User blog comment:Battlefan237/Losers Showdown : Spartacus vs. Captain Stingaree/@comment-32516697-20190220054433

Laq's "Actually, Kaz, Spartacus Achieved A Lot Less Than Arminius And Vercingetorix" Edges

Iconic: If Spartacus had a scutum, or a pelte, or a parma, or any kind of shield at all, I'd give this straight to the gladius. But he doesn't, so the rapier takes the edge for being significantly longer. Edge: The Cap'n

Short: Yeah, that prop weapon isn't gonna do a damn thing when compared to an actually sharpened shortsword. It's more liable to break in half before it actually hurts anyone in this fight. Edge: Worst Foe of Rome of the 1st Century BC

Long: It's one untrained lunatic with a firearm that doesn't have the greatest of track records when it comes to accuracy, against five guys with tried-and-true javelins. The only thing Stingaree has going for him here is the psychological advantage from the gunpowder, but even that will wear off quickly when Stingaree most likely fails to actually hit anybody with it. Edge: The Guy Who Lost To Crassus

Special: I favor the sling here for being an actually effective long range weapon. It gives Spartacus and friends the option to start a bombardment even before the wannabee pirates make it into pilum range, and if they're carrying actual sling bullets instead of just rocks, it's more that likely that they'll get at least one kill during said bombardment. The most effective weapon out of Stingaree's assortment of pirate paraphernalia is probably the harpoon, as it'll give the pirates a range advantage in the case that the rebels throw away all their pila. However, not everyone has a harpoon, most of them just with knives and nets and ropes. Since Spartacus was trained as a gladiator, enemies using ropes and nets, like the retiarius and the laquearius (Hey, that's me!), will not be new to him, and he might even already have an idea on how to beat them. '''Edge: Spartacus. Look Up Battle of Carrhae. Seriously, Crassus Sucks.'''

X-Factors and Conclusion: Not much left to be said, really. Big surprise, the trained soldiers with a decent amount of experience fighting other trained soldiers will win out against the crew of petty criminals and lunatics. Stingaree himself is the biggest threat to the rebels, as he's relatively strong and somewhat knows his way around a sword. He did manage to beat Batman, but that was under special circumstances, and I highly doubt that would ever happen again in modern comics. His tendency to monologue is also a huge problem, and it's liable to get him a pilum in the gut before the fight has even started, which will make Spartacus's job even easier. There are just too few scenarios where Stingaree comes out on top here, and without the right training or intelligence, he's going to need a lot of luck to survive against the gladiator. Winner: Spartacus!