User blog:SPARTAN 119/Boshin War Imperialist vs Ethiopian Warrior (circa 1896)

The Boshin War Imperialist, the coalition of ex-samurai who brought about the modernization of Japan

VS

The Ethiopian warriors who fought off an Italian invasion using rifles and machine guns purchased from the Russians in 1896.

WHO IS DEADLIEST!?

=Combatants=

Boshin War Imperialist
The Boshin War was a civil war in Japan fought for 1868-1869 between the forces of the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate and the Imperialist forces, consisting of armies from southern Japan under Emperor Meiji and a number of other samurai and nobles. The Imperialist forces were generally better equipped with modern weaponry, while the Shogunate forces had a combination of modern rifles and outdated Tanegashima muskets, wooden cannon, and other outdated weapons. This contributed to the final victory of the Imperial forces.

Ethiopian Warrior
The Ethiopian people are notable for remaining an independent kingdom through the period of European colonization. This independence was affirmed in the First Italo-Ethiopian War took place from 1895-1896. During that period, Ethiopia succeeded in repelling the Italian invasion and maintaining its independence, the only African country to do so in the late 19th century. The Ethiopians under Menelik II achieved this by purchasing modern arms such as rifles and Maxim machine guns from foreign countries, including Russia. After decisively defeating the Italians at the battle of Adwa, the Italians signed the Treaty of Addis Abada, officially recognizing Ethiopian independence. The British and French recognized Ethiopia soon afterwards. Unfortunately, the Italians would later return in 1935 under dictator Benito Mussolini, and successfully invade Ethiopia, whose military arsenal had by that time become outdated- the Ethiopians had only about three aircraft and three tanks, and some of the infantry carried nothing but spears. This holds the dubious distinction as one of the few military victories of Fascist Italy. =Weapons=

Katana (Boshin)
The Katana is a curved, single edged sword originating from Japan, and are one of the nation's most iconic weapons. Originally used by the Samurai of Feudal Japan, the weapon has also come to be commonly known as a "Samurai Sword". The length of the blade is often somewhere between 60 to 73 centimeters in length. The metal of the blade is created from Tamahagane, a hard, high carbon steel for the cutting edge and sides, and the tough, low carbon steel for the core and back, giving the blade a hard edge, while allowing it to absorb blows without shattering. The gentle curvature of the blade adds to the weapons cutting power by focusing the force of the blow on a smaller area. This curve is achieved during quenching: the sword maker coats the blade with several layers of a wet clay slurry, putting a much thinner layer on the front of the blade. When the blade is thrust in water, the front of the blade cools more quickly and hardens, while the slower cooling in the back of the blade reduces lattice strain on the spine, causing the blade to curve backwards. The Katana was not designed at all for penetrating armor. It was designed to make quick and decisive slashes at weak points in armor. Specifically the throat. This required extreme speed and accuacy to wield.

Shotel (Ethiopian)
A shotel is an Ethiopian flat, doubled-edged curved sword. The blade is capable of being used for standard slashing and thrusting attacks, as well as for more advanced techniques such as using the weapon as a hook to pull men off horseback or using the hook shape to thrust around a shield.

119's Edge
The katana is a longer and probably sharper, but the shotel is highly versatile. Even.

Smith and Wesson No. 2 Army (Boshin)
The Smith and Wesson Army is a six-shot .32-caliber revolver using metal rimfire cartridges. Unlike previous revolvers such as the Colt 1860 Army, the round, precussion cap, and ball are combined into a metal cartridge.

Nagant Revolver (Ethiopian)
The Nagant is a Belgian-designed handgun adopted by the Russian Army in 1895. The weapon was a 7.62x38mm revolver with a double action for faster firing. The weapon has a gas seal to seal in gases when firing and increase the muzzle velocity.

119's Edge
The Ethiopian's Nagant for its double action and gas seal to increase muzzle velocity.

Dreyse "Needle Gun" (Boshin)
The Dreyse Model 1841 "Needle Gun" is a Prussian breech-loading single-shot rifle, the first to use a bolt-action to open the breach. The weapon earned the name "Needle Gun" for the firing mechanism. The weapon used a paper cartridge with a percussion cap on the back of the bullet. When the trigger was pulled, a needle pierced the paper cartridge, striking the percussion cap and firing the weapon. Ten to twelve rounds per minute could be fired by a trained user, and the weapon had a range of up to 600 meters. The weapon fired a 15.4mm, roughly acorn-shaped ball.

Berdan Rifle (Ethiopian)
The Berdan is a US-designed rifle used by the Russian Empire. For the purposes of this match, the Ethiopian will the have the Berdan II, a bolt-action single shot version of the rifle (the original used a trapdoor mechanism). The weapon fired a 10.75mm round with a maximum effective range of 284 meters.

119's Edge
The Boshin Imperialist's Dreyse Needle Gun for its longer range.

Gatling Gun (Boshin)
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. Designed by the American inventor Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861 and patented in 1862. The weapon featured multiple revolving barrels with gravity feed, firing up to 400 rounds per minute. Gatling wrote that he created it to reduce the size of armies and so reduce the number of deaths by combat and disease, and to create a weapon so deadly as to show how futile war is. Needless to say, Dr. Gatling failed in his intended purpose, with the gun sparking an arms race in rapid fire weapons, with the Gatling being used in limited numbers by the Union Army in the American Civil War, as well as in the Boshin War in Japan, The North-West Rebellion in Canada, the Spanish-American War and various European colonial conflicts.

Maxim Gun (Ethiopian)
The Maxim Gun was the world first true fully automatic machine gun, designed in 1884 by Hiram Maxim. The variants of the gun were produced by numerous European countries and used to crush native forces in the conquest of Africa. The weapons were, however, also used by Ethiopians, who successfully fought back against colonialism with captured or purchased modern weapons, including Maxims. The various Maxim designs, such as the British Vickers and German Spandau went on to see service in World War I, where they were responsible for millions of deaths in the trenches of the Western Front. Maxim-style weapons saw limited use in WWII, and were phased out entirely by the 1950s. The Maxim had a rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute.

119's Edge
The Ethiopian's Maxim Gun for its superior rate of fire, and lighter weight. =X-Factors=

Explanations
The Boshin War Imperialists take the edge in training as their armies were trained in western military doctrines and the use of modern weapons by military advisors, mainly from Britain, while the Ethiopians were mainly peasant militia. However, the Ethiopians take tactics, as they placed their troops for a tactical advantage, for instance, on the side of mountains at the battle of Adwa, firing down on the Italians below. The Ethiopians also take weapons for their more advanced armaments, as well as their a slight edge in experience, as they faced a more modern, well trained opponent, the Italian Army.