User blog:Pygmy Hippo 2/Oliver Cromwell vs. Takeda Shingen

Cavalry lasted until World War 1 but is often thought of as an exclusively ancient and medieval part of warfare. With that huge time gap, it's impossible for there not to have been some great blackpowder era cavalry generals who led their troops to victory in great battles. Coincidentally, these two come from the Western and Eastern world's most famous islands and mixed guns with blades to make their mounted troops formidable adversaries with some infantry help of course.

Oliver Cromwell, England's Lord Protector who crushed the Royalists and Scottish and Irish rebels with his New Model Army!

Takeda Shingen, Japan's Takeda Clan daimyo who clashed with the Uesugi Clan over Kai Province and took their castle!

Who is Deadliest?

Oliver Cromwell
"Truly England and the Church of God hath had a great favour from the Lord, in this great victory given to us."

Short Range:Mortuary-hilt Sword

Oliver's sword is 41 inches long, weighs 2.5 pounds, can stab and cut with equal ease, a grip for preventing it from falling out of his hands, and a pommel for blunt strikes.

Mid Range:Pike

Cromwell's spear is 14 feet long, weighs 5.5 pounds, used primarily for countering cavalry, and could be used as a staff.

Long Range:Matchlock Musket

Oliver's firearm has a range of 200 meters, fires .75 caliber lead balls, weighs 10 pounds, and has a complicated firing process involving filling it with gunpowder and lighting a match.

Special Weapon:Doglock Pistols

Cromwell's sidearms have a range of 18 meters, fire .65 caliber lead balls, weigh 3 pounds, have added safety features, and there's at least two on him.

Takeda Shingen
"Learning is to a man as the leaves and branches are to a tree, and it can be said that he should simply not be without it."

Short Range:Nodachi

Takeda's sword is 49 inches long, weighs 4.3 pounds, an infantry and cavalry blade used by the Samurai, can counter mounted warriors, and has quickdraw techniques.

Mid Range:Yari

Shingen's spear is 15 feet long, weighs 4 pounds, used primarily by the Ashigaru, and has three sharp points.

Long Range:Tanegashima Musket

Takeda's firearm has a range of 200 meters, fires .62 caliber lead balls, weighs 9 pounds, and is a matchlock with modifications to protect against rain and to improve accuracy.

Special Weapon:Yumi Bow

Shingen's bow has a range of 100 meters, fires 32 inch long arrows, weighs 2 pounds, and is perhaps the most used Samurai weapon on horseback.

X-Factors
Armor:Oliver Cromwell wears a close helm, gorget, steel cuirass, additional protection for his arms, and tassets that weighs 66 pounds. Takeda Shingen wears a kabuto helmet, gorget, tosei gusoku, additional protection for his arms, and cuisses that weighs 59 pounds.

Experience:Oliver Cromwell was successful in all of his conflicts where he fought the Royalists in two English Civil Wars with notable battles being Naseby and Preston before he invaded Scotland and Ireland with notable battles being Dunbar and Worcester. Takeda Shingen was successful in most battles like Sezawa and the siege of Musashi-Matsuyama but the Uesugi Clan member Murakami Yoshikiyo defeated him at Uedahara and they stalemated him in the five Battles of Kawanakajima.

Tactics:Oliver Cromwell used his cavalry to strike first in conflicts often at weak points and to stay in formation throughout battles so that casualties would be reduced but his infantry weren't weak, they were men used to physical labor and promoted through merit. Takeda Shingen used his cavalry for charges to counter large groups of infantry and gave them red armor for intimidation purposes along with inventing hand guards for his army's swords.