User blog comment:El Alamein/Aldo Raine vs. Otto Skorzeny/@comment-4661256-20180201210558

El Alamein's Edges:

 Long Range:  The Gewehr is a good rifle, but because the Basterds have two different options available to them, they have greater flexibility at long range in this fight. The Kar 98's longer range will give them the option of covering fire or opportunities for potential feats of marksmanship, while the M1 Garand will hold its own at more conventional distances. While Skorzeny is outgunned at long range here, it's worth noting that the Basterds will be a little strained logistically as their rifles are firing two distinct cartridges here.

Edge: Aldo Raine

 Mid Range:  Much the same as with the Basterds above, Skorzeny and his commandos will also suffer from logistical strain since the two SMGs are firing different rounds. However, I actually think they have the edge at mid range. This is because, in spite of their logistical disadvantage, the German troops might actually conserve ammo more efficiently. If you look at clips of the Basterds using their MP40s they just hose down their victims with far more ammo than is necessary to kill them. It makes for a great, graphic, cinematic kill, but it's loud and it wastes bullets. So while the MP40 might (debatably) be the superior choice of the three SMGs present, it doesn't make a difference if its operators won't use it effectively.

Edge: Otto Skorzeny

 Close Range:  The pistols function more or less the same here. It's nice that the Basterds have melee weapons, which might have a bit of an intimidation factor against opponents who lack a hand-to-hand weapon of their own, so this gets them a marginal edge, but it's not particularly crucial here.

Edge: Aldo Raine

 Special Weapons:  Easy edge for the grenade. The OSS Pistol is nice for assassinations--and heck, that's what Aldo and his men are here for, right? But realistically speaking, the grenade will have a wider range of practical uses in a fight.

Edge: Otto Skorzeny

WINNER: OTTO SKORZENY

He might not win, but at least I wanted to get my reasoning out there. Yeah, Mussolini is a big dumb fat idiot and everyone likes to make fun of him, so it follows that Aldo Raine (who has already killed Hitler) should be able to off him with relative ease. But the thing is, this isn't Aldo Raine vs. Benito Mussolini. Mussolini is under Skorzeny's protection, and honestly, if I had to be personally protected by someone from WWII while others were trying to kill me, he'd be up there on my list of people to pick. Additionally, though Raine and the Basterds did succeed in killing Hitler, I really feel like this was only because Hans Landa allowed it to happen. They were not particularly stealthy, cultured, or nuanced and they basically bumbled their way into Landa's hands. Granted, this is a straight-up firefight and not a battle where culture or nuance make as much of a difference, but it just goes to show you the quality of warriors we're dealing with here.

So ultimately, do I think that Skorzeny has what it takes to keep Mussolini out of the Basterds' hands? Yeah. One thing to keep in mind is that this isn't even the first time Skorzeny is working with Mussolini. He already rescued him from imprisonment in 1943. But more importantly, Skorzeny is crafty and really, really good at working with the bare minimum available. (The same thing can be said about Aldo, but when it comes to improvisation Skorzeny is capable whereas Aldo bumbles about.) He has an entire castle and mountainside to hide out in, and there's a big battle raging all around. This is just as much a battle of wits as it is a firefight/escort mission, and I honestly can't see Skorzeny being outwitted by someone like Aldo Raine.