User blog comment:MilenHD/Oda Nobunaga vs Chatrapati Shivaji/@comment-422690-20150730141809

Note: I'm only voting because Elgb's weapon edges are so inaccurate it's offensive.

So...

Short: Talwar wins. The Katana is, quite simply, one of the worst swords ever made. That folding process so incredibly mysticised? It was to better distribute the carbon in the steel to get it close to the steel produced in continental Eurasia. The actual metal itself was awful. The design of the sword was awful, as it was a very thick blade suitable only for a draw cut. Very good against unarmored peasants, yes, but terrible even against other samurai. The Talwar, on the other hand, was lighter, longer, faster, more versatile, and made out of better steel.

Mid: Yari wins. The Pata is incredibly difficult to dual-wield due to its construction. It will rip through Nobunaga's armor, but the fact that there's two of them limits its usability greatly. The Yari, on the other hand, is longer and is just as versatile. Spears are equally good at stabbing and slashing, plus that length of pole can do damage.

Bows: Composite Bow wins. The Yumi is a self bow. These have a lot less power and accuracy than the more advanced composite bow design. Further, Shivaji's bow would actually likely have a greater range and power than the Yumi despite its lighter draw weight thanks to the sinews used in the composite construction giving a bit of extra snap to the bow. The final nail in the coffin is that the Yumi is seven feet long. This is fucking massive, and an incredibly poor weapon for a squad-on-squad engagement due to its extremely low maneuverability.

Matchlocks: Indian Matchlock wins. Why? Because they're the bloody same except for the wight. It's a full two pounds lighter, which is less equipment to weigh the warrior down.

Spcial: Katar kills it. It's one of the most maneuverable and agile weapons in history thanks to its design and light weight. This kind of weapon - known as a punching dagger - is capable of far more force than a shortsword due to its design, able to pierce even plate armor with an efficiency a musket would envy. Rather than directing motion through a lengthy chop, it directs it through a jab at a point. This is a far more natural motion, and actually lends to the user being able to defend himself unarmed due to the fact that the Katar is pretty much a pointy brass knuckle. Its shorter length means it doesn't have the same issue dual-wielding as the Pata, allowing for a devastating combo.

As a side note, what armor do you have them using? Is Nobunaga using the standard Samurai armor, made out of the same crappy metal as his swords? Is Shiaji using chainmail? The Coat of 10,000 Nails, which is an inverted brigandine? Do either have a shield?

Overall:

Overall, Chatrapati Shivaji wins. He has the better weapons for this fight, a squad-on-squad match. His guerrilla warfare style (awesomely called the "Shiva Sutra," or the "Rule of the God of Destruction") is further adapted to his weaponry, which is far lighter and more maneuverable than Nobunaga's. Shivaji and his forces will be able to strike, kill, and get away with ease.