User blog comment:Kazanshin/Oda Nobunaga vs Hernan Cortes (Special Battle)/@comment-32516697-20180629191954

Laqy's Edges

Swords: Quality of steel and craftsmanship aside, I think there's a few unique qualities of the espada ropera which put it ahead of the uchigatana. Firstly, its greater length and handguard allow the user to attack from a greater distance whilst protecting their hands. Secondly, like you said, the uchigatana is intended as a backup weapon, while the espada ropera was the primary weapon of the rodeleros, Cortés's majority troop type, meaning the espada's users will have significantly more experience and training with it. The design of the Spanish sword and the skill of its users mean that the conquistadors will have significant advantages if the battle becomes a straight-up swordfight. Edge: Hernán Cortés

Polearms: This is an easy one. The yari is significantly longer, but its advantages end there. The halberd is capable of doing so much more than the yari, with the ability to cut, bludgeon, pierce, and so on, while the yari is stuck with piercing. Most important is the bludgeoning, which gives Cortés's halberdiers a method of getting past armor, something that Oda's pikemen lack. Edge: Hernán Cortés

Firearms: This one is essentially a reversal of the sword comparison. Oda's guns are more advanced technologically, and he was known for using them in innovative ways that wouldn't come to Spain for a good half-century. In both technology and tactics, the arquebusiers get left behind. Edge: Oda Nobunaga

Artillery: Oda's cannons fire heavier rounds and are going to hit harder, simple as that. Mobility would be a more important factor in a larger engagement, but that's not what this battle is. Edge: Oda Nobunaga

Armor: A very slight edge to the Spaniard here. Oda's armor has more layers to make up for the lack of the solid structure the cuirass has, but the ridge on the cuirass will do wonders for deflecting blows, and the Japanese armor doesn't have an equivalent. Neither armor will do too much against gunfire, so that leaves Cortés with the only real advantage. Egde: Hernán Cortés

X-Factors and Conclusion: This was a very hard battle for me to decide. I went back and forth with myself for a while, thinking that Oda wins because of better firearm technology, but Cortés wins because of better armor and polearms, and so on. But in the end, mostly because of the battle's circumstances, I have to give a very hard-fought victory to Hernán Cortés. Oda has much better long range weapons, and he's certainly a better tactician, but this type of match-up doesn't favor such a warrior. Although 20-on-20 is an upgrade from our typical 5-on-5s, it's still a skirmish at relatively close range. The gunmen and artillerymen on both sides will do damage early on, but they will be cut down quickly, and when the fight turns into a no-holds-barred brawl, Cortés with his superior swords, polearms, and armor will help the conquistador of Mexico prevail over the first unifier of Japan. Winner: Hernán Cortés!