User blog:Kingjofferyjr/Landsknecht vs Rajput Warrior



In this battle two of the most fierce and feared warriors of their time will take eachother on in a head to head battle to prove who is...THE DEADLIEST WARRIOR.

The Landsknecht
The Landsknecht were found in 1486 by the Holy Roman emperor Maximilian I who needed an infantry force to be a match for elite Swiss pikemen. At first they proved loyal to the king as but soon became a mercenary force who took pleasure in looting and fighting. They gained a fearsome reputation on battlefielfds through the 15th and 16th centuries. They were of the most part German, however some could be hailed from as far as Scotland. They were tasked with training men of up to 4000 strong over a long period of time, soon turning them into a professional fighting force. While disciplined and courageous in battle, they were known to take up mutiny if they were not paid. They are probably most famous for the Sack of Rome in 1527 in which they began to murder, punder and burn everything after Charles V was unable to fund them. They occupied the city for 9 months, refusing to move until they were payed.

Weapons
The Crossbow was used in battle by the Landknechts to defend their phalanx of pikemen and although it was not considered their signature weapon, they often trained with it for combat and for hunting. It weighed abut 3 kilograms and could fire a bolt up to 300 metres but it was not accurate over distances exceeding 70 metres unless used by an expert. A Landsknecht was capable of firing 3-4 bolts a minute

The Halberd is constantly shown in popular culture as the the signature weapon of German/Swiss forces and the Landsknecht were no exception. Although quite heavy and long, the Landsknecht wre greatly skilled in its use being able to handle it in close quarters with great effect. When in battle it would have been used in a similar way to that of the spears in a Greek phalanx, however the axe like blade alowed infantry to slash as well as stab. When the phalanx broke, it was dropped in favour of a sword although men at the back of the phalanx could continue to stab and swipe at enemie in the front.



The German broadsword was only used by the richest Landsknecht warriors. It was used in very close quarter battle when their halberd was lost or broken and the enemies started to swarm.

The Two Handed Great Parade Sword was feared by all who fought agaist it. It weighed over 4 kilograms and was used to rain heavy blows on heavily armoured soldiers when lighter weapons could not penetrate. Only the strongest and most skilled soldiers could use it effectively.

The Rajput Warrior
Rajput soldiers were members of many of the different warrior groups in Pakistan and parts of India. They were greatly feared by other soldiers because of their fierce nature and skill. They have experienced years of war by living on the frontline in wars against Arabs, Turks and Mongols. As the knights of their region, they were not just simple lords. They were considered a 'Martial Race', meaning that they had a strong build and were tough enough to fight. They trained vigorously in both armed and unarmed combat since they boys and considered other forms of education to be insignificant to a warrior. Most spent their time outside of war by hunting, horseriding and sword fighting to keep up their skills.

Weapons
The Chakram was a disc shaped throwing weapon used extensively by the Rajput warriors. It was usually thrown vertically to avoid hitting allies at the sides and because of its design, it was not deflected by the wind allowing it to be thrown very accurately. Its sharp edges were effective at penetrating very light armour and exposed flesh when thrown from close range and could also be used in hand to hnad, making it more practical than a bow and arrow in the thick of battle.



The Aara was a whip like sword used in the Indian martial art, Kalaripayattu. It was a difficult weapon to use as it could be dangerous for both the enemy and the user so it was only given to the most skilfull students. Although it lacks the ability to kill an armoured enemy, it can be used to disarm and induce severe pain and dishearten an opponent.

The Khanda is a heavy Indian sword used in close quarter battle. With a blunt tip, it was not used for thrusting but for hacking and slicing. Its weight and butcher knife like design allowed it to cut deep into flesh with little effort. It was wielded with both hands and swung over the head when the used was swarmed by the enemy in a last stand position. A small metal spike at the end could be used to stab downwards on an enemies head if they got to close to swipe.

The Katar was used in very close quarter battle when the enemies were right on top of a warrior. It was used in a punching motion but could be used to slash. It exerted 200 pounds of power, enough to break through ribs and armour. It is described as the ancestor of the hidden blade.

The Factors
Strength-The Rajput warrior was trained since they were a child in martial arts which incorparates strength and conditioning from an early. Even the British described them as having the 'fighting build'

Speed-The Rajput would be weighed down by his armour while the Landsknecht would be slightly more lithe in build, being able to wield long weapons with speed and agility

Skill-While the Landsknecht were skilled with their own weapons, the Rajput was trained since childhood. He would have been able to wield a variety of weapons with great skill

Intelligence-The Landsknecht were tactically minded soldiers who were capable of training thousands of soldiers and using them effectively on the battlefield. They were effectively warrior commanders.

Determination-The Rajput warrior fought only for his leader, family and home while the Landsknecht were only driven by money. The Rajput would fight until he died while the Landsknecht would fight until his funds ran dry.

Voting
To vote you must give a weapon edge for each weapon with atleast three sentences on why the weapon is more effective than the other. You must also write a minimum five line paragraph on why the edges help the warrior to win. Votes will only count if they have good grammar, spelling and have the minimum content required or more. Voting ends on the 27th of August. If it is a tie at the end only user votes will count, if it is still a tie it will remain a tie.

The battle will take place in the Arunachal Pradesh forest in India. No home advantage will be given and the enviroment will not have any huge effect on the outcome of the battle.