User blog comment:So-Pro Warrior/Mass Effect vs. Sci-Fi Tournament: Round 2-Battle 1: Commander Shepard vs. Nathan Hale/@comment-143604-20120730232523


 * Close Range- Commander Shepard. The HE .44 Magnum has some nice surprises, including a powerful kick behind each shot and the explosive traps, but it's not enough to put it on par with the M-3 Predator. The M-3 Predator is much more accurate, has a higher possible rate of fire, has over twice as many rounds and it has a faster reload speed, allowing it to quickly keep firing more rounds than the HE Magnum could ever dream of putting out. The Predator is also designed to penetrate armor more effectively, so it will deal additional damage to Nathan Hale. The HE .44 won't do nearly as much to Shepard unless firing the explosive rounds, and even those have a very limited supply. Overall, Shepard's lighter pistol with greater accuracy, more rounds and a faster reload time will allow him to take the edge here.


 * Mid-Range- Even. The Rossmore 238, unlike the 236, is actually a decent weapon for a firefight, allowing Hale to fire more rounds and unleash his devestating double barrel shot. The biggest problem with the Rossmore is that it's range is, well, video game Shotgun range. Hale is going to have to get up really close to Shepard to use it, and while he does have more shots, he's going to need them to breach the Kinect Barriers of Shepard's armor with an outdated shotgun. M-23 Katana doesn't have those same problems, and while the Rossmore attacks are being forced to punch through effective barriers and tough armor, the Katana is only needed to go through the armor, and that's a much easier prospect, even when you have a few less rounds to fire.


 * Long Range- Shepard. The Bullseye is pretty much the only incredibly effective weapon that Hale is packing, and even then it's only going to work with the Homing Tags. If he doesn't tag Shepard, the incredible low accuracy of the Bullseye's primary fire otherwise will make taking down Hale at long range a much easier prospect. Another problem with the Bullseye is that the actual tag will still be repeled by the Kinetic Barriers unless it is brought down, so as long as Shepard's shields are still up, the Bullseye won't be an effective tool, and if Shepard's shields go down during a long range encounter he can wait a few moments to let them recharge before heading back into the fight, immune to the tags. Hale won't be able to know how Kinetic Barriers work, and by the time he realizes his tags aren't working he will likely have burned through the precious supply of them. Simply put, it may be flashy and one of my favorite weapons in an FPS, but the Bullseye is not nearly as practicle as the much more accurate, armor-piercing, longer range Avenger.


 * Sepcial Weapon- Even. The Black Widow is easily the strongest firearm available in Mass Effect in terms of raw sniping power- the thing is designed as an anti-tank rifle, and one shot is an instant kill on most targets, Hale included. The Black Widow, normally, is venturing into the realm of overkill with three quick anti-tank shots that turn a target into red mist with no trouble at all. Combined with the time-slowing of Adreneline Rush to make it the best damn long range tactic available, but Hale can appear to slow down time himself with the Fareye, and while the bullets of the Fareye are still going to be deflected by Kinetic Barriers for a time, but the faster rate of fire and greater clip size will allow Hale to nullify this edge. Really, this edge is evened out because both warriors can slow down their perception of time to pull the perfect shot, but while Shepard's Black Widow will deal MUCH more damage and is basically a guarenteed kill or crippling blow, the Fareye will be able to deal enough damage to bring down the kinetic barriers and get that kill shot. This will come down to whichever warrior gets the shot first.


 * Deadliest Warrior- Shepard. Shepard's arsenal is more advanced and more useful in most edges, and he dominates the X-Factors, allowing him to defeat Nathan Hale.