User blog:Thornclaw Braveheart/Cyrus the Great vs. Pyrrhos of Epeiros

Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who built the largest empire of his time!

Pyrrhos of Epeiros, Alexander the Great's cousin who strove through warfare to live up to his relative's name!

WHO IS DEADLIEST?

My Personal Votes
Close Range: Difficult decision, but overall I find the Kopis is of better quality, even though on the show it didn't do well. Edge: Pyrrhos

Medium Range: The Doru is very good against horse, man, and armored man, but only if you can get close enough. Javelins have a much better range, are lighter to carry, and when thrown from horseback, very effective. Edge: Cyrus

Long Range: We've seen the sling vs. bow fight already. Edge: Cyrus

Special: Although the Sagaris is impressive, it's really no different than the Scythian Axe, which failed miserably on the armor of Alexander. Pyrrhos is fourty years ahead of Alexander's time; his weapon is far the deadlier, has a better range, and is more suitable for cavalry. Edge: Pyrrhos

Armor: Pyrrhos' soldiers wear armor that is rather vulnerable against missile attack, yet when up close, it's completely different. Pyrrhos' iron armor is best suited to blocking both slashing and missile attacks, while Cyrus' scale is also effective, and although the wicker shield is useless in close combat, it is perfect defense against slings. With pros and cons to both, I can't really define which warrior's armor is better. Edge: Even

I personally believe that overall, it will be a close, close fight with Pyrrhos winning mostly due to his more advanced weapons, discipline, and mainly the xyston.

Rules

 * 1) Full votes with edges count as 1 vote, votes without edges count as 1/2 a vote.
 * 2) Pyrrhos and Cyrus shall each be on horseback.
 * 3) Pyrrhos shall be armed with a Xyston and Kopis.  He will also have three Hypaspists (or "shield-bearers") in armor, carrying a Doru and Kopis, and one Rhodian slinger who carries a sling and kopis, a buckler and no armor.
 * 4) Cyrus shall be armed with a Akinaka and a Sagaris.  He will also have three Persian warriors with Javelins and an Akinaka, and one Persian archer with a bow and akinaka.