User blog comment:Leolab/User Siege Tourney, Round 39 of 50: Leolab (Lloyd) v Redkite (Markus)/@comment-4661256-20140121235935

El Alamein's "Catapaults, Battering Rams, and Diseases" Edges::

Attacker:
 Overrun Castle:  I see this as likely given that Markus' grand defense strategy consists of a halfhearted archer defense coupled with a camp-behind-the-castle-door turtling which only welcomes a break-in. Lloyd's army is far more versatile in its approach to combat - the sappers strike me as most potent, as Markus has no immediate counter to their underground assaults, but the ladder troops, battering rams, trebuchets, etc. will seriously hamper the defenders up on the towers and ramparts, especially when all they have for defense are arrows - and especially when the archers are taking receiving fire from Lloyd's crossbowmen themselves. Ultimately, Markus' dig-in-and-hope-for-the-best is no match for Lloyd's active assault.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

 Force Surrender:  This isn't as likely, given that Markus has one of the highest (if not the highest... my memory fails me here) loyalty scores in the tournament. Even if his men are fighting a doomed battle, they will stick with their commander to the brutal and bloody end, ensuring that this siege in particular will be more violent and costly than any of those seen yet.

Edge: Markus Thaowan

Defender:
 Force Surrender:  Same as above - although Lloyd's loyalty score isn't quite as high as Markus' it's still up there. Lloyd's troops are going to be pumped up for this fight, and his versatility in attacking and strong, organized, and disciplined unit cohesion will really make it impossible for Markus to weaken the will of his foes.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

 Annihilate Attacker:  The only way I see this as possible is if Markus chooses to leave the safety of his fortifications - the archers up on the walls will be dangerous, but hardly a sufficient force to stem the tide of Lloyd's assaulting army. Markus' men camping behind the fortress door are pretty much useless, and in the crowded and savage melee that is sure to follow it will already be too late for Markus and his men. Alternately, if he chooses to engage Lloyd as quickly as possible, Lloyd's more organized units will make mincemeat of Markus' well-equipped but poorly-organized hordes.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

 Survive for Four Months:  I just don't see this as possible either. While Markus might be able to contentedly camp in his fortress when defending against a weaker, less capable general, Lloyd will make life hell if Markus chooses a policy of passive defense. Lloyd actively targets supply lines, making it extremely easy for Markus' men to be cut off from vital supplies like ammunition, medicine, food, etc. Meanwhile, the archers themselves are, as I have stated repeatedly above, vastly insufficient to hold out for four months against the full force of Lloyd's army. Markus will either be starved out or caved in if he tries to turtle for a full four months.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

Single Combat:
 Close Range: Talwar & Axe vs. Short Sword & Tower Shield:  The classic sword-n-shield combo will give Markus excellent protection in close combat, allowing him to push through heavy blows and take the advantage in an up-close-and-personal fight. Lloyd's Talwar sword is longer, yes, but that makes it less effective in extremely close combat, and I don't see the Talwar getting past the tower shield. His axe may be of a bit more help here - assuming it can either deliver punishing blows through the shield or else get around it and hook it out of Markus' hands, Lloyd may be able to disarm his foe and take advantage of the longer range of the Talwar. Both weapons have their ups and downs in this comparison, but I believe that Markus' straightforward combo of solid defense and simple offense are better suited for a one-on-one.

Edge: Markus Thaowan

 Mid Range: Halberd vs. Pike:  Pikes are okay weapons in army-on-army fights against cavalry, but in a one-on-one against another footsoldier who is actively targeting you, I see its length becoming cumbersome and its accuracy diminishing - especially so with a wooden shaft, which can be broken quite easily by a decently-powerful blow. The halberd is still long without being unwieldy, and its multipurposed blade-spear-hook-combo allows it to be used against a variety of foes in a variety of armor types. This is a case where versatility does get the edge.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

 Long Range: Poisoned Composite Bow vs. Bow and Arrow:  The composite bow is superior to a simple bow because of its greater draw, and therefore greater stopping power - combined with armor-piercing arrows, I see this punching holes through Markus with each successful hit. Lloyd's special "Boomslang Venom" carries with it a host of incredibly unsavory side effects, and that will only make things worse for Markus. As Leo puts it: "May cause: nausea, dizziness, hallucinations, delirium, uncontrollable bleeding, cardiac arrest, and/or comas. Handle with care." A regular bow and regular arrows simply cannot compete.

Edge: Lloyd Kumar

 Armor: Riveted Plate Mail vs. Chainmail and Plate Armor:  I see these two sets of armor as being extremely similar... I guess Markus is at a disadvantage because Lloyd's arrows are armor-piercing, but I mean they both do the job and do it pretty well. I'm calling it relatively even as I can't find one suit of armor vastly superior to the other.

Edge: Even

SINGLE COMBAT WINNER: LLOYD KUMAR

Although Lloyd is at a disadvantage in close ranged combat, I don't see this as making a huge difference thanks to Lloyd's venomous arrow tips that pretty much guarantee an endgame as soon as they hit Markus. Combine that with a versatile mid-ranged weapon and Lloyd's close-ranged disadvantage isn't nearly as severe as Markus' mid- and long-ranged disadvantages, where he simply cannot hope to keep up.

WINNER: LLOYD KUMAR

Whether or not this comes down to a one-on-one fight, Lloyd's army is far better equipped and (in this case) better led, as their active assault capabilities are too much for Markus' turtled defenders to withstand. The versatility of Lloyd's attacks - be they ranged, direct, or even unexpected (the sappers again come to mind here) are more than a match for Markus' stand-on-the-walls-and-shoot-arrows-at-them strategy, and that's ultimately what catapaults Lloyd to victory over a worthy but underprepared adversary.