User blog:Undead RVD/Battle of the Women of War! Tomoe Gozen vs Boudica



Today, we shall see who is the better warrior of these two battle-ready women! They are Brave! They are Strong! They are willing to kill their enemies by any means!

THIS IS THE BATTLE OF THE WOMEN OF WAR!

Tomoe Gozen, the Rare Woman Samurai, who fought in the Genpei War and proved herself deadlier than almost any other Samurai!

VS

Boudica, The Harsh Queen of the British Iceni tribe, who led an uprising against the Roman Empire and slaughtered many Roman Soldiers!

WHO IS DEADLIEST!

Tomoe Gozen
"Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors."

- The Tale of Heike on Tomoe Gozen

Tomoe Gozen (巴 御前?) (1157?–1247), was a late twelfth-century concubine of samurai general Minamoto no Yoshinaka, as well as a rare female samurai warrior (onna bugeisha), known for her bravery and strength. She is believed to have fought and survived the Genpei War (1180–1185) between the Minamoto and Taira clans.

After defeating the Heike clan and driving them into the western provinces, Minamoto no Yoshinaka (Tomoe's master) took Kyoto and desired to be the leader of the Minamoto clan. His cousin Yoritomo was prompted to crush Yoshinaka, and sent his brothers Yoshitsune and Noriyori to kill him. Yoshinaka fought Yoritomo's forces at the Battle of Awazu on February 21, 1184, where Tomoe Gozen purportedly took at least one head of the enemy. Although Yoshinaka's troops fought bravely, they were outnumbered and overwhelmed. When Yoshinaka was defeated there, with only a few of his soldiers standing, he told Tomoe Gozen to flee because he wanted to die with his foster brother Imai no Shiro Kanehira and he said that he would be ashamed if he died with a woman.

There are varied accounts of what followed. At Battle of Awazu in 1184, she is known for beheading Honda no Moroshige of Musashi. She is also known for having killed Uchida Ieyoshi and for escaping capture by Hatakeyama Shigetada.

After the battle, according to Heike Monogatari or the Tale of Heike, she gave up the sword. It is also said that she was defeated by Wada Yoshimori and became his wife. After Wada died, she was said to have become a nun in Echizen. These different stories are what give the story of Tomoe Gozen its intrigue. She was never proven to have been a historical figure so she could also be an invention of the author of Heike Monogatari. However, the grave of Yoshinaka's other female attendant Yamabuki Gozen does exist and most of the incidents in The Tale of the Heike are believed by historians to be true.

Weapons
Close Range: Tachi Mid Range: Naginata Long Range: Yumi Special: Tanto Armor: Samurai Armor Mount: War Horse
 * A tachi is a long Japanese sword with greater curve and more taper from the hilt. The weapon was about 70-80 cm long and was lighter in weight then the later katana.
 * A Naginata is a Japanese polearm consisting of a long pole about 1.2-2.4 meters in length and a sword blade similar to that of a katana or wakizashi, typically about 30-60 cm in length. The weapon is capable of being used as both a thrusting and a slashing weapon, however, it is often used for making wide slashes in a spinning or turning motion, taking advantage of the weapon's balanced center of mass. It can also be used on horseback.
 * The yumi, or Japanese longbow, is a large bow and arrow that was a favorite of weapon of the Samurai of feudal Japan. The weapon holds the distinction of being the longest bow in the world, longer even than the English Longbow. The bow is typically about two meters in length, longer than the archer is tall. The yumi is traditionally made from a composite of wood and bamboo. The traditional wood and bamboo construction, combined with its great length, allows the bow to store large amounts of energy on the draw and release it with great force, giving a range of over 100 meters in the hands of a skilled archer.
 * A Tanto is a Japanese dagger with a blade of about 15-30 centimeters in length. The weapon has a straight, typically single-edged blade with he cutting edge curving up to the point.
 * Samurai armor is made of iron and steel, and protects the head, torso, arms (forearm, bicep and shoulder) and legs (shin and caffs).
 * Tomoe will be on a warhorse in this fight as she was said to be deadly both on foot and on steed.

Boudica
Boudica was the queen of Celtic tribes who led a rebellion against the Roman Empire. After the death of her husband Prasutagas, the Roman Empire seized her kingdom's lands. Much is not known of her background except that she was born with royal blood and was exceptionally intelligent. In the year 60, Boudica staged her first revolt with the help of her dead husband's people, the Iceni, and other tribesmen. They raided colonies and settlements, wreaking havoc and inspiring fear into the hearts of Roman citizens and soldiers. Roman governor Suetonis feared the raging tribal warriors and abandoned Londinium, a major colony which is home to the future London. Boudica and her warriors slaughtered many. Her kill count rises above 70,000. However, Suetonis helped defend the remaining Roman provinces by gathering whatever force he had and routed Boudica and her troops. The queen did not want to succumb to defeat and humiliation, so she killed herself. It is argued what was the cause of her death, many argue she took poison, others state that she died by her own sword, while scholars believe she died of old age or disease.

Weapons
Close Range: Celtic Sword Mid Range: Lancea Long Range: Sling Special: Pugio Armor: Wooden Shield, Leather Body Armor and Iron Helmet Mount: Chariot
 * The Celtic Long Sword was around three feet in length, with a straight, double-edged iron blade. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus descriped the Celtic swords as being "as long as the javelins of other peoples." The hilt had a very small guard, a single-handed grip, and (most noticeably) two backward-curving quillons near the pommel. The Celtic long sword was primarily a slashing weapon, as the rounded tip was ill-suited for thrusting and stabbing.
 * The Lancea is a 9-foot ash pole mounted with a 14-inch spearhead. The spearhead had a wavy pattern, which reduced friction and allowed it to penetrate more deeply into the body, and to cause more trauma when it hit.
 * The sling is simply two cords (in this case, braided wool) attached to a small pouch. One of the cords ends in a loop which fits over the finger, while the other ends in a knot which is held. The projectiles used were most commonly stones, or sometimes lead weights.
 * The Pugio was a dagger used by Roman soldiers as a sidearm. It seems likely that the Pugio was intended as an auxiliary weapon, but its exact purpose to the soldier remains unknown.
 * Bodica did not utilize heavy armor and rather used a wooden shield, that doubled as a source of protection and a bashing weapon, leather body armor that provided some protection and an iron helmet.
 * Celtic warriors would use chariots in their combat with the Romans as it allowed them to move fast and be hard to stop.

X-Factors (TGvBD)
Tomoe Gozen vs Boudica

75 Physicality 85

Boudica was a large woman of her time and could handle a fight pretty well. Tomoe is pretty tough but she is likely smaller than Boudica

90 Finesse 80

Much like the Samurai, Tomoe is very fast and agile. Boudica is an Celtic and relies on her size and strength over agility.

90 Training 80

The Samurai are well known for being highly well trained warriors and can utilize both strength, speed and endurance. Boudica is Celtic and the Celts are much more savage than the Samurai. Their training likely would reflect it.

90 Brutality 99

The Samurai are to show no mercy and kill without fear. Same goes for the Celts. Boudica gets the win though for the act of luring a Roman army into an empty city and burnt it down with them trapped in it, killing several Roman soldiers.

100 Fearlessness 100

Both are not afraid to die. Tomoe is just like the Samurai and would commit suicide over surrender and capture. Boaudica and her daughters committed suicide before the Roman Army could capture them.

89 Experience 74

Boudica's lasted a little less than a year, giving her a limited amount of combat experience. Tomoe had fought and survived the Genpei War, which lasted from 1180 to 1185, granting her at least 5 years of combat, though she likely took part in other conflicts before as she was a samurai warrior before the conflict. Another thing that gives Tomoe the edge is that she took survived the Genpei War while Boudica died at the end of her revolt.

Who: the Warriors
Tomoe will be joined by 5 Samurai warriors. Boudica will be joined by 5 Celtic warriors.

Why: the Reason
No in-depth conflict for this one. Just two sides fighting.

Battle
To Be Written....