User blog comment:Kazanshin/Powerhouses of the East: Samurai vs Song Soldier/@comment-35680048-20191229162706

Tybaltcapulet's "Well well well, if it isn't Kazzy with a Samurai battle" Edges:

Close Range: I think the Shǒudāo takes this one. Both swords are generally the same length, and while the Tachi can actually do more than chopping with an actual tip for thrusting and slashing, but the sheer power of the Shǒudāo really outweighs that when it can just ignore armor. The Tachi is a fine weapon, but I doubt it's gonna do a lot against the heavy armor of the Song compared to its Chinese counterpart.Edge:Song Cataphract

Mid Range: You might want to provide the total length you're using for the Naginata, as right now all I know is the blade size. I know that Naginata's can come in various sizes, and that could really influence my decision here. But as for the weapons themselves and how they're applied in battle, I think I prefer the Naginata. From I can see of these two, the Naginata can pretty much do what the Qūdāo can but better, being able to stab, slash, and batter one's opponent, and much more fluidly than the more slash centered Qūdāo which can certainly pull off a thrust, but isn't really designed to do so. But I will wait for the length that you're using for the Naginata before I make a final decision, as that is a rather important component here Edge:Undecided

Long Range: A crossbow on horseback... No less heavy cavalry in this instance. Yeah I'm not liking the Nǔ. Sure it's got fantastic range and power, but there's one issue here. It's slow as all hell in comparison to the Yumi. And this is amplified by the fact that again, they're on horseback, which makes it harder to fire any type of bow, but is even worse with the already long reload process of a crossbow. At least with the Yumi, it can be used relatively quickly. And Samurai were known to be very skillful with their bows, employing a variety of tactics that they were well trained in. I don't even think the Song will use the Nǔ very much, as their fighting style as Cataphracts doesn't really involve using it. I feel they're much more likely to close the gap so that they can barrel into an enemy a la Byzantine Cataphract style (aka like a freight train). So the Yumi takes this for being quicker, more reliable, and just being much more likely to be utilized.Edge:Samurai

TBC