European Knight vs. Japanese Samurai

[operative x]

Who would win in a fight? Samurai's arn't used to takeing heavy beatings like the English/French knights were, the samurai's are used to doing leathal attacks at very quick speeds with light armor, but i think that if a knight got a huge claymore that the Samurai would just be overwhelmed and loose.

 

[Vigilante]

Samurai

 

[Prince of China]

Hmm... This is an interesting one. I like samurais more but I'm not sure. I'd say samurai.

 

[operative x]

The katana would probably break going up against a claymore.

 

[The Mullinator]

This is probably the best description you will be able to find:
http://www.thearma.org/essays/knightvs.htm

 

[Da-Muffin-Man]

Samurai would win, they are much more trained in the art of fighting. Despite the Knights heavy armor, the Samurai would find a way to get through it.

 

[$kelet0r]

Samurai would win, they are much more trained in the art of fighting

you obviously know nothing about medieval warfare at all if you think that
skilled knight by a long way especially on horseback
samurai only wears leather armour!!!!
the heavy broadswords of the knight were up to 1.7m long and often couldnt penetrate other knights armour so what chance does the samurai have?
samurai can only run away and hara kari honorably - japan loses this fight against superior european technology

 

[operative x]

Has there even been a historical account of a Knight fighting a samurai? I mean, out of 20 thousand years of human history a European Knight, swordsman, whatever has HAD to land on the beaches japan accidently some time.

 

[The Mullinator]

Has there even been a historical account of a Knight fighting a samurai? I mean, out of 20 thousand years of human history a European Knight, swordsman, whatever has HAD to land on the beaches japan accidently some time.

The closest there has ever been were Japanese nobles who owned European armor and sometimes even used it in battle against other Japanese.

Seriously read this article:
http://www.thearma.org/essays/knightvs.htm

Its very well written and pretty interesting.

 

[nick_t]

the knight has to go on horseback cuz he can barely balance himself on his feet with all the armor. the samurai is much more versatile. It all depends if the sumarai can dismount the knight or if the sluggish knight can hit the agile samurai.

 

[The Mullinator]

the knight has to go on horseback cuz he can barely balance himself on his feet with all the armor. the samurai is much more versatile. It all depends if the sumarai can dismount the knight or if the sluggish knight can hit the agile samurai.

That is a complete myth:

Plate-armor for foot combat was well-balanced, maneuverable, and sometimes even made of tempered steel. It was well-suited for fighting in, and is far from the awkward, lumbering cliché presented by Hollywood. Unless you've worn accurate well-made plate of this kind, it is impossible to really know how it influenced the way a knight would move.

 

[CptStern]

This is probably the best description you will be able to find:
http://www.thearma.org/essays/knightvs.htm

that article couldnt be more in-depth ...who spends that amount of time pondering such an odd question?


found this funny:

"In one sense, it is like asking who are better soldiers, jungle fighters or ski troops?"

 

[$kelet0r]

ski troops FOR THE WIN!!!!


lol

 

[The Mullinator]

that article couldnt be more in-depth ...who spends that amount of time pondering such an odd question?


found this funny:

"In one sense, it is like asking who are better soldiers, jungle fighters or ski troops?"

The whole website is devoted to "Renaissance Martial Arts".
"THE LEADING RESOURCE FOR HISTORICAL FENCING AND MEDIEVAL & RENAISSANCE COMBAT SKILLS. Online since 1996."

I used it for a few doing a little research a few times in the past.

 

[French Ninja]

Knights. To be more specific; French knights. To be even more specific; French knights who own castles in England and fart in people's general direction.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

After reading that article, I'd side a little more with knights. Although, there are bigger questions - which would win, a fantasy Gargoyle, or a fantasy Vampire?

Gargoyle FTW!

-Angry Lawyer

 

[WhiteZero]

The katana would probably break going up against a claymore.

Erm... which kind of claymore? There are two. And mastercrafted katanas are incredibly strong.
Anyway, the japanese samurai devoted their lives to master the art of the sword.
*watches Knight's head roll down the isle*

 

[operative x]

The samurai didn't really fight too many other cultures except chinese and few others so they would not be prepared for a Knight who has fought TONS of different countries.

 

[ríomhaire]

The samuri would dodge the knights attacks and then slice him in the neck.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

The samuri would dodge the knights attacks and then slice him in the neck.

Which would promptly be parried by a huge oaken shield, or the thick metal gorget.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[operative x]

Erm... which kind of claymore? There are two. And mastercrafted katanas are incredibly strong.
Anyway, the japanese samurai devoted their lives to master the art of the sword.
*watches Knight's head roll down the isle*

The europeans have been sword fighting for ages all the way from Roman times to 14th century Teutonic knight. Thats alot of information to be passed on from generation to generation continually evolving their fighting tatics, armor, weapons etc.

 

[WhiteZero]

The europeans have been sword fighting for ages all the way from Roman times to 14th century Teutonic knight. Thats alot of information to be passed on from generation to generation continually evolving their fight tatics.

Samurai started in the 8th century.
Thats 600 years of experience over knights.
*cough*

 

[Angry Lawyer]

The europeans have been sword fighting for ages all the way from Roman times to 14th century Teutonic knight. Thats alot of information to be passed on from generation to generation continually evolving their fighting tatics, armor, weapons etc.

It started earlier than the Roman times, but I'm not sure by how much.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[WhiteZero]

Anyway, this whole thing is a moot point since there are no samurai anymore.

 

[operative x]

It started earlier than the Roman times, but I'm not sure by how much.

-Angry Lawyer

Well yes, but the Roman period is a well known and easier period to visualize for poeple, hence the reason i used it.

 

[WhiteZero]

Also it all comes down to personall skill of the combatants. You can't just take 2 differing class of warrior and try to legitamize which would win simply based on their history.

 

[Mr Stabby]

sword fighting started in the bronze ages, along time before the romans

A claymore is the name of a regular european broadsword, the claymore is a specific type used by highland scots

 

[WhiteZero]

To further go into japanese sword strength:
Katanas are made by folding steel over itself about 30 times. With each fold made by the maker, every internal layer is also folded, and so the total number of layers in a sword blade is doubled at each fold. Making for an incredibly sturdy weapon.

 

[jverne]

it all depends! but generally no body would win...they'd all get tired...the samurai doging the longsword and the knight wielding it! a katana was never meant to fight an armoured opponent...they were used in duels...an alike...personaly i think a samurai would never parry a full hit of the longsword with his katana...they were much too precious! :E

 

[operative x]

they'd all get tired... the samurai doging the longsword and the knight wielding it!

"The bottom line is that Medieval swords were indeed well-made, light, agile fighting weapons equally capable of delivering dismembering cuts or cleaving deep into body cavities. They were far from the clumsy, heavy things they’re often portrayed as in popular media and far, far more than a mere "club with edges." Interestingly, the weight of katanas compared to longswords is very close with each on average being less than 4 pounds."

 

[Sulkdodds]

Samurai are cooler, but I think it's likely that a knight would probably win. It'd be a close thing, though.

Anyway, this whole thing is a moot point since there are no samurai anymore.

OR ARE THERE?

 

[Bobcat]

Heavily armored knight vs. agile light figher...

I'll take my chances and go with the knight.

 

[ailevation]

Why don't we do Ninjas vs. Knight? Ninjas are all over the place, in terms of manueverability. besides they've got explosives and smoke.

But, going by cool factor, Samurai gets my vote.

 

[The Mullinator]

Why don't we do Ninjas vs. Knight? Ninjas are all over the place, in terms of manueverability. besides they've got explosives and smoke.

Thats even harder to compare.

A ninja and a knight facing off for single combat would probably mean a dead ninja. If the knight had no idea what he was up against then maybe the ninja would win.

Meanwhile if it wasn't so straight forward and the ninja had the advantage of being able to get the jump on the Knight then the knight would probably lose no matter what.

 

[ailevation]

Thats even harder to compare.

A ninja and a knight facing off for single combat would probably mean a dead ninja. If the knight had no idea what he was up against then maybe the ninja would win.

Meanwhile if it wasn't so straight forward and the ninja had the advantage of being able to get the jump on the Knight then the knight would probably lose no matter what.

I guess there has to be specifics in as well, like the environment. Because let's say a ninja vs a knight in the forest, the ninja would have advantage, but if they were to fight in an open prairie , the ninja wouldn't have any cover to hide and bust out surprise attacks.

 

[Glo-Boy]

The samurai would die instantly.

Oh and anime sucks.

 

[Prince of China]

Regular ninjas would lose to a knight. However, a super ninja such as Ryu Hayabusa or Hotsuma would win.

 

[WhiteZero]

Ninja + poison dart = dead knight

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Ninja + poison dart = dead knight

Poison dart + knight = dart bouncing ineffectively off the armour.

Darts have almost no penetration power.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Prince of China]

Poison dart + knight = dart bouncing ineffectively off the armour.

Darts have almost no penetration power.

-Angry Lawyer

If the ninja could shoot the poison dart with accuracy and hit the knight where he has no protection, the ninja would win. That would be very rare.