Vikings v.s. Samurai?

[Ruthven]

Or the samurai sneaks up on mr. Viking who's taking a well deserved nap after having relinquished a local monastery of their worldy and alcoholic burden.

*Samurai sneaks stealthily into the viking camp and chops katana straight down on mailed neck*

Bwwwuh. Go away.

*Viking waves samurai off. Samurai skulks off, sobbing*

*and then returns to his paper house to find a viking pleasuring his wife*

[Merlkir]

or the samurai could do what almost every japanese swordplay school tells you to do - aim at the hands. (the leg arteries are also kinda not that well covered by armor).

Yup, because gloves hadn't been invented yet. Plus one hand is likely behind a shield, which makes slashing it somewhat pointless.

sorry, but how does a (woolen? leather? there's no evidence of vikings using any kinds of metal or leather gloves) glove prevent you from being wounded by a katana slash? The sword hand is actually pretty vulnerable in combat so that's where I'd attack for sure if I were the samurai.

[fisheye]

Actually, the typical viking, being 500 years older than a typical Sengoku samurai, would be dead of old age before the samurai was even born. Hence, the samurai wins.

No! Wait! The viking travels to Japan to kill the great-great-great-great-grand-parents of the samurai, thus preventing him from ever being born. Hence, Viking wins!

[Selothi]

Also, legs anyone ? I don't think the Vikies wore any mail chaps, so a quick slash from the light therefore quick katana to the leg, and blood and curses issue forth. Yes yes, the samurai has to get to the leg first, but still ... It's another plausible way for the samurai to kick the viking's ass. Although I do agree, head on, the viking seems superior to the samurai thanks to the mail and the axe, but axes are pretty slow, and only have the bit/head as sharp ... bit.

Oh, and somebody wrote that samurais and other eastern cultures didn't have mail. Is that true ? I'd always assumed they had it too ... Hmmm ?

[Merlkir]

I already mentioned leg arteries. And samurai had maille. But it wasn't that common..

[Ruthven]

Also, legs anyone ? I don't think the Vikies wore any mail chaps, so a quick slash from the light therefore quick katana to the leg, and blood and curses issue forth. Yes yes, the samurai has to get to the leg first, but still ... It's another plausible way for the samurai to kick the viking's ass. Although I do agree, head on, the viking seems superior to the samurai thanks to the mail and the axe, but axes are pretty slow, and only have the bit/head as sharp ... bit.

Oh, and somebody wrote that samurais and other eastern cultures didn't have mail. Is that true ? I'd always assumed they had it too ... Hmmm ?

He would have to get either a fair distance, or crouch down to get a good slash past the viking's shield, and if he crouched, he dies, and so long as our viking friend keeps close, he'll be fine. Also, when the samurai slashes for the legs, that's plenty of time to use your shield to hold his sword down and give him a quick smack with an axe or sword.

[Rubberduck]

Lets think the cv. Vikings. Travelled the most of the known, some unkwonks world, from Baghdad to Newfoundland. Conquered or found colonies and kingdoms. Samurai.Sat mostly on their little island, and barely managed to invade Korea.

This could only become more awesome, if someone would bring up *drumroll* dual-wielding.

[Archonsod]

sorry, but how does a (woolen? leather? there's no evidence of vikings using any kinds of metal or leather gloves) glove prevent you from being wounded by a katana slash?

Well, leather is also designed to protect against slashes too Plus there's the sword hilt to consider too.

The sword hand is actually pretty vulnerable in combat so that's where I'd attack for sure if I were the samurai.

Problem is, the samurai has to attack the less armoured parts of the viking to do damage. The viking on the other hand only needs to hit the samurai. The viking has a shield, which he can use to shove the samurai around, the samurai has only his sword.

[AWdeV]

Leather? Would leather really stop a sword blade, though?

[jldmon]

Leather? Would leather really stop a sword blade, though?

there is no chance in hell leather is going to stop a sword blade. the only thing it can do is soften the blow. and if the hit is in a critical area (I.E. heart/neck/his junk the hes totally screwed

[AWdeV]

That's what I thought, that's why I was shocked-ish.
Ofcourse, it'll work fine against really soft blows.

[jldmon]

That's what I thought, that's why I was shocked-ish.
Ofcourse, it'll work fine against really soft blows.

Lol are we fighting children now?

[Zaro]

Leather? Would leather really stop a sword blade, though?

there is no chance in hell leather is going to stop a sword blade. the only thing it can do is soften the blow. and if the hit is in a critical area (I.E. heart/neck/his junk the hes totally screwed

I'm sure leather is sturdy enough to deflect a strike at a poorer angle (which is common since hands tend to move). The leather will provide nice resistance, which shoulkd allow the hand to absorb much of the blow, making it even more difficult. Leather was protective to an extent. If it wasn't, it wouldn't have been worn. Remember, these strikes are occuring in combat, not in a controlled testing environment. That said, we're talking about maille. One arm is holding a shield, and the other an axe, so the gloves are pretty irrelevent. You think the viking is just going to hold his weapon-wielding arm our there for the Samurai to dismember?

[Einar]

Uh, not another thread about something that would never happen.  Viking would win hands down, and I'm not even gonna argue the point further.  Just do the research on both if you wanna know why.

[Ruthven]

Uh, not another thread about something that would never happen.  Viking would win hands down, and I'm not even gonna argue the point further.  Just do the research on both if you wanna know why.

Samurai are pansies and vikings are hardcore?