User blog comment:SPARTAN 119/Kennyo Kosa vs Hugh Dubh O'Niell/@comment-4661256-20150317175834

El Alamein's Edges:

 Swords: Katana vs. Mortuary Sword:  The Katana's slashing capacity is nearly unrivaled as far as its ability to slice through flesh is concerned. However, against mail or plate armor (it's not explicitly stated that O'Neill is armored but given his time period I'd assume he'd wear at least a cuirass of some sort) that slashing power will be severely reduced. Nonetheless, against unarmored areas it's still highly potent.. The Mortuary sword, on the other hand, is able to both stab and slash, giving it combat versatility. The fact that there is a hand guard only serves to enhance its capacity for success in a sword duel, as it can help mitigate damage done to the hand from an enemy's attack. Ultimately, the mortuary sword's greater combat versatility and the benefit gained from a hand guard give it the edge over the katana.

Edge: Hugh Dubh O'Neill

 Polearms: Yari vs. Pike:  The yari has a much larger blade than the pike (3 feet is pretty substantial) and the crossbar can be useful for disarming foes at a distance or blocking attacks. The pike is long enough to compete with the yari, but its primary role as an anti-cavalry weapon and its lack of a crossbar put it at a distinct disadvantage against the more maneuverable Japanese spear.

Edge: Kennyo Kosa

 Short-Range Firearms: Osutsu vs. Dog-Lock Pistol;  The wide barrel of the Osutsu gives it a greater range of effect, making its dispersal pattern similar to a shotgun (or, as was stated in the blog, a blunderbuss). This makes it far more effective against a larger group of opponents at close range. The fact that it can be loaded with arrows like the Nest of Bees makes it that much more versatile in combat. However, the Dog-Lock pistol does boast a more reliable firing mechanism. Despite that, its single musket ball cannot compare with the sheer volume of fire that can be poured out from the Osutsu, giving the Japanese firearm the edge.

Edge: Kennyo Kosa

 Muskets: Tanegashima vs. Matchlock:  While the Tanegashima has a front sight for "better accuracy," it's still a smoothbore weapon, meaning that the musket ball might not necessarily go where the musketeer wants to put it, even if he's aiming there. What gives the Tanegashima the advantage in my book is the fact that its lacquered wooden box can protect the match from a rainstorm (or, more practically, strong winds or other mild but inopportune weather) that lets it fire in most conditions that the matchlock could not.

Edge: Kennyo Kosa

 Artillery: Swivel Gun vs. Chain-Shot:  Sure, the chain shot is very visually impressive and psychologically terrifying as far as ways to kill people go, but I think many of you are missing two key factors here. Firstly, the swivel gun loads from the rear of the gun, making the reloading process much safer and faster. This lets the weapon have a faster rate of fire than the chain-shot cannon. The other thing is that the blog states that the swivel gun can be loaded "with a single ball or multiple shot." Multiple shot will fire with a similar dispersal pattern as the chain-shot, but given that the chain-shot is an improvised weapon and multiple shot is probably some form of grapeshot or other manufactured munitions, the swivel gun will probably be more reliable too. Easy edge for Kennyo Kosa's gun.

Edge: Kennyo Kosa

WINNER: KENNYO KOSA

Hugh Dubh O'Neill is simply outclassed in this fight. While he does have a marginal advantage as far as close-ranged combat goes, it's by no means definitive - the Katana can still hold its own in a duel when held in the competent hands of a soldier like Kosa. On the other hand, when it comes to firearms the Irish rebel is totally and completely outclassed. The Japanese firearms are more accurate, more devastating, more reliable, and simply more deadly in an all-out firefight. I also believe that Kosa was more successful historically - sure, O'Neill saw more combat over the course of his military career, but his sieges lasted months at most. Kosa endured a siege for a decade - that's a really, really long time to marshal resources and maintain morale and cohesion against a foe that's trying to break down your front door. Kosa's superior weapons and superior generalship lead him to victory in this fight.