User blog comment:Cfp3157/The Light of Apocalypse's Dawn: Woodbury Army vs. Fireflies/@comment-4661256-20150317212111

El Alamein's Edges:

 Bladed: Machete vs. Bowie Knife:  Both of these weapons are excellent as far as melee combat goes. The Machete is, obviously, longer, which can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how you look at it. Sure, the closer you get, the more that the Machete's length works against it, but that goes for literally any weapon too. As a hacking weapon, the Machete's length will help it get the first strike in, and its ability to cut through sugar cane and bamboo and other thick foliage translates quite well to severing limbs. The Bowie knife, on the other hand, is slightly more combat practical and can be thrown in the hands of a highly skilled individual (though I doubt that the Woodbury soldiers will be this skilled). It's also the superior stabbing weapon, and will undoubtedly fare better in a close-quarters fight. Ultimately, both weapons have their ups and downs - it depends on the person using it and the luck of the draw as to who wins here.

Edge: Even

 Secondary Melee: Hatchet vs. Baseball Bat:  Though the baseball bat is longer and can deliver some traumatically punishing blows through repeated strikes, I have to side with the hatchet here. The blade on the end of the axe will cut deep into flesh and cause more deadly injuries than will the bat, while still delivering the same blunt trauma thanks to its angular momentum.

Edge: Fireflies

 Handguns: Colt Defender vs. Beretta 92SB:  The Beretta has almost double the Colt's magazine capacity (15 rounds vs. 8 rounds), which makes all the difference in a protracted firefight. Since both guns fire the same round, it really comes down to the fact that when the Fireflies run out and have to switch magazines, the Woodbury troops can keep laying down fire and suppressing their foes.

Edge: Woodbury Army

 Revolvers: Taurus vs. Colt:  The Taurus has one more round per cylinder than does the Colt (7 rounds vs. 6), and its .357 round will deliver far more damage to its intended target than will the Colt's .38 round. They're both double action though, which is nice, since it basically functions the same as a semi-automatic pistol as far as rate of fire is concerned.

Edge: Fireflies

 Submachine Guns: AK74u vs. MP5k:  The AK74u, as an assault rifle carbine, will end up having more range and accuracy than the MP5 thanks to its longer barrel. Its 5.56 rounds will cause far more damage than the MP5's dinky 9mm rounds. Sure, the MP5's 900 rds/min are insanely fast and beat out the AK's 650 rds/min, but if left uncontrolled it can also burn through ammo much more quickly. The AK74u is the superior weapon at all ranges.

Edge: Fireflies

 Assault Rifle 1: M16A4 vs. Steyr AUG:  The AUG's bullpup design offers greater maneuverability thanks to a shortened weapon length without having to compromise the length of the barrel (and therefore, range and accuracy). It also has a more manageable rate of fire than does the M16A4, but the A4 variant of the M16 has the added benefit of being accompanied by a foregrip (which stabilizes the weapon while firing) and a Picatinny rail, which gives the weapon the option of having attachments mounted along the barrel (such as an underbarrel grenade launcher, flashlight, laser sight, etc). However, since the Fireflies are not explicitly stated to have any attachments, I will assume they have none. This is a close comparison, but I think that the M16A4 still takes the edge thanks to a greater effective firing range (600 m effective and 800 m max vs. the AUG's 300 m) and its greater combat versatility with the foregrip.

Edge: Fireflies

 Assault Rifle 2: Galil vs. AK-47:  Interestingly enough, the design of the Galil borrows heavily from the AK-47, and in doing so, manages to be a superior weapon. The AK-47's effective firing range of 350 m is substantially lower than the Galil's 500 m maximum effective range, allowing the Fireflies to open fire on the Woodbury soldiers first as the fight moves into the medium range. It's also designed with a more military grade in mind (whereas the AK-47 is often mass-produced and cheap), allowing the Galil to have a superior combat record.

Edge: Fireflies

 Battle Rifles: Ruger Mini 14 vs. M14:  The Ruger's .223 Remington round is basically a NATO 5.56 equivalent, which is smaller than the M14's 7.62 round. The 7.62 will simply do more damage to its target than the 5.56 (or .223). The M14's maximum effective range of 460 m (500 yards) is substantial, and although I cannot find a definitive answer on the official range of the Ruger, some sources indicate its effective range to be around 150 m. Either way, range advantage or not, the larger caliber of the M14 gives it the edge.

Edge: Woodbury Army

 Bows: Recurve Bow vs. Longbow:  The barbed arrows of the recurve bow will cause more damage upon extraction, although the longbow will probably have more range. Either way, I don't see these weapons as having too big of an impact on the overall outcome of the fight.

Edge: Even

WINNER: FIREFLIES

The Governor and his Woodbury Army are simply outclassed in this fight when it comes to effective assault weapons. Since the Fireflies can open fire at longer ranges with more accurate weapons, they can pin down the Woodbury Army and keep them right where they want them, dominating the battle space. On top of that, with stronger leadership and combat experience ratings, the Fireflies will be more prepared for combat against a competent foe, unlike the Woodbury Army, who disintegrate when an opponents holds its ground. The Fireflies are packing better weapons and have a stronger warrior mentality, so they will win this fight.