User blog comment:Kazanshin/Joseon Warrior vs Conquistador/@comment-35617681-20180529174731

Something you didn't mention: the conquistadors have superior armor. From what I can tell, Korean soldiers during the Joseon Dynasty wore iron Lamellar w/ padding, which isn't as advanced as the conquistador's steel cuirass. In addition, some steel breastplates can withstand musketfire, making the conquistador have a vital edge when it comes to defence.

Close Range

The Espada Ropera had an average length of 112 cm, or 44 in. Meanwhile the Jedok Geom is a bit shorter, averaging at about 45-80 cm (or 18-31 in). The Jedok Geom was reported to be commonly made of iron, but later versions were composed of steel. For the sake of fairness, I assume you're using the later version. Looking at these two swords, I'd have to call it even. Besides the length difference, both swords have their weaknesses and strengths. I assume the Espada is made of stronger steel, as it comes for Spain, a place famous for their weaponry's mettalurgy, however it's possible that the Joseon Warrior has better training with his weapon, as there's a martial art sharing the same name as their sword which one could easily assume they practiced (introduced by the Chinese General known as Li Rusong), whereas the conquistadors may be varying when it comes to their skill due to being mercenaries of different ages.

Mid Range

Keep in mind, even after black powder became more commonplace, the halberd was still being used. It was only until bayonets were invented that the halberd phase out. It was also quite useful for demounting cavalry. The Hyeopdo, by the way, isn't actually as bad as some users make it out to be. Similar to the guan dao, the hyeopdo can be swung faster, due to its lighter weight. The real problem is that it won't do jack to the Conquistador's armor. Meanwhile, the Halberd actually do significant damage to the Steel cuirass, to say nothing of how lethal it is to the Joseon's armor. Edge, Halberd.

Long Range

See my armor statement above. The Arquebus wins this round.

Special

I'm gonna have to say it's even here. Sure, it's true that the grenade can malfunction, but the crossbow can take time to reload (I assume the crossbow is the kind with the crank), which will be important in the fight. The enemy could rush in while you're reloading. Note that I'm looking purely at these two specific weapons, rather than when they'r used in conjunction with others.

Winner

Sadly (because I myself am Korean-American) I gotta give it to the conquistadors. They were the superior armor, and have likely had more experience fighting in different countries. Korea during the Joseon period was either fighting the Japanese in their home country or being isolationists. The fact that the Koreans lacked encounters with the outside world was ultimately their downfall. They're carrying outdated weapons. In fact, that's how Japan eventually conquered them; the adoption of the Tanegashima Rifle decimated their military, and it was based on Arquebuses that the Japanese had bought from Europeans.