the odds against him. When these two men and their troops butt heads, which one will emerge as the Deadliest Warrior!? Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco, commonly known as  Simón Bolívar  was a Venezuelan military and political leader. Together with José de San Martín, he played a key role in Hispanic-Spanish America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire, and is today considered one of the most influential politicians in Latin American history. Following the triumph over the Spanish Monarchy, Bolívar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Hispanic-America, a republic, which was named Gran Colombia, and of which he was president from 1819 to 1830. Bolívar remains regarded in Hispanic-America as a hero, visionary, revolutionary, and liberator.

Weapons

 * -| Rifle =

Baker Rifle




 * Weight: 9 lbs
 * Length: 45.75 in
 * Cartridge: .625
 * Fire Rate: 2 rounds a minute
 * Effective Range: 200 yards
 * -| Musket =

Brown Bess




 * Weight: 10.5 lbs
 * Length: 58.5 in
 * Cartridge: .68
 * Fire Rate: 3-4 rounds a minute
 * Effective Range: 50-100 yards
 * -| Cannon =

8-pound cannon




 * Weight: 2000< lbs
 * Round Weight: 8 lbs
 * Barrel Length: 72 inches
 * Rounds: Round shot, grapeshot
 * -| Melee =

Bolivar's Saber




 * Length: about 3 feet
 * -| Special =

Grenade




 * Weight: about 2 lbs
 * Size: about that of a baseball

Sam Houston


Samuel 'Sam' Houston was an American Politician and Military leader, best known for bring Texas about as an independent nation, and for his role of convincing the people of the Nation of Texas to eventually join the US. He was governer of Tennessee, and later the First and Third President of Texas (two non-sequential bouts in office). When Texas joined the US, he became a senator and then Governer of Texas, the only person to have been governer of two states by popular election, and the only person to have been the head of state in a foreign nation to be elected governer of a state.

A veteran of the War of 1812, Houston led Texas to independence again General Santa Anna in the Texas Revolution. When the Civil War broke out, he was Governer of Texas, and actually refused to allow his state to succeed from the Union, and was kicked out of office. He was then offered a position to go and put down the Confederacy, but to avoid having to cause more bloodshed, he retired to Huntsville and died there in 1863.

Weapons

 * -| Rifle =

Kentucky Rifle




 * Weight: 7-10 lbs
 * Length: 54-70 in
 * Cartridge: .68
 * Fire Rate: 2-3 rounds a minute
 * Effective Range: 200+ yards
 * -| Musket =

US Model 1816




 * Weight: 10 lbs
 * Length: 58 in
 * Cartridge: .69
 * Fire Rate: 3-4 rounds a minute
 * Effective Range: 100-200 yards (depends upon User experience)
 * -| Cannon =

6-pound cannon




 * Weight: 1200 lbs
 * Round weight: 6 lbs
 * Rounds: Solid Shot, Grapeshot
 * -| Melee =

Houston's Saber




 * Length: 3 feet
 * -| Special =

Kentucky Pistol




 * Weight: 3-5 lbs
 * Range: 25 yards

X-Factors
As a leader of basically an army of conscripts against a professional army, Sam Houston borrowed a lot of his tactics from another man in his shoes: George Washington. Houston knew his conscripts couldn't stand up against Santa Anna's army, so he did his best to spread out the enemies (almost non-existant) supply lines, and then made an attack at San Jacinto. Simon Bolivar also had an army of conscripts, but used his troops in a way other than almost continuous strategic retreat: quick hit-and-run attacks on the enemy, tiring them out.

Sam Houston was constantly doubted and disliked by the officers under his command, but he reason for this doubt wasn't really about ability, it was that Houston would not engage the enemy. Houston knew that he could not engage Santa Anna if he wanted to win. They did eventually learn to semi-trust Houston, and they had enough confidence, and rage to go and win the victory at San Jacinto. Simon Bolivar was relatively liked by the men under his command, and was even able to create his own nation, Gran Columbia. Still, he couldn't stop it from falling apart ten years after it's founding.

Sam Houston's troops were conscripts, only that. No real formal training at all. He was in the same position that George Washington had been put in when he assumed command of the Continental Army. Yet, he still managed to defeat an army that was about three times larger than his was with an army of conscripts. Simon Bolivar had the same problem, with about the same odds. Yet, Simon Bolivar eventually had to create a Foreign Legion to fight for him, something he found was in the interest of about 30,000 recently discharged British Troops.

Sam Houston was a veteran of the War of 1812. As a first Lieutenant in the US Army, he fought at the Battle of Horsehoe Bend. He took part in the bayonet charge on Indian fortifications in the battle, and was one of the first to break through the Native American fortifications, only to recieve an arrow to the leg, a wound that would trouble him for the rest of his life. Not to mention that Houston also took part in a few front-line actions during the Revolution too, being wounded at San Jacinto. Meanwhile, Simon Bolivar has about 14 years of military experience. He freed several nations, and made them into one super nation in South America. He freed Venuzuela and several nations in South America. He also fought the French in Spain, against Napoleon, doing his part in retaking part of Spain from Napoleon. Though, unlike Houston, Simon Bolivar had other General's working alongside him the entire way.

Sam Houston fought mainly only in Texas, and in Horsehoe Bend, Alabama during the War of 1812. That, and in all, he only has about six years of military experience overall. Simon Bolivar has fought in Spain, and all over South America. That, and he has the overall 14 years of military experience. That does not count the time that either man spent leading the nations that they founded.

General Notes

 * 1) The specials are they way they are because as a kinda half-militia army, Sam Houston's men tended to carry as much weaponry as they could into battle.
 * 2) Sam Houston and Simon Bolivar will both be on Horseback.
 * 3) I chose pictures from the documentary series Texas Rising to represent Sam Houston.
 * 4) Bayonets are available.

Voting Notes

 * 1) Please give me either edges or a paragraph as of why one person would beat the other.
 * 2) I would also prefer, if given in the edges format, that at least two sentences are used for each edge.