User blog comment:Urbancommando77/Hannibal Barca vs Alexander the great/@comment-2006360-20111117122331

Thornclaw's Thorny Edges:

Swords: The Falcata is longer and more effective. Edge: Barca

Spears: The Xyston isn't as clumsy; the sarissa is only good in massed numbers. Edge: Alexander

Long Range: The Gastraphetes takes longer to reload, but Hannibal's only got maybe 3 or 4 soliferrums. Note that the Gastraphetes was only used experimentally by Alexander at the Siege of Tyre, and never again. Edge: Alexander

Special: A bladed weapon vs. martial arts. Pfft. Edge: Barca

Heavy: The Ballista isn't that good in a squad vs. squad battle, but it can take down an elephant if fired accurately. Edge: Alexander

Armor: Hannibal has the extension of the shield. Edge: Barca

X-Factor: Neither of these are good at all, I;d be specific. Hannibal had a sworn enmity of the Romans and also was successful at negotiations: He convinced the wavery Numidians to send a group of cavalry to aid him in his expedition, and he also got the Gauls to join him as well. When pretty much all the elephants died crossing the Alps, as well as many soldiers and horses, Hannibal offered to discharge many soldiers, but since they were already in Roman territory, all refused and continued to join him. Hannibal was also one of the first generals to use the famed "pincer formation", to envelop the enemy and make them think that he had more soldiers than expected, since for the most part, Hannibal was actually outnumbered.

Meanwhile, Alexander used many different soldiers to win his way: sarissa-bearing pikemen, allied hoplites, Companion Cavalry, captured Persian mercenaries, and even owned a corps of over 500 war elephants (he never got to use them, however). He also captured a good deal of Persian scythed chariots at Gaugamela. Alexander's strategy of fixing the enemy infantry with his pikemen, distracting the enemy right flank with his left flank, and then charging straight into the heart of the enemy army with his Companions was revolutionary, dangerous, but incredibly effective, as seen at both Issus and Gaugamela. Actually, Alexander didn't take over Greece; his father did, and Alexander finished the job by putting down a revolt in Thebes and completely destroying the city. After that, all the Greek cities joined him except Sparta.

THE DEADLIEST WARRIOR IS...Hannibal Barca! His more practical style of warfare, his trickery, and the fact that he's got a shield will help him in this EXTREMELY CLOSE battle.