Note: Deathblade 100 and Deadliest Fiction do not endorse, sanction or condone the actions of the Taliban or Somali Pirates
Okay, NATO has made some pretty bad enemies in its time but these are probably two of the worst.
The Taliban- Hardline religious extremists, who back their beliefs with bullets
VS.
The Somali Pirates- Africa's deadly new breed of high seas hijackers, who make millions holding merchant ships hostage.
WHO…IS…DEADLIEST?
To find out the history of war and modern science collide, as we test the weapons and tactics used by these instruments of war. We dissect their strengths and weaknesses and file them in for an all new battle to the death. It’s no rules, no safety, no mercy. It’s a duel to the death as we find out who is the Deadliest Warrior.
Somali Pirates[]
| Height | 5'10" |
|---|---|
| Weight | 165 LB |
| Reign of Terror | 1992-present |
| “ | Somalia used to be a dumping ground for Russian arms back in the Cold War. Anything that goes "boom", you can find in Somalia.
— Abdi Ali, Somali pirate expert on Deadliest Warrior
|
” |
The term 'Somali Pirate' can refer to any of the terrorist and rebel armies, although the most powerful is believed to be Al-Shabaab with an army size of about 15,000 men and have taken over the southern half of Somalia in 2011. The violence in Somalia has grown over the years, making Somalia one of the most unstable governments in the world to the point that criminals have better control over the people. Because piracy is such a luxurious criminal enterprise and the pirates organizations have survived international crackdowns, there is little chance that Somali Pirates will die out anytime soon. Although the Somali Civil War is still ongoing, piracy against large cargo and cruise boats decreased significantly as foreign navies better protecting their ships in the region and larger ships have started hiring heavily armed bodyguards or mercenaries for self defense. The last reported Somali hijacking of a large merchant vessel was in early 2012 and since then the pirates have avoided targeting large ships yet are still active. However the terrorist groups that make up the Somali Pirates continue to survive, and with the rise of terrorist groups in Syria, Lybia and Yemen, the nations near Somalia are dissolving in their own civil wars and creating their own Islamic extremists. The Somalian group Al-Shabaab has launched multiple attacks against Kenyan shopping malls in the 2010s, and have threatened to attack shopping malls of NATO nations including the USA. During the mid 2010s the terrorist group ISIS spread its influence into Africa in order to assist its growth in the region while a branch of Al Qaeda control half of Yemen, which might drive the Somali conflicts into deeper chaos.
Weapons[]
The Somali Pirates are packing serious heat with:
PKM Machine Gun
- Range: 500 metres
- Rate of Fire: 650 rounds/ minute
- Round: 7.62x54mmR
- Magazine: 250 round belt
AK-47
- Range: 300 metres
- Rate of Fire: 600 rounds/ minute
- Round: 7.62x39mm M43
- Magazine: 30 round box
Grappling Hook
- Length: 60 cm (hook), 10 metres (rope)
- Weight: 20 kgs
- Material: Iron
RPG-7
- Range: 200 metres
- Round: 85mm
- Blast Radius: 60 metres
Taliban[]
| Height | 5'9" |
|---|---|
| Weight | 160 LB |
| Reign of Terror | 1994- Present |
| “ | Once you join them, you belong to them, you die for them. They can defeat anyone.
— Fahim Fazli, former Mujahideen freedom fighter
|
” |
The Taliban (literally "students") was formed in the early 1990's by Mullah Omar, who had previously fought against the Soviets, with less than 50 students from his hometown of Kandahar. This terrorist faction, made mostly of Pashtun peoples, grew in strength and popularity during the Civil War of Afghanistan. Their first notable military action came in 1994, when they marched northward from Maiwand and captured Kandahar City and several surrounding provinces, losing only a few dozen men. In September 1996, the Taliban captured Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city. The civil war still existed, but between 1996-2001, the Taliban controlled 85% of the nation. They had close ties to many crime organizations like the drug cartels of South America.
Weapons[]
The Taliban retaliate with:
RPD Machine Gun
- Range: 600 metres
- Rate of Fire: 700 rounds/ minute
- Round: 7.62x39mm M43
- Magazine: 100 round drum
AKS-74U
- Range: 350 metres
- Rate of Fire: 700 rounds/ minute
- Round: 5.45x39mm
- Magazine: 30 round box
Bayonet
- Length: 25 cm
- Weight: 5 kgs
- Material: Steel
- Can be attached to AKS-74U
PMN Mine
- Weight: 45 grams
- Charge: 5.8 kg TNT
- Blast Radius: 5 metres
Personal Edges[]
| Category | Edge |
|---|---|
| Long Range: Somali Pirates. While the RPD is lighter and has a faster rate of fire, the PKM is newer and packs a bigger punch. |
|
|
Mid Range: Taliban. Sure the AK-47 is an iconic weapon, but the AKS-74U is newer, has a longer range and posesses a faster rate of fire. |
|
| Close Range: Taliban. The Grappling hook is an improvised weapon at best. The bayonet is an actual weapon. |
|
| Explosive: Somali Pirates. Do I need to explain this? A handheld rocket launcher is better than a chance activated landmine. |
|
Battle[]
Somali: 
Taliban: 
Middle East, 2010
A sputtering sound filled the air as a skiff containing five Somali Pirates advances towards a dockyard. As the pirates disembarked, a cell of five Taliban insurgents advance down a hill towards the shipping yard. As the Taliban advance, a burst of fire from the pirates' PKM caused the Taliban to scatter.
A Taliban soldier returned fire with his RPD and fatally wounded an AK-wielding pirate. A burst of PKM fire took out the RPD-wielding Taliban. Two Somalis open fire with their AK-47s killing a Taliban fighter. The Taliban leader orders his remaining men to pull back. As the Taliban withdraw, a shot from a Somali's RPG fatally wounds an insurgent.
The Somalis started to pursue the Taliban however, a pirate accidentally treads on a PMN mine planted by the Taliban leader. A Somali swings his grappling hook towards a Taliban insurgent, tearing open his stomach. As the Taliban started to bleed out, he drew out his bayonet and drove it into the Somali's neck. As the remaining two pirates searched for the last Taliban, one of the two heard a gun cocking before both started to turn. As the two pirates turned around, the Taliban leader opened fire with his AKS-74U killing both of them.
The Taliban leader raised his AKS-74U and yelled "Allahu Akbar!" in victory, before reloading and moving out of the shipping yard.
| Out of 3000 Battles | Taliban | Somali |
|---|---|---|
| Long Range | 500 | 500 |
| Mid Range | 500 | 300 |
| Close Range | 400 | 50 |
| Explosive | 300 | 450 |
| Total | 1700 | 1300 |
X-Factors[]
| X-Factor | Taliban | Somali |
|---|---|---|
| Extremism | 100 | 70 |
| Training | 80 | 70 |
| Experience | 70 | 80 |
Total X-Factors[]
| Taliban | Somali |
|---|---|
| 250 | 220 |
Notes[]
Battle will be 5 vs 5 and set around a dockyard.
Voting ends on the 20th of September.
Votes must have good spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Votes must also be at least one paragraph long and readable.
Next Time: Revolutionaries face off; as Carthaginian general, Hannibal Barca, engages Scottish rebel; William Wallace in the season 3 finale.