Finally here is my first post on the back for blood Tournament. First bout will be Amazon Huaorani Tribesmen vs. the Hawaiian Koa warriors.
Also I should point out that this page will eventually contain everything for the bout- meaning introductions, bios, edges and finally fight & results.
With that said lets reintroduce ourselves to the fighters!
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| The modern day tribesman from Brazil, who in my first bout used poison based weaponry to bring down the mighty Fijian |
vs.
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| The Hawaiian Koa, the brutal elite warriors from Hawaii, who used a combination of long range weaponry and a gruesome martial art to humble the Shaolin Monk |
Once again its a battle of the Pacific vs. the Amazon, but will the Amazon keep her lead or will Oceania tie the score?
Our first combatant, the Amazonian Huaorani tribesmen (with the color scheme of green, to represent the lush environment they thrive in) , have a history of being antisocial to strangers. They are a people known for the destruction of a Christian Missionary group, as well as several violent skirmishes with miners/loggers. The Huaorani specialize in two weapons; the blowgun and the spear, and it was a combination of these two weapons in addition to their viscous ambush tactics that ultimately carried them the day against the Fijians.
The fierce Koa warriors ( a sea-based culture, thus aligning with the culture) were known for their brutality and skill at arms that they brought to the ancient Hawaiian battlefields, and were warriors without parallel in ancient Hawaii. These guys were perhaps the best warriors Oceania had to offer, and they proved it in battle after battle. Previously, their long range and tactics combined to help take down the Shaolin martial monk, who were superb fighters in their own right.
Once again poison based projectiles will be pitted against a primarily close range opponent, but this time the melee based warrior brings a powerful martial art, along with a great set of tactics and better armor.
Well, without further ado the grading scale
Weapons:
Long Range: /40
Mid Range: /30
Close range: /20
Special/rare: /25
Armor(neither warrior cared about armor, so I am lowering the score a bit) :
Head: /10
Body: /20
Arms: /5
Legs: /5
Blocking: /10
Variable factors (Thanks Mike for the term!)
Tactics :/30
*Terrain manipulation: /5
Rules: /15
Motivation: /10
Training/Experience/ Quality of Enemies: /20
Martial Arts : /10
* I am going to try to make the fight in a terrain that they are both used to, and to avoid it being much of a factor. However if one warrior did make heavy use of the terrain as part of its tactics then it would be unfair to leave it out completely.
(some of the below info will be copy + pasted from my other articles, however there will be original content as well)
First up is the Amazonian Huaorani Warrior!
Facts and Brief History of interactions :
Between the Napo and Curaray Rivers are 600,000 hectares of land that is the home of the Huaorani, feared warriors of the Amazon Rainforest. These warriors are known and feared by their neighbors for their ferocious grudges, made particularly worse by their unpredictable and moody nature. Apparently there is nothing they love more than the idea of Vengeance, as they are famed for their paybacks and retributions on aggressors. Most of the conflicts were solved by spearing the other party, and then the family of the victim would seek revenge, thus leading to a never ending cycle of revenge. Nice kind of society to raise your kids in. Apparently it’s not just the neighbors who agree with their assessment as the first outside contact, Oil Company named Shell was driven off their drilling land by the fierceness of these people. Many missionaries who were encountered later were similarly killed. Eventually they were forcibly moved by the government of Ecuador, as the oil companies had had enough and were willing to send armed forces in to take it from them. Huaorani reaction was mixed, some were in favor , some not. Some of those extremists who didn’t want to move still live in the ancestral land, where it is reported they are still killing trespassers. Truly a warrior culture if there ever was one. They are also Xenophobic as they call themselves, Huaorani which means "human beings" or "the people," and refer to everyone else as cowode or "non-humans" or "non-human Cannibals”. The Huaronia Are a lanquage Isolate meaining no other lanquages in the area are related to them. . Edit : I wanna make it clear that they are not "savages" or at least complete savages comprising of nothing but warfare. If you scroll to the bottom, click on the second link you can read about their happy talkative culture, where women are equal and the natives are very economically minded(unlike neighbors they know that if they have to many kids they will drain the natural resources around them). The reason I included this part is that i felt it would be a great injustice not to.
(What the Huaorani are likely to hear every day)
Stature: The Huaorani are not tall, but they have impressively strong bodies. With thick calves, buff torso, and sturdy hands, they are a pack of muscles
Long Range 1: Bow:
(too piyæ¿ka-i¿-wæ¿)
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| This bow is taller then he is! |
First off those weird letters that you see under it are what the natives would have called it according to theIntercontinental Dictionary Site (second link is for Huaorani entry) .
The Amazonian bow is one of the biggest bows I have ever seen, measuring at 66 inches! The bows are made out of beach palm, a dense heavy wood and fires arrows that are as big as javelins! Nowadays it is used for recreational hunting, but previously it was a weapon used in times of war. Great time and care is put into making these bows and arrows and many are decorated with markings or feathers. Now admitably other than it existing in their lanquage i havnt found any other reference Huaorani bows However they have in the past waged war frequently, and almost certainly with the large Yanomani tribe that IS well known for their bows. Many victorious tribes take the loser tribes bounty-women, valuables, WEAPONS. So For this I will assume the Huaorani took some bows from their neighbors.
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| The last sight of many a tapir... |
Its arrows are made out of mostly bamboo with the arrow head made from bamboo or bone, with the tail end being covered in feathers. The arrowheads are then sharpened to present jagged or sharpened edge. Some particularly creative Amazonian artists have the ability to make a specialized arrow with three arrowheads! That’s three times the pain, three times the poison. Since it won't let me upload arrow heads can be seen halfway down the page.
The bow possesses a lot of advantages over the Koa's arsenal that will help the Huaorani in the battle. To start off it far out-ranges the entire Koa arsenal save the Ma'a sling. In terms of lethality arrows have been proven time and again on the show and history to have almost no long range pre-gunpowder equal. To top this all off the Huaorani arrows are laced with curare, doubling their lethality(more on curare later). The varied designs of the arrows, including barbed and triple pronged, further increase the lethality of this weapon. The Huaorani n also possess a certain degree of skill with this weapon, using it frequently to hunt, and are more then adept at firing it from hiding places. Finally there is a psychological factor to consider: the Koa's viewpoints towards bows. In Hawaiian culture the bow is thought of as nothing more then a tool to hunt vermin, a child's toy. This Hawaiian stereotype may result in the Koa underestimating this weapon, something that could harm team Pacific in the long run
For all of its pluses, the Amazon bow does possess two glaring minuses. The first of which is the size of the weapon and its ammunition; the latter the size of a small child, the former taller then the man carrying it. This could result in the Amazonian tiring if forced to carry it for too long, but more importantly it may be more than little awkward to load the weapon, as videos of the next weapon suggest. The Amazonian bow is also a self bow, the bow type with the least amount of power . This means lesser penetration (the poison does counteract this factor though) , a reduced firing speed, and decreased range. Essentially, while the bow may do good in this fight, it would get smashed if put up against the Mongolian bow or English longbow.
Long Range 2: Cerbatanas (Blowgun) (or possibly the umena)
The Cerbatanas is around 3 meters long made of and are armed with Curare tipped darts. It is made of “chonta” wood and is very heavy and very dense. The blowgun is almost a sacred weapon for the Amazonian tribes and much time and effort is put making one sometimes taking as much as THREE days . The darts themselves are made of inayuga palm, which is a plant that bristles needles and thorns. The tips are then sharpened by a piranha jawbone.
There are also additional attributes. From the site:
” The dart tube and the cotton-holder are tied together with rope spun of chambirafibers, and worn across the back. A piranha jaw is also tied to the kit, and it is used to make a small dent around the tip of the dart, so when the dart penetrates the victim’s body it breaks, leaving the tip inside. Before inserting the dart in the cerbatana, cotton is rolled at the blunt end, making it stay in the cerbatana tube and helping it gain speed, when blown.”
As you can see a quiver will hold a lot of them. For info about the specifics of making a blowgun click here.
(The man from the picture above)
Of course for every positive there is a negative, and the blowgun is no exception. For one the size of the weapon (again, taller then the man himself) means it can be burdensome to carry around. In fact, based on what I have read the man with the blowgun does not carry anything else except the darts when hunting. Secondly it does seem to take a bit to reload, and it will for the Huaorani require patience to put the dart in the tube, lest he may accidentely prick himself!
Mid Range: Huaorani spear:
“tapa”
The first picture shows the serrated end of one of the spears. The second picture shows the length of the spear and that it is indeed sharpened on both sides (if I had to guess 9-10 feet? Any one with better math skills say differently).
“The Huaorani are known for their spears, which are long, with both ends sharpened. One of the ends is carved with sharp barbs. Once the spear enters the body, there is no way of taking it out without tearing the flesh and causing more damage.”
The spear is one of the two weapons that the Huaorani are famous(infamous?) for, the other being the blowgun .It is a one-shot (well two shot, if you count the other end) weapon that is designed to be struck into an enemy and then left within his dying body. This is in accordance to Huaorani spiritual beliefs and codes. As the quote mentions once stuck in someone the spear is not going to be able to be pulled out easily, pretty much guaranteeing that this weapon, when it hits, kills. Some tribes have been known to apply curare poison to their spear tips, further increasing their lethality.
(Huaorani hunting with spears)
This weapon is going to be primarily aimed at the chest, where it may run into some difficulties. The blocking cape could be used to disarm the Huaorani , while the rare coconut armor may block this weapon completely. A Huaorani is going to have, at maximum, two shots with this weapon, and he'll need to make it count. For this reason, some Huaorani carried multiple spears.
This weapon doesn't seem to have been used in Huaorani society much, and their weapon focus seems to have ended after mid range. While I can see this weapon cutting deep into flesh, or if at the neck, causing decapitation, there isn't much else to say about this weapon. The Huaorani is playing the Koa's game at this range, and while he defeated a melee focused opponent before he'll still want to avoid this area. In all likelihood this was probably used more as a tool then a means to kill, though as I mentioned above some sources state its use in warfare.
Machete (rare) :
As part of Operation Auca, or the early missionary attempt at trying to convert the Huaorani people, the five missionaries involved air dropped in gifts to the Huaorani, which included ribbons, clothing and machetes. These gifts were reciprocated at first by the Huaorani, but eventually a particularly xenophobic warrior convinced the rest to spear and kill the missionaries, and dump their supplies into the river. They however, held onto the machetes, and I have found enough evidence to suggest that they were used in combat afterwords.
This weapon is going to be primarily aimed at the chest, where it may run into some difficulties. The blocking cape could be used to disarm the Huaorani , while the rare coconut armor may block this weapon completely. A Huaorani is going to have, at maximum, two shots with this weapon, and he'll need to make it count. For this reason, some Huaorani carried multiple spears.
Close Range : Stone axe, Machete
“dika-bæ”
This and the club are without a doubt the hardest weapons to find information for. I have found many sources that say “up until four decades ago still used stone axes and….” But none that would actually tell me anything on the axe. Finally I did manage to find one source on the axe.
This axe is (all calculations converted to inches/feet) 2.5 feet long, the width of the stone is 3.7 inches, and the length of the stone is 5.9 inches. The blade was often grinded against a rock for daysto make it sharp enough to hunt. Is this the exact axe that the Huaorani used? No. Did the Huaorani use axes? Yes. Did they use them for war? While the spear, bow and blowgun were without a doubt more preferred there are some indirect sources that suggest its use in combat by Amazonians.
This weapon doesn't seem to have been used in Huaorani society much, and their weapon focus seems to have ended after mid range. While I can see this weapon cutting deep into flesh, or if at the neck, causing decapitation, there isn't much else to say about this weapon. The Huaorani is playing the Koa's game at this range, and while he defeated a melee focused opponent before he'll still want to avoid this area. In all likelihood this was probably used more as a tool then a means to kill, though as I mentioned above some sources state its use in warfare.
Machete (rare) :
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| A gift from the missionaries |
The Machete is certainly a formidable weapon, with a 32-44 cm long cleaver like blade useful cutting through thick vines, leaves or flesh (the Amazon has all in abundance!) . Though not its main purpose it is well suited for stabbing.
It is perhaps a bit ironic that the more primitive of the two opponents gets the only steel weapon in the match, but their is reasoning behind this. It does seem to have been used in feuds and warfare after the missionaries dropped them off (what possessed them to give the Huaorani, an infamously violent people who they were trying to spread the message of Christ and peace too, I have no clue). Its rarity prevents the weapon from becoming to overwhelming, and the Koa's own close quarter prowess will help deter the Huaorani from getting to close to them, even with this formidable weapon!
Rare Range : Borduna, Curare
(ka¿ta”)
Out of all the weapons I have looked up thus this has been one of the hardest to find information for This is a four foot long heavy club that looks to be of the same tree as the other weapons , the Chonta . Kind of resembles a baseball bat in a way. Due to its wood composition I imagine it is quite heavy to carry around. The Korubos “head smasher” tribe is most known for this weapon. See the bow for why the Huaorani would have this.
The Borduna works like any other club; it relies on blunt force trauma to inflict harm on a foe. Any hit from this weapon will break bones, shatter ribs, or, if the Koa is really unlucky, bust skulls. Though the Mahiole of the Koa will help if attacked by this weapon, I do not see it protecting completely from it, as it is not as tough as most helmets.
The advantage in attacks are worthless if the strike doesn't connect. The borduna to me seems like a heavier version of the baseball bat, and a bat swing will be slower then a spear stab or projectile. This is also the Koa's range to shine, and an agressive Huaorani will be forced to face Lua, the cape, and the Koa's immense skill with their weapons.
The Huaorani's most potent weapons were known to have dipped in poison from the Curare, large venomous vine. Curare, while known in medicine as a anesthesia, is deadly in the jungle and the battlefield . In low doses it first affects(paralyzes basically) the muscles of the toes, ears, and eyes, then those of the neck, arms and legs, and finally, those involved in breathing. In fatal doses, death is caused by respiratory paralysis. Curare must get into the blood system for it to work. It doesn't hurt to eat something killed by a poisoned curare arrow, for instance, which is why they use it; it doesn’t poison their dinner. While the good news is that the effects of curare wear off fairly quickly (10 to 20 minutes), the bad news (for the Koa) is that you may not be alive in 10 to 20 minutes. Time it takes to start to start to take affect naturally depends on where it enters your blood stream.
(To save space I am going to combine this entire section into one.)
The Huaorani did not possess any type of armor at all, hell they usually did not wear clothes! Thus they will have no defensive advantages in this battle, and will have to bear the brunt of the Koa's wounds without any assistance. That's not to say that they will get nothing for this category....The Huaorani has no helmet to restrict his field of vision or his senses, and will be completely in tune with his surroundings. The lifestyle of the Huaorani gives them toughened skin and probably some pain resistance, as there is a lot of harmful things in the Amazon. Finally this warrior is as mobile as a warrior can possibly be, being completely uninhibited by anything.
Blocking:Minimal
While I will not contest that this man may be able to block in the fight I cannot see it happening often. His weapons will break quite easily, and cannot be used to block more then one or two strikes. The Huaorani is certainly agile enough to be proficient at evading.
Variable Factors:
Tactics: Night Attacks, Use of Poison, Ambushes, sudden, unexpected attacks
I will describe these in order. First pertains to their preferred time to attack, at night, preferably a moonless one, preferably while the enemies are sleeping. The Huaorani do not consider this cowardly, it minimizes their losses and stops the enemy from recognizing them so they could take their own revenge. Note that I will not have them killing the Koa while they sleep, but they will have a advantage from fighting in the night if this turns into a night battle. Second refers to Curare which is used with the blowgun and bow. This will greatly increase the amount of the amount of bow kills and will be responsible for ALL the blowgun kills. It may even effect the spear kills a little. The Huaorani are renowned for their surprise attacks, able to effectively use the environment even on the enemies's own soil! Huaorani attacks are often sudden and a bit unpredictable, further adding to their advantage of surprise.
Terrain Manipulation: A high degree of
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| Huaorani, probably 1980s |
As mentioned above, the Huaorani are great at using the environment to their advantage in an ambush. They are capable of hiding in foliage until an enemy gets close enough, climbing up trees and firing from up there, and basically using whichever environment is available to them. As mentioned up above in tactics they seem to be able to repeat this feat in unfamiliar environments .
Rules: No Down Kills, Ambushing, Revenge!
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| The events that set off the plot of this film were the result of a classic Huaorani ambush. |
Ambushes are the standard rule of engagement for the Huaorani, and they will strive to surprise and vanquish their enemies. Huaorani society, back when it was in a constant state of civil unrest, viewed forgiveness as a stigma, and seemed to have felt this need to avenge every wrong. While this trait primarily factors into the motivation category, the Huaorani demand for it led me to put it in the rules section as well.
Motivation: Xenophobic, Fanatical Revenge Killings
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| Another Promotional poster. |
As a culture, the Huaorani were Extremely unfriendly to the non-Huaorani. In their culture they alone are the "people" whereas everyone else is a non-human cannibal or "cowode" . To the Huaroani (of the time frame I am using) , no one else but them was human. They have viciously attacked those that dared intrude on their land before, ambushing them with spears and blowguns, and made raids into the territory of enemy tribes. Huaorani warriors often show little mercy to their own people, so given that they are unlikely to show any mercy to the strange Cowode from beyond the great river.
"An Eye for an Eye" was Hammurabi's famous phrase. Well, if the tribal Huaorani are any indication it is likely that the idiom predated him by many millennia at least, as revenge is the law of the Huaorani's lands. Someone refused to marry their daughter to you or your brother? Spear them both! Someone burned down your village? Spear all of his! Accidentely trespassed? "Accidentely" trespass into their gut with your spear (bad joke I know) . It is hard to underestimate the motivation that revenge is, and indeed may of our favorite anti-heroes are driven by the need to achieve it. In this battle the Koa insult the Huaorani by both existing and their own (incorrect) view that the Koa were the raiders from earlier.
Training/Experience/Quality of enemies: Semi-Nomadic Culture, Hunting, Intra and Inter-tribal conflict, conflict with outsiders, Quality of Enemies: Low-Medium
The Huaorani lived in a semi-nomadic culture, meaning that they spent great swathes of a year in one place before ultimately moving to another settlement. This means that a Huaorani would be used to traveling to unfamiliar areas, as well as hunting. Hunting is a dangerous but mandatory profession in the Amazon, after all jaguars, snakes (including Anacondas), Pumas, and all sorts of poisonous animals are known to inhabit it. It is from hunting these (except the Jaguar, who they respect) that the Huaorani gain experience with their blowguns and spears, which will help them against a more dangerous animal, man. Huaorani tribal culture came to be so violent during the 1950s (the period of time that these Huaorani hail from, and during which time the majority of their tribe died of violence ) that a Huaorani tribesmen could expect violence from within his own individual tribe, from the other tribes that compose of the Huaorani, from the neighboring tribal cultures, and even from non-natives, a group which includes loggers, oil workers, government officials, and poachers (I don't count the missionaries here because they didn't fight back).
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| This scene did not end well for the Cowode |
Each conflict would have brought about a different lesson. The Intra-tribal conflict would have tough the Huaorani to beware of insulting others, watch your neighbors, and sleep with an eye open. The conflicts with the other Huaorani would have expanded a Huaorani's contacts, taught them when it was best to ambush other humans, and how to work in small group units. Fighting with neighboring tribes not part of the Huaorani culture would given them access to different weapons, and possibly some experience with them. Finally conflict with non-native foreigners would have taught them how to best deal with superior technology and encroachment on their lands, as well as solidifying ambush techniques.
Overall however, the quality of the Huaorani's enemies is rather low. None of them are really trained for prolonged periods of warfare; the Ecuadorian army does not have regular conflict with unruly tribes as far as I know. Whereas the Koa fight foes trained and geared for a whole lifetime of war, the Huaorani fight as sort of a hobby, not for conquest or to hone their skills, but only for revenge or defense.
Martial Arts: Huka-Huka wrestling:
I’ll admit it is a bit of stretch to include this. However technology and traditions do spread through the Amazon so it’s probable the Huaorani at least encountered it, perhaps taught it at a rare festival that they were invited too or through direct combat with its practitioners ? Huka-Huka is the native wrestling hosted by the Xinguano tribe. Each year they invite contestants far and wide to participate in a ceremony. At the end of the ceremony a Huka-Huka tournament begins. The objective of the Huka-Huka wrestling is to force someone down to the ground either threw throwing or wrestling them down. . The Wrestlers can either start standing or kneeling. They are also taught many ways to throw someone down to the ground, like grabbing them by the knees, physically throwing them, ect. For more information click here.
Closing Statement (with credit to Vercingetorix)
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| The so called Warriors of the Amazon. Will they prevail against the Warriors of the Pacific? |
5 Ways to Win (again Vercingetorix) :
1. Long Range is key!
Though the sling may have the greatest range in this battle, the dual combo of poisoned blowguns/arrows holds no equal.Curare is highly lethal, and even if it doesn't put the Koa to sleep immediately (either permanently or temporarily), it will still weaken him for the upcoming melee. The more the Huaorani are able to kill or maim before getting into mid range, the better.
2. Its a trap!:
Ambushes are going to be key here. Ancient Hawaiian battles were generally formal affairs, and the irregular tactics favored by the Huaorani are going to be a huge shock for the Hawaiian elite. Combining Long Range with ambushes will further whittle down the Hawaiians.
3. Use both ends of the spear!:
Mid range is another strong-point of the Huaorani, though unlike Long Range the Koa contest this category with the Huaorani a bit more. The Huaorani are going to want to get in fast, and use their superior numbers (the Koa in all likelihood being whittled down by long range far more then the Huaorani were) to gang up on the Koa, and stab them whenever and wherever possible. Pitched combat will result in the Huaorani falling out of favor, which leads to point 4....
4. Avoid Close Quarters!
The Koa hold undeniable dominion here with their Lua martial arts and weaponry, and the longer the Huaorani stay in this range the greater disadvantage he will have. The Amazonians MAY go for brief forays or surprise attacks into this category, with their machetes, axes and bordunas, but to stay long is a recipe for disaster .
5. Remember what your fighting for!:
The Huaorani are a highly motivated fighting force, one which is feared throughout Amazonia. If they can keep sight of their goal, their desire to win will stay at its high levels, increasing their desire to win.
With that said what do you think of this warrior?
Now onto the
Hawaiian Koa Warrior!
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| The Koa are named after the Koa tree, which is one of the most common trees in the island. |
Much of the early history of Hawaii is subject to debate, but a good portion of historians and scholars believe that Human settlement began in 300 A.D. and that settlement of all the islands was achieved by 800 A.D by settlers who emigrated from the Marquesas islands(it is worth noting at this point that Polynesians were excellent seafarers) . Not much is known about the progression of that particular subculture, as new , more warlike settlers from Tahiti displaced them in the 1300s. The newcomers divided the islands into many competing kingdoms, which were often at war with each other. As the centuries progressed a distinct new culture emerged, one that was more warlike and was split into castes:
- Aliʻi, the royal class. This class consisted of the high and lesser chiefs of the realms. They governed with divine power called mana.
- Kahuna, the priestly class. This class consisted of the priesthood that tended the temples and conducted religious activities in the villages. Scientists and exceptional navigators also were deemed to have kahuna status.
- Makaʻainana, the commoner class. This class consisted of the farmers, fishermen, craftsmen and their families. In a feudal society, they were charged with laboring for the overall economy.
- Kauwa, the outcast or slave class. This class consisted primarily of people who were considered to be of low birth and thus born without mana. They were not allowed to move up in the caste system or improve their conditions. The mingling of members from other caste groups with the Kauwa was strictly prohibited by kapu. This caste also included prisoners captured in times of war. These prisoners forced to serve the aliʻi or were more often used for sacrifice at the luakini heiau.
- All castes were bound by the Kapu system or Taboos that governed Hawaii way of life.
This caste system and rules, while effective in governing and establishing order, may have stopped the islands from getting unified until the 18th century, when Hawaiian war chief later crowned King Kamehameha unified the isles, utilizing his own personal talent and let’s not forget, imported European weapons.
Prior to the rise of its most famous son, Hawaii was always at war, and the chiefs had organized their armies into three sections.
Warriors were split into three groups; the elite, massed infantry, and skirmishers.
Massed Infantry were equipped with12-18 feet long Polou pikes , and were used in a similar fashion to Alexander the Great’s phalanx’s (reference here could be important in the future J).
Skirmishers were basically given missile weapons like slings and expected to pelt the enemy until the main force had joined battle.
The elite warriors, the Koa, were from the nobility and as such were more trained in warfare then a commoner could hope to achieve. They were equipped with their own unique weapons and their own martial art, the secretive and deadly Lua, which they practiced only at night to prevent others from learning. Lua was split into multiple parts, many of which had lethal battlefield applications. The Koa weapon collection is vast and this article won’t go into detail about them(that will be the next articles job) but they included shark toothed weapons, trip cords, double sided daggers, slings and strangulation cords. The Koa were known to use weapons from other lower castes as well.
(Arguably the most famous Hawaiian performer)
*Finally I should mention that since the Huaorani got a machete the Koa will have their polulu pikes, which is completely unsuited for this type of fight, taken away.
Offensive Categories:
Long Range: Ma'a sling, Ihe, Pikoi
Ma'a (sling ) and Pohaku(stones)
The Ma'a sling was the long range weapon of choice of Hawaiian armies. While bows were known they were not used in warfare, instead only used in hunting or games. The Sling was crafted out of a pouch made of woven strips of Hua situated in the center of long plaited ropes. The Koa may have had one of the most deadly types of ammunition anywhere, as they carved rounded conical stones out of hard, dense volcanic rock, which when thrown with great force, may do more than just break bones...
The sling is accurate in the hands of a trained professional, and the Koa were professionals. They could be slung accurately at a distance of 100-200 yards, at speeds undodgeable by even the most trained martial artists. Also slings, unlike bows, were not effected by wind. The speed which the Koa threw it was apparently so fast that it was alleged to break the sound barrier!
In this clash of geographical regions and cultures, the Koa will have the range advantage with this weapon, being able to fire first (assuming the Huaorani don't ambush them) . The stones, while lacking somewhat in lethality in comparison to the Huaorani poison based weaponry, can surely break bones and damage internal organs, weakening the tribesmen before they can get in close enough with their spears and blowguns. The Koa were noted slingers, so its very likely that they would be skilled with this weapon.
(The Slinging techniques that the Ancient Hawaiians may have used)
Of course the superior range of this weapon does not equal ranged superiority. The Huaorani long range are much more lethal then the sling, and the blowgun maintains greater accuracy. The ambush tactics of the Huaorani may also limit the slings use.
*Finally I should mention that since the Huaorani got a machete the Koa will have their polulu pikes, which is completely unsuited for this type of fight, taken away.
Offensive Categories:
Long Range: Ma'a sling, Ihe, Pikoi
Ma'a (sling ) and Pohaku(stones)
The Ma'a sling was the long range weapon of choice of Hawaiian armies. While bows were known they were not used in warfare, instead only used in hunting or games. The Sling was crafted out of a pouch made of woven strips of Hua situated in the center of long plaited ropes. The Koa may have had one of the most deadly types of ammunition anywhere, as they carved rounded conical stones out of hard, dense volcanic rock, which when thrown with great force, may do more than just break bones...
The sling is accurate in the hands of a trained professional, and the Koa were professionals. They could be slung accurately at a distance of 100-200 yards, at speeds undodgeable by even the most trained martial artists. Also slings, unlike bows, were not effected by wind. The speed which the Koa threw it was apparently so fast that it was alleged to break the sound barrier!
In this clash of geographical regions and cultures, the Koa will have the range advantage with this weapon, being able to fire first (assuming the Huaorani don't ambush them) . The stones, while lacking somewhat in lethality in comparison to the Huaorani poison based weaponry, can surely break bones and damage internal organs, weakening the tribesmen before they can get in close enough with their spears and blowguns. The Koa were noted slingers, so its very likely that they would be skilled with this weapon.
Of course the superior range of this weapon does not equal ranged superiority. The Huaorani long range are much more lethal then the sling, and the blowgun maintains greater accuracy. The ambush tactics of the Huaorani may also limit the slings use.
Ihe laumeki (Barbed short spear)
The Ihe or shorts spears had a duel purpose in the Hawaiian arsenal. Made of strong Kauila wood, they were used with both prodigious skill in melee or hurled at the enemy once in range. The Koa would sometimes carry multiple spears so that they could be hurled at the enemy while the enemy was kept at bay by a wall of pololu pikes. These spears were described by early European explorers as possessing 4-6 rows of barbs(I have found little evidence that shark teeth were applied to them, and the barbs ), which would make it rather difficult to pull out if it penetrated flesh. On the Hawaiian islands the Koa were taught to deflect, dodge or even catch and throw back javelins, so their casualties to this weapon may have been significantly less then the commoners.
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| Hawaiian Warrior with Ihe |
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| The Barbed point of the spear |
These spears will have no problem problem digging into the armor-less persons of the Huaorani, and the barbs signify that it will hurt like hell to pull the things out. Of course, the lack of body armor will also help the Huaorani in evading the spears, and possibly picking them back up and using the Koa's weapons against them (they are a spear culture after all).
This weapon barely qualifies as long range, being pretty much useless past 30 feet. Of course that doesn't mean that the weapon itself is completely useful. The Native Americans have never seen anything remotely like the Pikoi, and its uses will remain unknown to them until the battle, giving the Koa a bit of a surprise factor. This weapon was used very effectively in ancient Hawaii in catching fleeing enemies. Given that the Huaorani are going to want to stay away from the Koa and their Lua, I will not surprised if the Koa decide to use the Pikoi in such a manner.
Mid Range: Ihe
Not much to be said here that hasn't already been said in the long range section. When not thrown, the Ihe spear was used in close quarters combat. The Lua trained warriors were exceptionally skilled with this weapon, using it for sweeping, blocking, deflecting, slashing and of course, stabbing. Points could be barbed or unbarbed, but shark teeth were rarely, if ever applied to them.
The Pikoi club
The Pikoi is a one of the many clubs that the Hawaiians used in battle. Generally the club is around 1-2 pounds and made of stone or wood, while the cord can be anywhere from from 20-34 feet! This weapon has many options in how to use it, some resulting in direct death others indirect. You could swing the weight around your head and bludgeon the enemy, as the club is easily capable of breaking bones in a single blow. It could also be swung around and then thrown at the feet of your enemy, tripping him and allowing you to get close to finish him off with a mace or club. This was particularly useful in catching fleeing enemies. Lastly the cord itself could be used to strangle a fallen enemy, and making every part of this weapon dangerous.
This weapon barely qualifies as long range, being pretty much useless past 30 feet. Of course that doesn't mean that the weapon itself is completely useful. The Native Americans have never seen anything remotely like the Pikoi, and its uses will remain unknown to them until the battle, giving the Koa a bit of a surprise factor. This weapon was used very effectively in ancient Hawaii in catching fleeing enemies. Given that the Huaorani are going to want to stay away from the Koa and their Lua, I will not surprised if the Koa decide to use the Pikoi in such a manner.
Mid Range: Ihe
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| Hawaiian Warrior with Ihe |
Not much to be said here that hasn't already been said in the long range section. When not thrown, the Ihe spear was used in close quarters combat. The Lua trained warriors were exceptionally skilled with this weapon, using it for sweeping, blocking, deflecting, slashing and of course, stabbing. Points could be barbed or unbarbed, but shark teeth were rarely, if ever applied to them.
Despite the comparably short description, expect this to be a close comparison between the two warriors. Both are incredibly skilled with their spears, and the weapons themselves are around the same size and length.
Close Range: Newa club, leiomano, curved dagger
Newa
The Newa generally ranges from 15- 20 inches long and could be smooth, rough or rock headed, although longer 2-3 foot version called la'au Palau did exist .It could be made of hard Kauila wood, stone or even whalebone. Its head was usually around 5 inches in diameter. Sometimes the simplest weapon is the most effective one, and newa is quite capable of breaking a bone with each strike. Like all Koa weapons, it was incorporated into their martial arts, and the elite warriors soon learned a system of blocking and countering that made it even more deadly. In the words of Terry Schappert of the T.V. show Warriors, being attacked by this is like "being in a blender".
(great documentary on the ancient Hawaiians)
The newa is a bit shorter the weapons of the Amazon, however Lua skill more then makes up for this deficiency. When in the hands of a Koa warrior this weapon is unleashed in a whirlwind of furry upon the enemy, breaking bones with ease.
Leiomano
The Leiomano or shark toothed weapon is the most famous of all the Hawaiian weapons. Contrary to what Deadliest Warrior would have you believe, it was not used in brute form that Sala Baker demonstrated, in fact if used like that the weapon would be useless in a matter of moments! Seriously why would you essentially "De-fang " your weapon on one guy when their are hundred more around you? Nor have I read anything regarding its use as a throwing weapon, and their is some evidence that this would have been unwise. Instead it was used more like a scalpel when combined with the martial art of Lua, performing quick devastating strikes on the opponent's "soft areas" (neck, groin, thighs, stomach ect), bring his life to a quick and brutal end. I have read of Leiomano varying in length, with some being around the two feet range while others in mere 15 inch range. In addition the hilt of many is actually a weapon in and of itself, marlin bills are known to be attached to the end of these already shredding clubs, giving it the ability to stab.
Curved blade dagger
The curved blade dagger variant was native to only the island of Kuai, and are one of the many Hawaiian dagger varieties. On average it was about 15 inches in length.
This types of daggers could sever, rip, tear, slash, stab, etc. of both forward lunging and retraction motions. With gaff-like extrusions, in some instances, shaped much like sharks teeth, these extremely dense hardwood weapons could lacerate or saw through tissue with relative ease. There were a few disadvantages to these weapons however. The barb-like protrusions, when used for stabbing and thrusting, could impale the victim but it could be somewhat difficult to withdraw the dagger after the enemy had been wounded. This could pose a tactical problem when there was a clash between warring tribes. In essence, while rival fighters, or two tribes were in combat and the enemy was swarming everywhere the time spent retracting a weapon from an impaled enemy’s torso, he could be struck and killed in the process.
Both the Leiomano and Curved Dagger are much smaller then the Huaorani weapons, but in this case size isn't everything, and its how you use it that really counts. The Lua training of the Koa gives him a definitive edge in handling his weapons, as well as parrying the other side's weapons.
Special weapons:"pahooah" or long bladed dagger (swordfish daggers), Strangulation cords
The Hawaiian word for dagger is pahoa and it essentially means long pointed sticks. Captain Cook noted that alone of all the Polynesians, only the Hawaiians had anything resembling a dagger. They divided these daggers into five sub categories;(1) truncheon dagger, (2) bludgeon dagger, (3) long-bladed dagger, (4) shark-tooth dagger, and (5) curved-bladed dagger. The one that will appear in my match up will be the pahooh or long bladed dagger. Hawaiian warriors often kept these daggers in their loincloths or attached to their wrists via cords.
Pahooah
The implements typically ranged in length from one to two feet(although the swordfish version could be up to four feet long !), with a wrist-cord usually passed through the butt end handle, so that when the dagger was wielded the warrior could be assured that it would not be accidentally lost during skirmishes when slashing or thrusting.
The pahooah was designed with a double-edged blade ending in a sharp point. The butt end is shaped into a handle that is narrower than the blade and meets it on each side in a sloping shoulder. The woods that were used for these specimens were quite hard and dense to insure that the blades and point did not snap off or lose its edge or point in combat. Alternately swordfish or marlin bills could be used as the actual blade, and given the Koa's sea oriented culture it would not be surprising to see blades such as these on the battlefield.
Strangulation cord
Hawaii differed from the rest of Polynesia in having an established public executioner who was termed the niu. One of his duties consisted of executing those who had broken tapu laws, preparing victims for sacrifice, and removing those who were indicated by the ruling chiefs and high chiefs (ali’i).
Under this Hawaiian edict, the common form of execution was by strangling, for which there was a special strangling cord, consisting of a short handle with a cord loop. The one featured above is one of these types. It has a spindle-shaped wooden handle with blunt ends and a cord loop of olona fiber.
Most strangulation cords had handles to insure a firm and controlling grip since the cords were difficult to wield when tight, forceful tension was exerted on the line. The handles were usually made of wood but some were of ivory. Though these insidiously lethal weapons were quite simple in design, it required that the wielder be expertly adept at knowing exactly how to apply the tension with tourniquet-like precision to cut off blood and airflow in the most expedient fashion.
Tactically stealth was needed to get close enough to an enemy to apply the garrote without posing a threat to his own safety against an enemy that was armed with a dagger club. The enemy probably would be ambushed from the back, possibly as a result of being double teamed. It is logical to assume that the wielder had to be strong enough to control the enemy who would obviously flail and thrash until the victim lost consciousness. In all probability, distraction and possibly double-teaming a foe was used when the strangulation tactics were employed in a skirmish where many enemies may be on the field of battle. A skilled Lua practitioner could you it to block, catch a weapon, flipping or whipping and of course, strangling.
There is some evidence to support the existence of a shark toothed cord, or a strangulation cord with shark teeth embedded into them. This would have been much more lethal then a regular cord, as the shark's teeth would be digging into his neck while he is being throttled. The strangulation cord is an extremely close ranged weapon, so it won't see much use in this battle. Still it could be useful if a Koa manages to sneak up on a Huaorani.
(Israel's second most famous song)
Armor:
Helmet: Mahiole
Information on Hawaiian armor is rather difficult to find outside of Hawaii. From what I could find these helmets covered the head above the forehead, and functioned like the helmets that U.S. soldiers use today; for protection from small projectiles(slings). These helmets were described as bright and colorful with giant crests sticking arising from the top of the helmet. The Koa's senses are not impaired at all when wearing this, although to compensate for this his face was left quite vulnerable.
Body: "Malo" (loincloth), 'Ahu'ula (battle capes), belly bands, coconut fiber armor (rare), oil, tattoo
In general Hawaiian armor was lightweight and unencumbering, and often adjourned with colorful feathers and symbols which represented the person who the koa owed loyalty to.
First set of attire for the Koa is the "malo" or loincloth. This was the base piece of clothing for the Koa and would always be worn. It was tucked into a waistband and draped over the front after being twisted tightly over the crotch.
Although to outsiders these capes appeared to more decorative then protective, the creative Hawaiian gave it battlefield applications that surprised European observers. In close to even mid range combat, the cape was used to enshroud, deflect, parry or even confine an opponents weapon in it. Clearly the koa are able to think outside the box with armor such as this.
Belly bands were also worn by the Koa, and were quite colorful like the rest of the Hawaiian attire. These were designed to give the vulnerable stomach and midsection some protection against stabs, slashes and thrusts . Far from the best armor but it keep with there lightweight standards.
Later on, after European contact, body armor made of woven mats of coconut fiber was devised in direct response to the introduction of gunpowder. This ingenious early Kevlar was powerful enough to stop primitive musket balls. While images of Hawaiian armor of this type are difficult to find, I have a image of what the Kiribati used.
The Hawaiian coconut vest will is the only real form of body armor in this battle, and though not every Hawaiian will have it (Kaimana, from the Shaolin vs. Koa battle, is one of the few who will) it will nevertheless cause some noticeable changes. The coconut vest gives it user almost full chest protection from the Huaorani projectiles, as the needles lack the power behind them to really get in deep enough to get a kill. As for the arrows go back to Aztec Jaguar vs. Zande episode of Deadliest Warrior, when the poison arrows were shown to be noneffective against the cotton vest. This will be like that. The melee weapons too may have some problems.
Finally the Hawaiian body was covered in tattoos and was oiled up before battle. The former was to represent status and importance, as well as to intimidate, and the latter was to prevent any foe from getting a grip on him once the fight came down to martial arts. This will be extremely detrimental to the Huaorani martial arts.
Arms: Oil
See above
(Although I found a source stating that they had vambraces and shin guards, I haven't been able to find others to verify this so they will not be included)
Legs: Oil
See above
Blocking: Lua, Leiomano , Battle Cape
Martial arts will certainly help here, especially when fighting against close range weapons. The flat side of the Leiomano was actually big enough to be used as a makeshift shield at times, and the wood was hard enough that enemy weapons, even steel ones, won't be able to simply cut through it. As detailed earlier, the battle cape had multiple blocking and disarming functions, and essentially give the Koa a non-shielded blocking/attacking combo Ala sword and shield.
Variable Factors:
Tactics: Chaotic battlefield, Alot of low-level cooperation, Spatrial fighters,Opportunistic, Long then close.
Like most ancient warriors, the Koa would typically begin by expending their long range missiles (Pohaku) before moving into closer quarters. Their mid range game would be defined by the phalanx of Polulu (long spears). At this range the Koa pike men would strive to keep the enemy at bay, while the rest would either be throwing in their javelins(Ihe) or preparing for the inevitable breach. This order of engagement demonstrates a core Hawaiian concept of Spatial fighting, which dictated that the Koa always be aware of the distance from him and the enemy, the distance from the opponent's weapons(and their striking distance), along with his own weapons. Once said breach occurred the battlefield was a truly chaotic place. Note in this battle they will not have access to pikes, so they will seek to go into close as soon as possible.
The Hawaiian battlefield was a Very chaotic place, one where even the best centralized leadership quickly fell apart. War cries, the din of clashing weapons, howls of pain, and curses were all very much a part of the Hawaiian battlefield, and pretty much all rules were thrown out the window. Warriors would work together to double team others, and would target occupied enemies whenever possible;which would mean in this battle that if a Huaorani was in a fierce duel with a Koa, then its entirely possible that another one would dive in and tackle him, whereupon the two Koa would join forces to disembowel the poor Amazonian.
Rules: Long then close, no rules
Rules only apply for long and mid range fighting, once the battle reaches the close quarter stage there are literally no rules . Testicle severing , belly button stabbing, eye gouging, tripping, kicking, biting ect were all allowed in the heat of battle, along with the already mentioned double teaming.
Terrain Manipulation: Moderate degree of:
The ancient Hawaiians, though often fighting in pitched battles, did use the environment to their advantage. Kamehameha drove his rival off the edge of a cliff in the final battle of Oahu, after his rival hid men in sand dunes to ambush him .Earlier in another campaign, Kamehameha drove the forces of his cousin directly into the range of an erupting volcano. From what I have read, Koa strategy teachings included a part on ambushes, presumably with use of the environment. So while its not their main tactic, they are still skilled to both recognize and perform environmental ambushes.
Motivation: Island Hierarchy ( high chiefs, future king ect), Mana
Like most warriors the loyalty of the Koa would have been to their leaders first and foremost, whether they be high chief or later king. How the Koa were not like other warriors is their concept of mana or spiritual energy, which was unique to the cultures of the Pacific. Mana could be inherited or earned through great deeds and accomplishments, such as battlefield prowess. Hawaiians valued earned mana over inherited, and a warrior that shows great skill in battle would be treated with more respect and his voice would carry more authority. In addition his family's status would be elevated forever, giving his children a higher mana to grow up with then he did. The reverse is also true; fleeing from battle or being captured could result in your mana being stripped, which would place you in the kauwa (untouchable) class.
Training and Active Experience:Lifelong Training, Tested frequently, Quality of enemies:High
Training for the Koa began when they were children and continued on toward adulthood. They were tested frequently and harshly: in one test the student stood with arms outstretched, palms down, not lowering either arm as a second person walked on top of the right arm, over his head to the left arm, then back again to the right. Even after all these tests were completed and the Koa had become a full-fledged warrior he was expected to continually improve upon himself. And he had many opportunities too as he would be called upon to fight in pitched battles against both massed commoners and other Koa as equally trained as he is.
And finally
Martial Arts:War Sports, Lua
Finally the Martial Art section . Before we start on the actual martial art(Lua) lets begin with the sports that helped train them for war and why. Foot racing (kukini) would have enhanced his endurance and speed, while variations to this game like somersault racing and cartwheels would have helped out his agility and balance. In order to prove their bravery, ancient Hawaiians would dive from high cliffs into water or sled down steep hills. This would probably help take away some of the fear that hadn't been drilled out by training. Bowling (Ulu maika ) would have improved the strength and accuracy of the warriors (stone bowling disks) while Paddle Racing would again improve their endurance and strength. Rat hunting (the only time in Hawaiian society bows were used) also improved aim and accuracy. Finally there are the sports that directly impact battlefield prowess; Boxing (mokomoko) , wrestling (hakoko), tug of war (hukihuk), spear throwing ('o'o ihe) and fencing with staves (kaka la'au). Combine all this together and the Hawaiian Koa is already better then all other non-fictional warriors used so far at unarmed combat(Necromorphs and some Fellowship members would still own them). All of these sports would have went a long way to preparing hem for the ultimate sport; the sport of kings aka the "sport" of war .
Lua:
The native Hawaiian martial art was called Lua, and it is probably one of the deadliest martial arts to have been ever conceived.Since I don't think i could adequately convey Lua and the technique behind it to you, i am going to hand this one over to one of my sources. Here is a quote from one of my sources illustrating the components of Lua: "Lua, then, was the general name for a type of hand-to-hand fighting which not only included hakihaki (bone-breaking), but combined ha'a (dance), hakoko(wrestling), mokomoko/ku'i (boxing or punching), peku (kicking), aalolo (nerve pressure) to cause paralysis, and also the use of weapons. However, Hawaiian lua training encompasses far more than the master of blows, strikes, takedowns, holds, dodges and falls. It also included the game konane (similar to checkers), designed to teach strategic thinking. Additionally, lua involved lomilomi (massage) which was designed to enhance a lua warrior's performance in training or combat by keeping muscles from binding.
A martial dance found in various styles throughout Polynesia is the haka or ha'a, an old word for hula. Lua incorporated the haka to develop grace, agility, and strong leg muscles, necessary for battle. When dancing, the lua artists would lunge forward and back, dodge from side to side, and then whirl and pivot in unison to simulate combat. Their hakaarm motions were actually lua strikes in disguise. The 'olohe hula (hula master) tapped a "galloping rhythm" on a hue (gourd), called cues in chant, and interspersed surprise lines to test the dancers' concentration during training.
Haka, in reference to lua and dance, not only means to dance in ranks, but also to perch on a shelf. In other words, to shelve or save in reserve, but not to use. For generations, Hawaiian objects were haka, held and cherished, but not used. Lua is intangibly haka. This parallels the Japanese saying, "Jujitsu, like a sword within a scabbard, must be kept polished though unseen." Lua not only protects the warrior in life, but it also teaches and prepares him how to die well."
The source for Lua can be found at the bottom. Lua was taught and practiced at the dead of night by the Koa, in order to maintain utmost secrecy. Modern Lua is taught by two different schools: Pa' Kuialua taught by Jerry Walker, Richard Paglinawan, Mitchell Eli and Moses Kalauokalani along with Solomon Kaihewalu. Of the two Olohe Solomon's is less YouTube shy.
Lua : right of passage
Some Lua Weapons:
Mitchell Eli on Hawaiian Lua
2. Beat em down!:
Close range combat is the Koa's bread and butter, and they will destroy in this arena. With their Lua martial arts, double teaming tactics, and natural weaponry, the Huaorani are going to learn to dread this range, which means that....
3. No escape!:
Naturally once the Huaorani find out what badasses these islanders are in hand to hand, they are going to want to go back into their comfort zones where they can safely use their blowguns and bows. It is essential that the Koa prevent this by whatever means necessary...and they certainly have the means. The Pikoi, Ihe and sling are all well suited to stopping a fleeing enemy.
4. Be wary of ambushes:
The Huaorani specialize in ambushes, and if the Koa are not careful a unsuspecting blowgun dart from a bush could prove to be their undoing. The Koa are going to use their strategic mindset, hardened from years of Lua training, to preemptively search out any hiding spots.
5. The best defense....:
The Koa possess something which the Huaorani don't, armor! As the adage implies, they will need to use their defense for offense. This adage is something the Koa have mastered perfectly. The Koa use their capes to ensnare and even disarm the enemy of his weapons, while the oil prevents the Koa from being grabbed onto. The rare coconut vest provides defense against the projectiles.
Part 3 :Edges! Coming Soon....
Hey there ! To everyone who has contributed thus far, I thank you. And now for my first half of the edges.
Long Range: Bow,Cerbatana vs. Ma'a, Ihe, and Pikoi
Lets begin the comparison with a brief summary of the each weapon before determining an edge. Of all the weapons here the Huaorani bow is perhaps the most lethal. Its arrows were specially crafted for maximum damage, with poison being an added bonus. Although the Huaorani are not as accurate with this weapon as they are with the blowgun, its still a fantastic mindset. As stated earlier the Hawaiian mindset to this weapon will cause them to (initially) see it as a joke, a child's toy or weapon to hunt vermin. Huaorani ambush tactics will suit this weapon perfectly, furthering the lethality of this weapon.
Every weapon has some disadvantages, and this is one of them. It's main competitor, the Ma'a sling, beats it in the range category as well as in rate of fire. Though I am willing to bet that it would pierce the coconut vest, it needs to penetrate a certain amount for the poison to get in the blood stream, and I am doubtful of its ability to do so except in very close ranges. Finally seeing as I have yet to find a single shroud of evidence for a Huaorani quiver, the ammo for this weapon will be relatively finite.
The blowgun (cerbatana) is one of the two Huaorani weapons, along with the Spear, that the Huaorani will be most familiar with. It is astoundingly accurate, and in my YouTube links tourists are able to nail a target 15 yards away on the first try. The Koa do not know what this weapon or its type is, so like the bow it will have a surprise factor to it, although in a different way. Huaorani ambushes, like in the case of the bow, will only serve to bolster this weapon's effectiveness. Finally unlike the bow it does have a quiver, and its big enough to the point where I am willing to bet that the Huaorani could fire for an hour straight and still have some quills left.
Of course all these bonuses don't take away from the fact that its rather big and bulky and hard to reload. Given this it might also be a bit difficult to aim for a moving (and presumably evading) enemy. Unlike the bow which just has to worry about the sling at its starting range, the blowgun user will be much closer to the Pikoi/javelin range, and its also possible he may be charged while trying to aim. This would force him to abandon the weapon.
Moving on to the Hawaiians arsenal the sling is first up. It possesses a high rate of fire and has the greatest range of any weapon here. The Hawaiians were truly exceptional slingers, and the ammunition hurled from this were made of volcanic rocks; much more lethal then the ammunition of the slings shown on DW. Any part of the body hit from this is liable to have something broken in it, which would effect the Huaorani later on. Expect potentially lethal internal injuries if it hits the stomach or chest, with the head or neck being pretty much instant kills. Of course the lack of lethality is whats going to hurt sling, as its lethality pales in comparison to that of its foes.
The Ihe javelin is barbed for extra killing power, and once it goes in it will not come out (without an excessive amount of pain) . Koa are skilled javelin throwers but that may not be enough when you are fighting an agile foes such as the Huaorani. The range also worries me.
Finally there is the pikoi which is an odd weapon for this battle. Though possessing the least amount of range of the bunch, it has a bunch of uses. The club itself could be swung up to thirty feet to bludgeon an enemy, and its just as capable of breaking bones as anything else in this category. Up close it could be used to disarm someone, tie them up or even strangle them. Or the entire thing could be thrown at fleeing foe, tying them up and leaving them to the Koa's mercy (*hint* he has none).
Despite the Pikoi's abilities it is fairly obvious which weapon gets the edge. The Huoarani are skilled at range, and with poison added to their weapons they are even more dangerous. The Huaorani long range score is helped along by their tactics and training, and in this battle the Koa will need to close in as fast as possible lest the end up on ground, the poison in their veins prohibiting them from bleeding.
Edge Huaorani
Mid Range: Tapa vs. Ihe
Lengthwise, these two weapons seem to be about even, with the Huaorani possibly having a couple more inches. But as the saying goes; it's not the size of the thing that matters, its how you use it.
Bad Jokes aside the Huaorani spear is more often used for hunting then warfare, and thus it pays to make it a bit brittle. Prey that has a broken spear point in it is more apt to die when it flees then just one stuck with a spear. It will be a slow process but the infection and open wounds will eventually take it's toll. The Ihe was made for combat pure and simple, and it is a sturdier creation then the Tapa. The Koa martial training is more sophisticated then the simple Huaorani hunting tactic of "stab, break , die, get new spear'. The Koa are trained to sweep , block and even deflect with it. The Huaorani just stab which, although simple and effective, may face difficulties agaisnt a foe armed with blocking techniques , armor (the rare man with the coconut vest) and disabling device (cape) .
Although just as lethal as the Ihe, the Huaorani Tapa fails here due to the lack of technique behind it. This is a Koa edge.
Edge Koa
Close Range: Machete and Stone Ax vs. Newa, Leiomano and Curved Dagger
Someone in the comment section raised an excellent point about this being a case of better quality weapons with weaker training behind them vs. poorer quality weapons with greater training behind them. The Machete is the only steel weapon in this match, and as Deadliest warrior has shown is quite capable of cutting up meat, meat being in this case an enemy body soon to be corpse. I underestimated the stone ax in the last match it played a part in; it two is very powerful . The Leiomano and Curved dagger are actually pretty fragile, and smaller then the weapons of the Huaorani. The Leiomano in particular had to be used in a surgical fashion to be really effective. Of the Hawaiians weapons the Newa is probably the sturdiest, and it too suffers from range. So why then do the Hawaiians ultimately get the edge?
While the Machete and stone axe may be a bit superior in terms of weapons quality and size, as I have said before the it's how you use the weapon that matters and the Koa were masters in this arena. Lua gave them a system of moves and techniques to use with these weapons, and the Koa honed in their skills in countless nights of training. A koa warrior was truly as efficient as a surgeon with the Leiomano, and within mere moments could cut the major arteries of a person's thigh and neck. The grace with which they used the Newa and curved dagger was nearly beyond comprehension, with every move carefully orchestrated to either directly kill or lead to a kill.
Without a doubt the Huaorani are at a disadvantage here, both in skill and having to deal with Koa armor (cocunut vest and cape) .Edge Koa
Edge Koa
Special: Borduna and Curare vs. Strangulation cord and Daggers
This is an ....interesting comparison, as one of the "weapons" cannot kill on its own. The curare is a type of poison, also used in anesthetics, that must be applied to arrows, quills or spears to be effective for the Huaorani. Its effectiveness is also determined by where it hits the target. On or near a major artery will result in it circulating pretty fast, but elsewhere will result in a slower and lesser reaction. Of course quantity of poison mattered too, and a man who has taken many poison afflicted arrows or darts cannot expect to escape from its effects. Curare is a tactical necessity for the Huaorani; without it their long range effectiveness is diminished to the point where they would have lost their recently gained edge.
The borduna on the other hand is heavy, cumbersome and sloppy; all the qualities of a weapon that are harmful in a battle against the Koa. Though powerful if it hits, I cannot see this weapon prosper against the Koa.
The Hawaiian's weaponry is a bit more conventional then his Amazonian rival. The long daggers are exactly like they sound like; short, stabbing instruments. The Strangulation cord is a bit more tricky. Unlike the garrote wire in CIA vs. KGB, the Hawaiians did not use it to sneak up on people and throttle them. Lua taught them to use it both as a disarming tool, entrapping tool, and yes, a strangling instrument. Some of them were embedded with shark-teeth for increased lethality.
Despite this, neither Koa weapon offers as much of a tactical advantage as the Curare, which makes up for even the near useless Borduna.
Edge Huaorani
Armor:
Head:Nothing vs. Mahiole:
Here comes the first of the "DUH" edges. The Huaorani possess freedom of the senses yes, but the Koa possess that and armor. And though the Mahiole won't do much other then stopping a few darts from going through and possibly cushioning a couple of blows, its still better then nothing.
Edge Koa
Body: Nothing vs. Coconut Vest armor (rare) , cape, belly band, oil
This is another obvious Koa edge. The rare cocunut vest will be his greatest defense, as it will be effective against darts, spears, arrows to an extent, and probably the axe. Though it will be effective against the machete's slashing, I am of the opinion it could stab through the vest. Belly band should be able to stop the poison of a few darts from reaching their destination, though I would not expect much more.
The Hawaiians used the capes as more a distracting weapon then a defense, and their role will be detailed further in the blocking section. Nonetheless, the edge is clear.
Edge Koa
Arms: Nothing vs. Oil:
The Oil makes the Koa slippery and hard to grab onto, which makes them harder targets in close hand combat. Doesn't effect their mobility at all.
Edge Koa
Legs: Nothing vs. Oil:
The Oil makes the Koa slippery and hard to grab onto, which makes them harder targets in close hand combat. Doesn't effect their mobility at all. (Yes, I Copy +Pasted here)
Edge Koa
Blocking: Minimal blocking skills vs. Lua, Leiomano, and Cape
The Hauorani are quick and agile; they need to be in the environment they live in. However the Koa are all that and more. Being masters of Lua, they can use this martial art to almost effortlessly parry and counter blows (especially when the Koa's enemy has little formal melee training). There are accounts of the Leiomano being used as a makeshift shield, though its use in such a way is a bit rare. Finally the cape is used by the Koa as an ingenious blocking device, and the Hawaiian warriors were known to ensnare, trap or even outright disarm enemies of their weapons.
The edge goes to the warrior with actual tools with which to block.
Edge Koa
Tactics: Night Attacks, Use of poison, ambushes, sudden, unexpected attacks vs. Chaotic battlefield, Alot of low-level cooperation, spatial fights,opportunistic, long then close
This is a rather difficult comparison, as we have two very different styles going head to head. The Huaorani favor the sudden, unexpected, ambushes while the Koa want to maximize the damage they do in a straight-up brawl. In this match, the Huaorani will want to use everything at their disposal to make sure that ambush wipes all the Koa out. They will attack at night if able, and almost certainly they will seek to attack the Koa when the latter is not expecting it. Using their aptitude with terrain, I can see them trying to lure the Koa into a heavily forested area before opening fire on all sides with their poison based weaponry. Theoretically, the Koa squad could be wiped out in seconds if the Huaorani are able cooperate well.
The Koa on the other hand want to get to that brawl as soon as possible. The Hawaiians will expend their long range missiles; peppering the enemy and hopefully weakening them for the charge. Once in close they will use their double teaming and opportunistic nature (taught by Lua, which is a set of tactics as much as a martial art) to quickly eradicate the Amazonians. The Islanders are knowledgeable in space and distance, and will use this to effectively counter and parry the superior quality weapons of the Huaorani . This is another situation where I can see the other side wiped out in mere moments, though more brutally.
This category basically contrasts a long range tactic vs. a close quarters tactic, as the Hauorani's bows and blowguns are going to be the focal point of their tactic, while the close quarters weapons will be the Koa's bread and butter.The Huaorani ambushes are often planned out, while the Koa's charges are pretty much standard. Additionally, The Huaorani's tactic has a much greater chance of wiping out the Koa before they can use theirs then vice versa.
Edge Huaorani
Terrain Manipulation: A high degree of vs. A moderate degree of
This is another one of those that's so blatantly obvious that its almost not worth the effort of judging. The answer is in the title! I am going to call with one of my reviewer's answers, as he put it this edge more aptly then I ever could. " Their hunting experiences have given them excellent perspectives on cover, ambushing and prey behavior and even on enemy turf they can porobably coordinate stealth raids and psychological warfare better then the Koa. The Koa aren't stupid and use terrain well, but not nearly to the extent of the Huaorani". Well said
Edge Huaorani
Rules: No Down Kills, Ambushes, Revenge vs. Long then close, no rules:
For the Huaorani ambushes are the rule of warfare, and they are frequent users of the tactic. Te Huaorani will seek to ambush the Koa over and over again, if need be, until the latter are dead. Their targets may be shifting throughout the battle; the Huaorani, as a revenge-obsessed culture, may go for their most recent injurers over anyone else. Translation; if Koa A. wounds Huaorani B., then Koa A. will become the main target of Huaorani B. until one of them is dead. This may limit cohesion a bit in my opinion. Finally the Huaorani system of beliefs dictates that any spear used on an enemy are to be left inside that opponent's body. Now the Amazonians may not always follow that for practicability reasons, but it is still a rule. Any Huaorani that does this risks losing a valuable weapon for later engagements.
The Koa, unlike their continent-based counterparts, are not limited by any rule. They generally expend their long range arsenal before moving on to close range, but that is standard practice of any army, and the Koa could forgo this if they wished. Once in melee combat there were no rules to how the Hawaiians behaved. Seeing as the rules do not hinder them like they do the Huaorani, I will give my edge to the Koa here
Edge Koa
I will split the next category into three parts
Training: Semi-nomadic culture vs. Lifelong Training, tested frequently:
The Huaorani come from a semi-nomadic culture where early on they are taught how to operate two weapons; the spear and blowgun, by the elders and more experienced members of the village. The Koa on the other hand are trained lifelong; first by the other masters of the art, and then by self-training, as they strive to reach martial perfection. They are tested frequently by both themselves and their masters, hardening their ability. Obvious edge
Edge Koa
Motivation: Xenophobic, fanatical revenge Killing vs. Island Hierarchy, Mana
Though the Koa fight for glory and country, they cannot compete with the extreme lengths that the Huaorani go to achieve revenge.
Edge Huaorani.
Experience: Hunting, Intra and Inter-tribal conflict, conflict with outsiders vs. Island warfare
In the period of time that both of these tribal people come from, both would have been accustomed to war. During the 40s-50s the Huaorani almost warred themselves to extinction, and also fought other tribes, hunters, poachers, loggers and missionaries (though the latter didn't fight back). The Koa on the other hand also were involved in frequent periods of warfare, and they would have fought the other tribes that littered the islands in an almost endless series of warfare (pre-Kamehameha). Both warriors fought an excessive amount, so on the ground of pure experience I cannot really give an edge.
Edge neither (yes Pink is my tie color)
Quality of Enemies:Low-Medium vs. High
Believe it or not this is actually a close edge. Yes the Koa fight warriors while the Huaorani fight other tribesmen, intruding Westerners, and, as someone so eloquently put it, Tapirs. However while the Koa fight tougher enemies, the Huaorani fight more diverse enemies. The Hawaiians fight only other Hawaiians, while the Huaorani fight other Huaorani, other native Amazonian tribesmen, and Westerners. Thus they are a bit used to the prospect of fighting the unknown, which the Koa aren't. Though the Koa get the edge here, it is only just.
Edge Koa
Overall edge Koa
Martial Arts: Haku-Haku vs. Lua, war sports
This comparison is perhaps the most unfair of them all. Not only is Lua clearly the superior martial art, but it actually makes it harmful for the Huaorani to utilize their native folk wrestling. I can easily see a Koa sidestepping a charging Huaorani, pulling back his arm and breaking it, before finally unleashing his strength upon the tribesmen's neck. Lua is an extremely deadly discipline, and the war sports are just the icing on the cake.
Easy Edge Koa
Expect the fight to come out much quicker then it did for Shaka vs. Arminius, in fact I have already completed parts of it! In addition, there should be two future matchup previews coming up that will help pass the time.
Part 4: Prologue:
(this was already written in May in my previous matchups....)
Part 5:
(kind of hard to find appropriate tribal war music, since so few of it is placed online, so bear with me)
Part 6: Conclusion and Statistics:
Close Range: Newa club, leiomano, curved dagger
Newa
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| Newa with human molar buried into it |
The newa is a bit shorter the weapons of the Amazon, however Lua skill more then makes up for this deficiency. When in the hands of a Koa warrior this weapon is unleashed in a whirlwind of furry upon the enemy, breaking bones with ease.
Leiomano
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| Schappert and his Leiomano |
The Leiomano or shark toothed weapon is the most famous of all the Hawaiian weapons. Contrary to what Deadliest Warrior would have you believe, it was not used in brute form that Sala Baker demonstrated, in fact if used like that the weapon would be useless in a matter of moments! Seriously why would you essentially "De-fang " your weapon on one guy when their are hundred more around you? Nor have I read anything regarding its use as a throwing weapon, and their is some evidence that this would have been unwise. Instead it was used more like a scalpel when combined with the martial art of Lua, performing quick devastating strikes on the opponent's "soft areas" (neck, groin, thighs, stomach ect), bring his life to a quick and brutal end. I have read of Leiomano varying in length, with some being around the two feet range while others in mere 15 inch range. In addition the hilt of many is actually a weapon in and of itself, marlin bills are known to be attached to the end of these already shredding clubs, giving it the ability to stab.
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| Contrary to Deadliest Warrior science, this weapon was not made for brutal random slashes. |
The curved blade dagger variant was native to only the island of Kuai, and are one of the many Hawaiian dagger varieties. On average it was about 15 inches in length.
This types of daggers could sever, rip, tear, slash, stab, etc. of both forward lunging and retraction motions. With gaff-like extrusions, in some instances, shaped much like sharks teeth, these extremely dense hardwood weapons could lacerate or saw through tissue with relative ease. There were a few disadvantages to these weapons however. The barb-like protrusions, when used for stabbing and thrusting, could impale the victim but it could be somewhat difficult to withdraw the dagger after the enemy had been wounded. This could pose a tactical problem when there was a clash between warring tribes. In essence, while rival fighters, or two tribes were in combat and the enemy was swarming everywhere the time spent retracting a weapon from an impaled enemy’s torso, he could be struck and killed in the process.
Special weapons:"pahooah" or long bladed dagger (swordfish daggers), Strangulation cords
The Hawaiian word for dagger is pahoa and it essentially means long pointed sticks. Captain Cook noted that alone of all the Polynesians, only the Hawaiians had anything resembling a dagger. They divided these daggers into five sub categories;(1) truncheon dagger, (2) bludgeon dagger, (3) long-bladed dagger, (4) shark-tooth dagger, and (5) curved-bladed dagger. The one that will appear in my match up will be the pahooh or long bladed dagger. Hawaiian warriors often kept these daggers in their loincloths or attached to their wrists via cords.
Pahooah
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| The Swordfish dagger |
The implements typically ranged in length from one to two feet(although the swordfish version could be up to four feet long !), with a wrist-cord usually passed through the butt end handle, so that when the dagger was wielded the warrior could be assured that it would not be accidentally lost during skirmishes when slashing or thrusting.
The pahooah was designed with a double-edged blade ending in a sharp point. The butt end is shaped into a handle that is narrower than the blade and meets it on each side in a sloping shoulder. The woods that were used for these specimens were quite hard and dense to insure that the blades and point did not snap off or lose its edge or point in combat. Alternately swordfish or marlin bills could be used as the actual blade, and given the Koa's sea oriented culture it would not be surprising to see blades such as these on the battlefield.
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| The Marlin Bill dagger |
Strangulation cord
Hawaii differed from the rest of Polynesia in having an established public executioner who was termed the niu. One of his duties consisted of executing those who had broken tapu laws, preparing victims for sacrifice, and removing those who were indicated by the ruling chiefs and high chiefs (ali’i).
Under this Hawaiian edict, the common form of execution was by strangling, for which there was a special strangling cord, consisting of a short handle with a cord loop. The one featured above is one of these types. It has a spindle-shaped wooden handle with blunt ends and a cord loop of olona fiber.
Most strangulation cords had handles to insure a firm and controlling grip since the cords were difficult to wield when tight, forceful tension was exerted on the line. The handles were usually made of wood but some were of ivory. Though these insidiously lethal weapons were quite simple in design, it required that the wielder be expertly adept at knowing exactly how to apply the tension with tourniquet-like precision to cut off blood and airflow in the most expedient fashion.
Tactically stealth was needed to get close enough to an enemy to apply the garrote without posing a threat to his own safety against an enemy that was armed with a dagger club. The enemy probably would be ambushed from the back, possibly as a result of being double teamed. It is logical to assume that the wielder had to be strong enough to control the enemy who would obviously flail and thrash until the victim lost consciousness. In all probability, distraction and possibly double-teaming a foe was used when the strangulation tactics were employed in a skirmish where many enemies may be on the field of battle. A skilled Lua practitioner could you it to block, catch a weapon, flipping or whipping and of course, strangling.
There is some evidence to support the existence of a shark toothed cord, or a strangulation cord with shark teeth embedded into them. This would have been much more lethal then a regular cord, as the shark's teeth would be digging into his neck while he is being throttled. The strangulation cord is an extremely close ranged weapon, so it won't see much use in this battle. Still it could be useful if a Koa manages to sneak up on a Huaorani.
Armor:
Helmet: Mahiole
Information on Hawaiian armor is rather difficult to find outside of Hawaii. From what I could find these helmets covered the head above the forehead, and functioned like the helmets that U.S. soldiers use today; for protection from small projectiles(slings). These helmets were described as bright and colorful with giant crests sticking arising from the top of the helmet. The Koa's senses are not impaired at all when wearing this, although to compensate for this his face was left quite vulnerable.
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| The thin needles of the blowgun will have trouble getting past this. |
Body: "Malo" (loincloth), 'Ahu'ula (battle capes), belly bands, coconut fiber armor (rare), oil, tattoo
In general Hawaiian armor was lightweight and unencumbering, and often adjourned with colorful feathers and symbols which represented the person who the koa owed loyalty to.
First set of attire for the Koa is the "malo" or loincloth. This was the base piece of clothing for the Koa and would always be worn. It was tucked into a waistband and draped over the front after being twisted tightly over the crotch.
Although to outsiders these capes appeared to more decorative then protective, the creative Hawaiian gave it battlefield applications that surprised European observers. In close to even mid range combat, the cape was used to enshroud, deflect, parry or even confine an opponents weapon in it. Clearly the koa are able to think outside the box with armor such as this.
Belly bands were also worn by the Koa, and were quite colorful like the rest of the Hawaiian attire. These were designed to give the vulnerable stomach and midsection some protection against stabs, slashes and thrusts . Far from the best armor but it keep with there lightweight standards.
Later on, after European contact, body armor made of woven mats of coconut fiber was devised in direct response to the introduction of gunpowder. This ingenious early Kevlar was powerful enough to stop primitive musket balls. While images of Hawaiian armor of this type are difficult to find, I have a image of what the Kiribati used.
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| Hawaiians would have likely only worn the vest |
The Hawaiian coconut vest will is the only real form of body armor in this battle, and though not every Hawaiian will have it (Kaimana, from the Shaolin vs. Koa battle, is one of the few who will) it will nevertheless cause some noticeable changes. The coconut vest gives it user almost full chest protection from the Huaorani projectiles, as the needles lack the power behind them to really get in deep enough to get a kill. As for the arrows go back to Aztec Jaguar vs. Zande episode of Deadliest Warrior, when the poison arrows were shown to be noneffective against the cotton vest. This will be like that. The melee weapons too may have some problems.
Finally the Hawaiian body was covered in tattoos and was oiled up before battle. The former was to represent status and importance, as well as to intimidate, and the latter was to prevent any foe from getting a grip on him once the fight came down to martial arts. This will be extremely detrimental to the Huaorani martial arts.
Arms: Oil
See above
(Although I found a source stating that they had vambraces and shin guards, I haven't been able to find others to verify this so they will not be included)
Legs: Oil
See above
Blocking: Lua, Leiomano , Battle Cape
Martial arts will certainly help here, especially when fighting against close range weapons. The flat side of the Leiomano was actually big enough to be used as a makeshift shield at times, and the wood was hard enough that enemy weapons, even steel ones, won't be able to simply cut through it. As detailed earlier, the battle cape had multiple blocking and disarming functions, and essentially give the Koa a non-shielded blocking/attacking combo Ala sword and shield.
Variable Factors:
Tactics: Chaotic battlefield, Alot of low-level cooperation, Spatrial fighters,Opportunistic, Long then close.
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| Kamehameha's most famous battle |
Like most ancient warriors, the Koa would typically begin by expending their long range missiles (Pohaku) before moving into closer quarters. Their mid range game would be defined by the phalanx of Polulu (long spears). At this range the Koa pike men would strive to keep the enemy at bay, while the rest would either be throwing in their javelins(Ihe) or preparing for the inevitable breach. This order of engagement demonstrates a core Hawaiian concept of Spatial fighting, which dictated that the Koa always be aware of the distance from him and the enemy, the distance from the opponent's weapons(and their striking distance), along with his own weapons. Once said breach occurred the battlefield was a truly chaotic place. Note in this battle they will not have access to pikes, so they will seek to go into close as soon as possible.
The Hawaiian battlefield was a Very chaotic place, one where even the best centralized leadership quickly fell apart. War cries, the din of clashing weapons, howls of pain, and curses were all very much a part of the Hawaiian battlefield, and pretty much all rules were thrown out the window. Warriors would work together to double team others, and would target occupied enemies whenever possible;which would mean in this battle that if a Huaorani was in a fierce duel with a Koa, then its entirely possible that another one would dive in and tackle him, whereupon the two Koa would join forces to disembowel the poor Amazonian.
Rules: Long then close, no rules
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| Hawaiian warrior |
Rules only apply for long and mid range fighting, once the battle reaches the close quarter stage there are literally no rules . Testicle severing , belly button stabbing, eye gouging, tripping, kicking, biting ect were all allowed in the heat of battle, along with the already mentioned double teaming.
Terrain Manipulation: Moderate degree of:
The ancient Hawaiians, though often fighting in pitched battles, did use the environment to their advantage. Kamehameha drove his rival off the edge of a cliff in the final battle of Oahu, after his rival hid men in sand dunes to ambush him .Earlier in another campaign, Kamehameha drove the forces of his cousin directly into the range of an erupting volcano. From what I have read, Koa strategy teachings included a part on ambushes, presumably with use of the environment. So while its not their main tactic, they are still skilled to both recognize and perform environmental ambushes.
Motivation: Island Hierarchy ( high chiefs, future king ect), Mana
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| Hawaiian noble |
Like most warriors the loyalty of the Koa would have been to their leaders first and foremost, whether they be high chief or later king. How the Koa were not like other warriors is their concept of mana or spiritual energy, which was unique to the cultures of the Pacific. Mana could be inherited or earned through great deeds and accomplishments, such as battlefield prowess. Hawaiians valued earned mana over inherited, and a warrior that shows great skill in battle would be treated with more respect and his voice would carry more authority. In addition his family's status would be elevated forever, giving his children a higher mana to grow up with then he did. The reverse is also true; fleeing from battle or being captured could result in your mana being stripped, which would place you in the kauwa (untouchable) class.
Training and Active Experience:Lifelong Training, Tested frequently, Quality of enemies:High
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| A Hawaiian fighter |
Training for the Koa began when they were children and continued on toward adulthood. They were tested frequently and harshly: in one test the student stood with arms outstretched, palms down, not lowering either arm as a second person walked on top of the right arm, over his head to the left arm, then back again to the right. Even after all these tests were completed and the Koa had become a full-fledged warrior he was expected to continually improve upon himself. And he had many opportunities too as he would be called upon to fight in pitched battles against both massed commoners and other Koa as equally trained as he is.
And finally
Martial Arts:War Sports, Lua
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| Hawaiian catching javelins |
Finally the Martial Art section . Before we start on the actual martial art(Lua) lets begin with the sports that helped train them for war and why. Foot racing (kukini) would have enhanced his endurance and speed, while variations to this game like somersault racing and cartwheels would have helped out his agility and balance. In order to prove their bravery, ancient Hawaiians would dive from high cliffs into water or sled down steep hills. This would probably help take away some of the fear that hadn't been drilled out by training. Bowling (Ulu maika ) would have improved the strength and accuracy of the warriors (stone bowling disks) while Paddle Racing would again improve their endurance and strength. Rat hunting (the only time in Hawaiian society bows were used) also improved aim and accuracy. Finally there are the sports that directly impact battlefield prowess; Boxing (mokomoko) , wrestling (hakoko), tug of war (hukihuk), spear throwing ('o'o ihe) and fencing with staves (kaka la'au). Combine all this together and the Hawaiian Koa is already better then all other non-fictional warriors used so far at unarmed combat(Necromorphs and some Fellowship members would still own them). All of these sports would have went a long way to preparing hem for the ultimate sport; the sport of kings aka the "sport" of war .
Lua:
The native Hawaiian martial art was called Lua, and it is probably one of the deadliest martial arts to have been ever conceived.Since I don't think i could adequately convey Lua and the technique behind it to you, i am going to hand this one over to one of my sources. Here is a quote from one of my sources illustrating the components of Lua: "Lua, then, was the general name for a type of hand-to-hand fighting which not only included hakihaki (bone-breaking), but combined ha'a (dance), hakoko(wrestling), mokomoko/ku'i (boxing or punching), peku (kicking), aalolo (nerve pressure) to cause paralysis, and also the use of weapons. However, Hawaiian lua training encompasses far more than the master of blows, strikes, takedowns, holds, dodges and falls. It also included the game konane (similar to checkers), designed to teach strategic thinking. Additionally, lua involved lomilomi (massage) which was designed to enhance a lua warrior's performance in training or combat by keeping muscles from binding.
A martial dance found in various styles throughout Polynesia is the haka or ha'a, an old word for hula. Lua incorporated the haka to develop grace, agility, and strong leg muscles, necessary for battle. When dancing, the lua artists would lunge forward and back, dodge from side to side, and then whirl and pivot in unison to simulate combat. Their hakaarm motions were actually lua strikes in disguise. The 'olohe hula (hula master) tapped a "galloping rhythm" on a hue (gourd), called cues in chant, and interspersed surprise lines to test the dancers' concentration during training.
Haka, in reference to lua and dance, not only means to dance in ranks, but also to perch on a shelf. In other words, to shelve or save in reserve, but not to use. For generations, Hawaiian objects were haka, held and cherished, but not used. Lua is intangibly haka. This parallels the Japanese saying, "Jujitsu, like a sword within a scabbard, must be kept polished though unseen." Lua not only protects the warrior in life, but it also teaches and prepares him how to die well."
The source for Lua can be found at the bottom. Lua was taught and practiced at the dead of night by the Koa, in order to maintain utmost secrecy. Modern Lua is taught by two different schools: Pa' Kuialua taught by Jerry Walker, Richard Paglinawan, Mitchell Eli and Moses Kalauokalani along with Solomon Kaihewalu. Of the two Olohe Solomon's is less YouTube shy.
Lua : right of passage
Closing Statement:
In a battle of two relatively unknown warriors, the Hawaiian Koa is the only one who is a warrior in the strictest sense of the word (Given that the definition of war includes the phrase "organized conflict", and the Huaorani are anything but organized). The Koa spent their entire lives preparing and fighting in wars, and constantly sought to refine their technique. Lacking access to metals, the Koa were nonetheless creative enough to use their environment to create what was needed, using materials such as wood, shark teeth, marlin, stones and swordfish bills. Their hand to hand art of Lua was perfected over the years for maximum lethality, and Lua masters struck with surgical precision. The Koa are now fighting an adversary that utilizes toxic weaponry, and they will need to be quick on their feet if they are to win.
Five Ways to Win:
1. Move from Long Range to Close- quickly!:
The Koa have the advantage of having the weapon with the first strike capabilities (the sling) . They will need to pelt their foes with stones and quickly close the distance in order to truly succeed here and minimize long range causalities.
2. Beat em down!:
Close range combat is the Koa's bread and butter, and they will destroy in this arena. With their Lua martial arts, double teaming tactics, and natural weaponry, the Huaorani are going to learn to dread this range, which means that....
3. No escape!:
Naturally once the Huaorani find out what badasses these islanders are in hand to hand, they are going to want to go back into their comfort zones where they can safely use their blowguns and bows. It is essential that the Koa prevent this by whatever means necessary...and they certainly have the means. The Pikoi, Ihe and sling are all well suited to stopping a fleeing enemy.
4. Be wary of ambushes:
The Huaorani specialize in ambushes, and if the Koa are not careful a unsuspecting blowgun dart from a bush could prove to be their undoing. The Koa are going to use their strategic mindset, hardened from years of Lua training, to preemptively search out any hiding spots.
5. The best defense....:
The Koa possess something which the Huaorani don't, armor! As the adage implies, they will need to use their defense for offense. This adage is something the Koa have mastered perfectly. The Koa use their capes to ensnare and even disarm the enemy of his weapons, while the oil prevents the Koa from being grabbed onto. The rare coconut vest provides defense against the projectiles.
Part 3 :Edges! Coming Soon....
Hey there ! To everyone who has contributed thus far, I thank you. And now for my first half of the edges.
Long Range: Bow,Cerbatana vs. Ma'a, Ihe, and Pikoi
Lets begin the comparison with a brief summary of the each weapon before determining an edge. Of all the weapons here the Huaorani bow is perhaps the most lethal. Its arrows were specially crafted for maximum damage, with poison being an added bonus. Although the Huaorani are not as accurate with this weapon as they are with the blowgun, its still a fantastic mindset. As stated earlier the Hawaiian mindset to this weapon will cause them to (initially) see it as a joke, a child's toy or weapon to hunt vermin. Huaorani ambush tactics will suit this weapon perfectly, furthering the lethality of this weapon.
Every weapon has some disadvantages, and this is one of them. It's main competitor, the Ma'a sling, beats it in the range category as well as in rate of fire. Though I am willing to bet that it would pierce the coconut vest, it needs to penetrate a certain amount for the poison to get in the blood stream, and I am doubtful of its ability to do so except in very close ranges. Finally seeing as I have yet to find a single shroud of evidence for a Huaorani quiver, the ammo for this weapon will be relatively finite.
The blowgun (cerbatana) is one of the two Huaorani weapons, along with the Spear, that the Huaorani will be most familiar with. It is astoundingly accurate, and in my YouTube links tourists are able to nail a target 15 yards away on the first try. The Koa do not know what this weapon or its type is, so like the bow it will have a surprise factor to it, although in a different way. Huaorani ambushes, like in the case of the bow, will only serve to bolster this weapon's effectiveness. Finally unlike the bow it does have a quiver, and its big enough to the point where I am willing to bet that the Huaorani could fire for an hour straight and still have some quills left.
Of course all these bonuses don't take away from the fact that its rather big and bulky and hard to reload. Given this it might also be a bit difficult to aim for a moving (and presumably evading) enemy. Unlike the bow which just has to worry about the sling at its starting range, the blowgun user will be much closer to the Pikoi/javelin range, and its also possible he may be charged while trying to aim. This would force him to abandon the weapon.
Moving on to the Hawaiians arsenal the sling is first up. It possesses a high rate of fire and has the greatest range of any weapon here. The Hawaiians were truly exceptional slingers, and the ammunition hurled from this were made of volcanic rocks; much more lethal then the ammunition of the slings shown on DW. Any part of the body hit from this is liable to have something broken in it, which would effect the Huaorani later on. Expect potentially lethal internal injuries if it hits the stomach or chest, with the head or neck being pretty much instant kills. Of course the lack of lethality is whats going to hurt sling, as its lethality pales in comparison to that of its foes.
The Ihe javelin is barbed for extra killing power, and once it goes in it will not come out (without an excessive amount of pain) . Koa are skilled javelin throwers but that may not be enough when you are fighting an agile foes such as the Huaorani. The range also worries me.
Finally there is the pikoi which is an odd weapon for this battle. Though possessing the least amount of range of the bunch, it has a bunch of uses. The club itself could be swung up to thirty feet to bludgeon an enemy, and its just as capable of breaking bones as anything else in this category. Up close it could be used to disarm someone, tie them up or even strangle them. Or the entire thing could be thrown at fleeing foe, tying them up and leaving them to the Koa's mercy (*hint* he has none).
Despite the Pikoi's abilities it is fairly obvious which weapon gets the edge. The Huoarani are skilled at range, and with poison added to their weapons they are even more dangerous. The Huaorani long range score is helped along by their tactics and training, and in this battle the Koa will need to close in as fast as possible lest the end up on ground, the poison in their veins prohibiting them from bleeding.
Edge Huaorani
Mid Range: Tapa vs. Ihe
Lengthwise, these two weapons seem to be about even, with the Huaorani possibly having a couple more inches. But as the saying goes; it's not the size of the thing that matters, its how you use it.
Bad Jokes aside the Huaorani spear is more often used for hunting then warfare, and thus it pays to make it a bit brittle. Prey that has a broken spear point in it is more apt to die when it flees then just one stuck with a spear. It will be a slow process but the infection and open wounds will eventually take it's toll. The Ihe was made for combat pure and simple, and it is a sturdier creation then the Tapa. The Koa martial training is more sophisticated then the simple Huaorani hunting tactic of "stab, break , die, get new spear'. The Koa are trained to sweep , block and even deflect with it. The Huaorani just stab which, although simple and effective, may face difficulties agaisnt a foe armed with blocking techniques , armor (the rare man with the coconut vest) and disabling device (cape) .
Although just as lethal as the Ihe, the Huaorani Tapa fails here due to the lack of technique behind it. This is a Koa edge.
Edge Koa
Close Range: Machete and Stone Ax vs. Newa, Leiomano and Curved Dagger
Someone in the comment section raised an excellent point about this being a case of better quality weapons with weaker training behind them vs. poorer quality weapons with greater training behind them. The Machete is the only steel weapon in this match, and as Deadliest warrior has shown is quite capable of cutting up meat, meat being in this case an enemy body soon to be corpse. I underestimated the stone ax in the last match it played a part in; it two is very powerful . The Leiomano and Curved dagger are actually pretty fragile, and smaller then the weapons of the Huaorani. The Leiomano in particular had to be used in a surgical fashion to be really effective. Of the Hawaiians weapons the Newa is probably the sturdiest, and it too suffers from range. So why then do the Hawaiians ultimately get the edge?
While the Machete and stone axe may be a bit superior in terms of weapons quality and size, as I have said before the it's how you use the weapon that matters and the Koa were masters in this arena. Lua gave them a system of moves and techniques to use with these weapons, and the Koa honed in their skills in countless nights of training. A koa warrior was truly as efficient as a surgeon with the Leiomano, and within mere moments could cut the major arteries of a person's thigh and neck. The grace with which they used the Newa and curved dagger was nearly beyond comprehension, with every move carefully orchestrated to either directly kill or lead to a kill.
Without a doubt the Huaorani are at a disadvantage here, both in skill and having to deal with Koa armor (cocunut vest and cape) .Edge Koa
Edge Koa
Special: Borduna and Curare vs. Strangulation cord and Daggers
This is an ....interesting comparison, as one of the "weapons" cannot kill on its own. The curare is a type of poison, also used in anesthetics, that must be applied to arrows, quills or spears to be effective for the Huaorani. Its effectiveness is also determined by where it hits the target. On or near a major artery will result in it circulating pretty fast, but elsewhere will result in a slower and lesser reaction. Of course quantity of poison mattered too, and a man who has taken many poison afflicted arrows or darts cannot expect to escape from its effects. Curare is a tactical necessity for the Huaorani; without it their long range effectiveness is diminished to the point where they would have lost their recently gained edge.
The borduna on the other hand is heavy, cumbersome and sloppy; all the qualities of a weapon that are harmful in a battle against the Koa. Though powerful if it hits, I cannot see this weapon prosper against the Koa.
The Hawaiian's weaponry is a bit more conventional then his Amazonian rival. The long daggers are exactly like they sound like; short, stabbing instruments. The Strangulation cord is a bit more tricky. Unlike the garrote wire in CIA vs. KGB, the Hawaiians did not use it to sneak up on people and throttle them. Lua taught them to use it both as a disarming tool, entrapping tool, and yes, a strangling instrument. Some of them were embedded with shark-teeth for increased lethality.
Despite this, neither Koa weapon offers as much of a tactical advantage as the Curare, which makes up for even the near useless Borduna.
Edge Huaorani
Armor:
Head:Nothing vs. Mahiole:
Here comes the first of the "DUH" edges. The Huaorani possess freedom of the senses yes, but the Koa possess that and armor. And though the Mahiole won't do much other then stopping a few darts from going through and possibly cushioning a couple of blows, its still better then nothing.
Edge Koa
Body: Nothing vs. Coconut Vest armor (rare) , cape, belly band, oil
This is another obvious Koa edge. The rare cocunut vest will be his greatest defense, as it will be effective against darts, spears, arrows to an extent, and probably the axe. Though it will be effective against the machete's slashing, I am of the opinion it could stab through the vest. Belly band should be able to stop the poison of a few darts from reaching their destination, though I would not expect much more.
The Hawaiians used the capes as more a distracting weapon then a defense, and their role will be detailed further in the blocking section. Nonetheless, the edge is clear.
Edge Koa
Arms: Nothing vs. Oil:
The Oil makes the Koa slippery and hard to grab onto, which makes them harder targets in close hand combat. Doesn't effect their mobility at all.
Edge Koa
Legs: Nothing vs. Oil:
The Oil makes the Koa slippery and hard to grab onto, which makes them harder targets in close hand combat. Doesn't effect their mobility at all. (Yes, I Copy +Pasted here)
Edge Koa
Blocking: Minimal blocking skills vs. Lua, Leiomano, and Cape
The Hauorani are quick and agile; they need to be in the environment they live in. However the Koa are all that and more. Being masters of Lua, they can use this martial art to almost effortlessly parry and counter blows (especially when the Koa's enemy has little formal melee training). There are accounts of the Leiomano being used as a makeshift shield, though its use in such a way is a bit rare. Finally the cape is used by the Koa as an ingenious blocking device, and the Hawaiian warriors were known to ensnare, trap or even outright disarm enemies of their weapons.
The edge goes to the warrior with actual tools with which to block.
Edge Koa
Tactics: Night Attacks, Use of poison, ambushes, sudden, unexpected attacks vs. Chaotic battlefield, Alot of low-level cooperation, spatial fights,opportunistic, long then close
This is a rather difficult comparison, as we have two very different styles going head to head. The Huaorani favor the sudden, unexpected, ambushes while the Koa want to maximize the damage they do in a straight-up brawl. In this match, the Huaorani will want to use everything at their disposal to make sure that ambush wipes all the Koa out. They will attack at night if able, and almost certainly they will seek to attack the Koa when the latter is not expecting it. Using their aptitude with terrain, I can see them trying to lure the Koa into a heavily forested area before opening fire on all sides with their poison based weaponry. Theoretically, the Koa squad could be wiped out in seconds if the Huaorani are able cooperate well.
The Koa on the other hand want to get to that brawl as soon as possible. The Hawaiians will expend their long range missiles; peppering the enemy and hopefully weakening them for the charge. Once in close they will use their double teaming and opportunistic nature (taught by Lua, which is a set of tactics as much as a martial art) to quickly eradicate the Amazonians. The Islanders are knowledgeable in space and distance, and will use this to effectively counter and parry the superior quality weapons of the Huaorani . This is another situation where I can see the other side wiped out in mere moments, though more brutally.
This category basically contrasts a long range tactic vs. a close quarters tactic, as the Hauorani's bows and blowguns are going to be the focal point of their tactic, while the close quarters weapons will be the Koa's bread and butter.The Huaorani ambushes are often planned out, while the Koa's charges are pretty much standard. Additionally, The Huaorani's tactic has a much greater chance of wiping out the Koa before they can use theirs then vice versa.
Edge Huaorani
Terrain Manipulation: A high degree of vs. A moderate degree of
This is another one of those that's so blatantly obvious that its almost not worth the effort of judging. The answer is in the title! I am going to call with one of my reviewer's answers, as he put it this edge more aptly then I ever could. " Their hunting experiences have given them excellent perspectives on cover, ambushing and prey behavior and even on enemy turf they can porobably coordinate stealth raids and psychological warfare better then the Koa. The Koa aren't stupid and use terrain well, but not nearly to the extent of the Huaorani". Well said
Edge Huaorani
Rules: No Down Kills, Ambushes, Revenge vs. Long then close, no rules:
For the Huaorani ambushes are the rule of warfare, and they are frequent users of the tactic. Te Huaorani will seek to ambush the Koa over and over again, if need be, until the latter are dead. Their targets may be shifting throughout the battle; the Huaorani, as a revenge-obsessed culture, may go for their most recent injurers over anyone else. Translation; if Koa A. wounds Huaorani B., then Koa A. will become the main target of Huaorani B. until one of them is dead. This may limit cohesion a bit in my opinion. Finally the Huaorani system of beliefs dictates that any spear used on an enemy are to be left inside that opponent's body. Now the Amazonians may not always follow that for practicability reasons, but it is still a rule. Any Huaorani that does this risks losing a valuable weapon for later engagements.
The Koa, unlike their continent-based counterparts, are not limited by any rule. They generally expend their long range arsenal before moving on to close range, but that is standard practice of any army, and the Koa could forgo this if they wished. Once in melee combat there were no rules to how the Hawaiians behaved. Seeing as the rules do not hinder them like they do the Huaorani, I will give my edge to the Koa here
Edge Koa
I will split the next category into three parts
Training: Semi-nomadic culture vs. Lifelong Training, tested frequently:
The Huaorani come from a semi-nomadic culture where early on they are taught how to operate two weapons; the spear and blowgun, by the elders and more experienced members of the village. The Koa on the other hand are trained lifelong; first by the other masters of the art, and then by self-training, as they strive to reach martial perfection. They are tested frequently by both themselves and their masters, hardening their ability. Obvious edge
Edge Koa
Motivation: Xenophobic, fanatical revenge Killing vs. Island Hierarchy, Mana
Though the Koa fight for glory and country, they cannot compete with the extreme lengths that the Huaorani go to achieve revenge.
Edge Huaorani.
Experience: Hunting, Intra and Inter-tribal conflict, conflict with outsiders vs. Island warfare
In the period of time that both of these tribal people come from, both would have been accustomed to war. During the 40s-50s the Huaorani almost warred themselves to extinction, and also fought other tribes, hunters, poachers, loggers and missionaries (though the latter didn't fight back). The Koa on the other hand also were involved in frequent periods of warfare, and they would have fought the other tribes that littered the islands in an almost endless series of warfare (pre-Kamehameha). Both warriors fought an excessive amount, so on the ground of pure experience I cannot really give an edge.
Edge neither (yes Pink is my tie color)
Quality of Enemies:Low-Medium vs. High
Believe it or not this is actually a close edge. Yes the Koa fight warriors while the Huaorani fight other tribesmen, intruding Westerners, and, as someone so eloquently put it, Tapirs. However while the Koa fight tougher enemies, the Huaorani fight more diverse enemies. The Hawaiians fight only other Hawaiians, while the Huaorani fight other Huaorani, other native Amazonian tribesmen, and Westerners. Thus they are a bit used to the prospect of fighting the unknown, which the Koa aren't. Though the Koa get the edge here, it is only just.
Edge Koa
Overall edge Koa
Martial Arts: Haku-Haku vs. Lua, war sports
This comparison is perhaps the most unfair of them all. Not only is Lua clearly the superior martial art, but it actually makes it harmful for the Huaorani to utilize their native folk wrestling. I can easily see a Koa sidestepping a charging Huaorani, pulling back his arm and breaking it, before finally unleashing his strength upon the tribesmen's neck. Lua is an extremely deadly discipline, and the war sports are just the icing on the cake.
Easy Edge Koa
Expect the fight to come out much quicker then it did for Shaka vs. Arminius, in fact I have already completed parts of it! In addition, there should be two future matchup previews coming up that will help pass the time.
Part 4: Prologue:
(this was already written in May in my previous matchups....)
To his Amazement, Kaimana had found himself not
punished for the failure of the expedition, but rewarded. He and his men had bravely fought off an attack
by savages, torched one of their towns in reprisal and defeated all of their
greatest warriors before the sole surviving member returned home . This was
what Kamehameha had told the
masses anyway, and Kaimana came to be regarded as a hero around the
Island. He was promoted to chieftain of
his home town (if someone other than Kamehameha had ordered such a social
upheaval he would have been butchered.), given a massive estate, and given
numerous honors of the court. The blood stained Spade taken from the lead monk
hung proudly in the lobby of his massive house, for villagers and even fellow
warrior to awe at. Kaimana finally had the respect that he was so looking for
when he had undertaken the expedition.
Yet at the same time, Kaimana had difficulty
feeling pride over it. All of the other men and women on his expedition died,
and their death (in particular Ka’imi’s ) weighed heavily on his heart.
Suddenly a call woke him out of his
depressive reflections; A’alona(“exalted or high mountain”) , a warrior of his
village, called out to him, saying that
a strange ship was approaching the shore. Curious, Kaimana went back to his
home and put on his war cape, mahiole, belly band and newly awarded Coconut
vest. The now battle dressed Koa picked
up his weapons as he headed out. He hoped that they had come in peace, but one
can never be too careful…
Luckily Kaimana wasn’t the only one that had
come to this conclusion, and a small crowd of well dressed Koa warriors awaited
him on the beach. They were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of a strange
ship that was approaching them. It had a large sail, and looked to have been
made from two canoes……..
Mincaye had never been a man to forgive
grudges, nor forget them. After traveling up along the coast for a while, had
been lucky enough to land in his cousin’s village; who was kind enough to
nourish him back to health despite having not seen him in over ten years. Once
the Huaorani survivor became fluid enough to talk again, he told his cousin
(named Gikita
Wawae) the sad tale of the fate
of the village where they had grown up in. At first his cousin’s face
registered shock, then sadness, happiness that they had been killed, and
finally anger. When Mincaye asked for some hunters to avenge the loss of his
family, Gikita enthusiastically agreed with the request saying “These Cowode
think they can massacre our villages and somehow avoid retribution? The families of these cannibals will pay for
what their children, husbands and fathers have done to us, by that I swear
cousin.” And so it had come to pass; his
cousin gathered up a few hunters spoiling for a fight and set off on the captured
vessel. They had expected for the Cowode
to reside on an island just off the coast, by the spirits they had been wrong.
They had been traveling for several weeks, only surviving due to the excellent
fishing skills of one of their members and efficient water conservation. Some
members had been lost to the great finned monsters that seemed to ceaselessly
follow their boat , and still others had gone crazy from the poisonous waters
of the ocean, and had to be thrown off the boat.
Finally land was sighted, and the spirits
of the Huaorani rose. People were starting to gather on the beach. When Mincaye
got closer he recognized them as bearing the same complexion as the cannibals
that had desolated his homeland. Gathering their weapons, the Amazonian hunters
knew that they were going to be in a fight when they landed and prepared
themselves for it.
Part 5:
Hawaiian Koa side:
· Standard equipment : Battle cape, mahiole,
Alohi (“brilliant”) :Ma’a sling, Ihe, curved dagger (poisoned)
A’alona (“exalted mountain”) : three Ihe , swordfish bill dagger
Hawika (“Beloved”) : newa, strangulation cord (poisoned)
Kaiamana (“sea filled with mana”) : Coconut vest, Leiomano, Pikoi
Kei (“dignified”) : marlin bill dagger, 2 Ihe (poisoned)
Ku’u Maka (apple of my eye) :newa, Ihe
Lae’ula (“clever”): strangulation cord
Makaha (“Ferocious”) : Ma’a, Ihe, Leiomano
Pono (“righteous”) : Pikoi, curved dagger
Punahele (“favorite”) : Cocunut vest, Ihe, curved dagger (poisoned)
Huaorani side:
*think of all non-Huaorani as cannibals
Awanetae: bow, stone ax
Dabo: 2 tapa
Gabo: bow, borduna
Gikita Wawae: cerbatana, tapa, machete
Itaeca (brother of Moipa) : cerbatana, borduna
Komi: tapa, stone axe
Minimo (female) : tapa
Mincaye: cerbatana , tapa, machete
Paa: cerbatana, tapa
Tonae: Cerbatana, stone ax,
Kaiamana continued to gaze at the strange new arrivals, considering both their intentions and his options. These foreigners had come armed for war; Kaimana could see the sun’s gleam on a spear point. That didn’t necessarily mean that they were hostile however as the sea were full of hazardous animals and even more hazardous men.
He could respond with hostility, trying to wave them off and engaging them when they get to shore- but that would be dishonorable to the his tribe and their reputation for hospitality. He could let them get to shore, but then it was possible that as soon as they did there would be a fight, endangering his men (as the man with both the most mana and experience, he was in charge of the village defense).
Basically it came down to whether he was either spoiling for a fight or was, as the saying goes, “too old for this shit”. He knew that some of the more hotheaded warriors like Makaha and A’alona would be overjoyed if he gave the order, but he had others to think about. Like Hawika, who was getting married in a couple of months, Pono who was not yet ready for a real battle, and himself, who had been reluctant to fight strangers since coming across those robed fools in the strange land across the ocean.
That last factor was what ultimately decided it, for Kaiamana had gained too much luxury and mana for him to risk it all in another fight. He barked a command to Ku’u Maka, the closest to the strangers, ordering him to signal to the strangers where to land. The grizzled old veteran Koa did not want to dig any more graves, nor have his own dug when his position was so prosperous.
These self-serving thoughts were interrupted with a hoarse curse from Ku’u Maka; three small spines had buried themselves deep into his chest.
Within the canoe, tempers flared upon the sight of so many men upon the beach, all armed for war. To the Huaorani mind, this signified that they were expecting an attack and thus were of the same village as those that had so wantonly burned down the villages of The People. If they had not been guilty, then they need not expect retribution.
With a suspicion confirmed, Mincaye felt the air around him electrify. Huaorani tempers were notoriously short (what would you expect of a people that can from calm to berserk in a span of seconds?) and many of them were already cursing the Cowode; Komi was actually spitting with rage. Mincaye himself was seeing red as the bodies of his family briefly flashed into his mind. One of the murderers had the nerve to try to flag them, as if the Huoarani actually wanted to talk to them! Gikita Wawae, his cousin who had handed over control of his mission to him, looked over at his kin expectantly. Both of them simultaneously inserted a small dart into the long tubes that lay on their laps. Nearby Itaeca, the brother of Poipa and nearly as eager for revenge as Mincaye, mimicked their motions. Awanetae and Gabo slowly drew their bows, with the latter of them, a hunter on his first raiding party, Mincaye remembered, looked at the emergency chief expectantly. Mincaye nodded at him before saying to his fellow hunter, his comrades
“Send these Cowode beneath the Earth, and avenge our slain kin”.
“Send these Cowode beneath the Earth, and avenge our slain kin”.
At that three Huaorani mouths blew into their tubes, with their sights locked onto the Cowode that dare try to flag them down.
Kaimana cursed alongside his injured comrade, cursing to the gods as he did so; he was evidently not looking for a fight today. His men were, or were at least expecting one. Alohi and Makaha both pulled out their ma’as as another Koa, this time Kei, sustained a wound to the leg, this time coming from an….arrow!?!?! Though Kei was more dignified about his wound then Ku’u Maka had been, he was shocked to say the least. These people were using child’s toys against him, against grown warriors! Kaiamana would have shaken his head at the foolishness of his enemies, had an arrow not collided with his vest, knocking him on his ass. The grizzled Hawaiian warrior felt a stinging sensation and knew it had penetrated but evidently not far. When he pulled it out he was relieved to find that the wound was nothing more than a scratch. He was lucky; Ku’u Maka had taken another dart, and was visibly inhaling and exhaling rapidly. That’s strange, he thought, ordinary weapons aren’t supposed to do that. He hasn’t suffered an injury to the chest, has he?
A war –cry from his left broke him out of his thoughts. The fierce Makaha had flung a stone with incredible force from his Ma’a at one of the natives on the boat. The native, who was bending over his blowgun, presumably reloading, took it straight to the lower chest. The man dropped backwards into the water. Having seen such wounds before from slings, Kaimana knew that wound would not normally be fatal, but in this circumstance…. His older brother had taken such a blow in a battle some 20 years ago, and after laying stunned on the ground for a few minutes he had managed to pull himself up, and had even recovered a couple of weeks later. Unfortunately for the invader, he did not fall onto the ground but into the water. Drowning may not be the worse way to go, but Kaiamana was sure that there were better. Still, could not happen to a more deserving man, and Kaiamana hoped that the aumakua, the sharks, enjoyed their little snack.
_____________________________________________________________________
Huaorani Tribesmen: 9 Hawaiian Koa: 10
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
On the canoe, 40 yards out
The anger that beat in Mincaye’s breast was magnified tenfold by Tonae’s death. He hadn’t really bothered to get to know the man, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a Huaorani! A person. And he did not deserve to get killed by a shoddy cannibal. With vengeance on his mind he took aim at slinger who was currently smirking from his confirmed kill –only for his cerbatanas to splinter before him as the other slinger cast a well-placed stone at it. Growling, Mincaye reached down into the ocean and picked up Tonae’s cerbatana, and was cursed with a most gruesome sight. Down below in the clear blue water Mincaye’s comrade in arms was being viciously ripped apart by the sea beasts that had persistently followed the canoe. Mincaye hoped for his sake that he had drowned before suffering such a fate, and quickly shook the water out of the cerbatana, turning his head away from his gruesome sight. Mincaye could feel that he was not the only one to have seen such a gruesome sight; behind him Komi looked sick.
Sticking a dart down the tube, he aimed at the slinger who had broken his prized cerbatana . With a great big puff, the dart sped out of the tube and hit the Koa in the stomach. The man’s curse was a sweet music to his ears, and the triumphant Huaorani allowed himself a snigger.
Now Alohi was wounded too, this is not good; we need to get off the beach.
With an authoritative like voice Kaiamana ordered a retreat from the beach, just as his men seemed to have come to the same conclusion. Even the ferocious Makaha fired his last stone (which hit one of the invaders on the arm) and scrambled from the beach, leaving the beach barren except for a single body. Ku’u Maka was convulsing from the effort of trying to breathe in oxygen, and had been for several minutes; unbeknownst to his fellow Koa. The man gave a last great big shudder before he ceased his struggled, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Kaiamana sighed in sadness.
Hawaiian Koa : 9 Huaorani tribesmen :9
The ship finally breached itself on the shore, the men inside it hurrying out. Their prey was escaping, and none of them were having that. Mincaye felt exhilaration upon finally touching land after so many months at seas, but quickly shook that thought off. Vengeance wouldn’t come about from such thoughts. His keen eyes scanned the jungle, looking for any indications of where they went. The trees and foliage may have been different from the ones back home, but it was obvious that it was still a forest that they were looking at. He could see a blood trail, so he knew they went in there, but other than that there was no indication for where the Cowode had gone. There were no bird calls, which are a sign of calm situation, so the hunter within him knew that they were nearby.
He wasn’t surprised when a war cry emerged from the thicket of the forest, and a spear flew from a bush, landing right in Gikita’s foot. The man gave a hoarse curse and tried to pull out the barbed spear right as a screaming, tattooed mass of people charged from the brush. The Huaorani were prepared and let loose a hail of darts and arrows. One of the Koa who was wearing some sort of vest took two arrows to it; he was knocked down. The darts were less accurate but Itaeca managed to peg one wielding a small club. Paa’s dart went awry completely but Mincaye did not berate his comrade, seeing as the fellow hunter was trying to shoot one handed. The Cowode returned fire with a hail of tapa.
Personally, Kaimana thought the charge could have gone better, but one must learn to deal with what life threw at you rather then bitching about it. Someone was causing Kei and Alohi to move a little slower than usual, and now Hawika had been hit by the probably poison too. Punahele had been knocked down from the force of two arrows colliding with him at once; Kaiamana hoped he was alright. Still the invaders had expended their all their ammunition, something the old Hawaiian was grateful for, and the Koa had no intention of letting them get another shot in. Picking up the spear the Ku’u Maka had dropped when he died, Kaiamana ordered his men to chuck their spears. To his disappointment, it seems that he had underestimated the agility of these new foes, and most were able to dodge. Only the fellow who had had his arm broken, and was thus a little out of it, did not dodge in time. The spear slid right into his gut, and the fiend gave a shrill scream of pain that caused the hair on the back of Kaiamana’s neck to stand up. Luckily, A’alohni had another spear, and the poor devil’s misery was ended when that spear entered into his neck. The man gave a couple of brutal gurgles before falling into that endless sleep that was death.
The charge resumed in earnest, but this time three members lagged behind.
Hawaiian Koa : 9 Huaorani tribesmen :8
Mincaye did not have any time to dwell on Paa’s death; those damn Cowode were closing in fast. Even if the Huaorani outnumbered them by 2 it was still a dangerous situation, as the Hauorani philosophy was to hit hard and fast, preferably from a covered position. Out in the open brawls just didn’t do it for his people.
There was no time for further reflections, and in front of him a Cowode collided with Komi, lifting the Huaorani’s legs out from under him and slamming him into the ground. Before Mincaye could take a single step to assist his comrade, a large Cowode sprinted at him with his with a club held aloft over his head, the dart sticking out of his shoulder identifying him as the man Itaeca had struck. Mincaye brought his spear up to meet the force of the attack. The spear splintered, spraying wood everywhere. Luckily for Mincaye it hadn’t been cleaved in two, though that would be the obvious outcome if his foe was permitted a second strike. Fearing this and remembering the wrestling that he had learned so long ago, Mincaye dropped his spear to focus on his machete, and rushed forward to tackle his foe.
He was met by only air- his opponent sidestepped him, and then before the tribal leader could recover, bent the Amazonian’s arm back painfully behind his back, forcing him to drop his machete. An elbow slam later, and Mincaye was sent downward into the sand. Spitting out the disgusting particles, Mincaye felt a sharp pain in his side as his opponent kicked him over so that he faced the sun. The man made to bring down his club upon the tribesmen’s head, as the latter saw flashes of his life pass before him. Desperation filled his heart. No, he thought, my life will not end on the sands of this Cannibal beach. With nothing left to lose Mincaye grabbed a handful of sand and thrust it into the Cowode’s eyes, kicking him in the crotch as he did so. Predictably the man was blinded, but not beaten. The club landed just inches away from where Mincaye’s head had been moments before. Mincaye curled up his legs and attempted to push him off, but only succeeded in messing up the Cowode’s next attack. His hands felt around in the sand for some, anything, finally grabbing the first sharp object he could reach; his tapa.
Using all of his strength, Mincaye shifted his body so that he was on to, and brought the spear down into the Cowode’s heart. The force with which the spear actually split it in twain, but that did not affect his strike. The spear point went straight through the Cowode’s chest, piercing the heart and ending his life. Mincaye swiftly pulled himself up to observe his surroundings, and felt horror emanate from the sight. Komi lay on the sand, his throat ripped upon and a pool of blood congregating around it. Several feet away Dabo was being manhandled by two cannibals, one of which Mincaye recognized as the killer of Komi. One of them had a long cord wrapped tightly around his friend’s neck, the blood pouring out of it indicating that it was more than just a simple rope. The second was using his curved blade to leisurely slash at Dabo stomach, over and over again. Judging by the sound and squeals coming from all around Mincaye, the others were also having a tough time. In the corner of his eye he could see Itaeca just barely parrying the spear blows of the one who shot a rock at Tonae, but his attention was quickly drawn to the far left.
His cousin Gikita, the last of his family, was locked in a bitter contest of strength with one of the Cowode. This man suffered from the poison, which had already slowed his movements, but that did not stop the Cowode. He had already knocked aside Gikita’s spear, and was now engaged in a sword fight between his short dagger and Gikita’s machete. Mincaye ran toward the duo, intent on saving his cousin. He stopped only to pick up Komi’s discarded stone ax, right at the moment when the Cowode grabbed Gikita’s hand mid swing. The Cowode thrust his dagger into Gikita’s gut, causing the Indian to snarl in pain. Mincaye felt tears of rage enter his eyes, and imagined the Cowode smirking at the sight. Mincaye needed no further motivation to bring his ax to bear against the cannibal’s smirking skull. The ax buried itself into the skull, cleaving all the way down to the jaw and splattering both Huaorani with brain and blood. Mincaye tried to briefly wrench the ax free, but the sight was so disgusting and ax buried in so deep that he gave up. Forcing the vomit in the back of his throat down, he turned to his cousin and said
“Are you alright wẽ-gã õgĩyæ̃-gã bæ (son of my mother’s brother)? Here, I will take this Cowode’s cursed instrument out. “Gikita grunted as he did so “Now we must finish off the Cowode-
“They are too strong for us up close; we must retreat if we are to have a hope of living. “
Before Mincaye could answer a shrill, feminine cry attracted their attention to the left. Minimo, the only female member of their raiding part, had been shown the same type of mercy that had been shown to the men; i.e. none at all. One of those basterds had jammed his spear into the middle area between her breasts, and was now laughing as he raised the spear upwards, further impaling her. By the fortune of the good spirits fate had decreed that she not suffer long, and right before Mincaye her eyes mercifully became unseeing.
Hawaiian Koa : 7 Huaorani tribesmen :5
Grabbing his nearby machete, Mincaye called out to his remaining warriors, ordering them to retreat lest they all be killed by the wedae (demons). Thus the remaining five Huaorani –Awanetae, Gabo, Gikita, Itaeca and Mincaye were forced into the unfamiliar forests, on the enemy’s home turf. Things did not bode well for the Amazonians, even more so now that Gikita was bleeding so profusely that he left a blood trail from the beach to the forest.
Kaimana saw that his enemy was retreating, and narrowed his eyes. Like hell he was going to let these wretched men go. Nor did his men have any intention of permitting these men to flee either. Makaha was in the lead, when a quick call from Pono caused him to stop. The youthful Hawaiian threw a long slender cord attached to a stone club around his shoulders and towards one of the stragglers about to leave the zone of the beach and enter the forest. The cord twisted and turned around the man’s feet before knocking them out, causing him to face plant the ground. Laughing in unison the warriors of Kamehameha’s kingdom sprinted towards their fallen prey, each eager to carve up something from it. Kaimana ran to, but ended up tripping over something.
It was Punahele. Kaimana had taken no notice of his fellow coconut vest wearing warrior after the melee started, assuming that he would get up and join on his own, but now saw that to assume that was pure foolishness. The man was dead, his eyes staring unseeingly at the island sun. The arrows had penetrated the coconut vest, digging deep into the Hawaiians chest and quickly spreading whatever nasty substance the invaders put on their arrows into the vital areas of the Koa. He had died, unnoticed by his fellow Hawaiians, sometime during the fighting.
Kaimana turned away from the scene as heard a loud crack. The other Koa had evidently finished off the captured invader, with Makaha snapping his neck. Sighing, he knew that he would have to pursue the rest in the dark, damp forest. Still, it was necessary lest they find the village and inflict their cruel poison on the innocent inhabitants (technically, the Koa had also been innocent just 10 minutes before. Kaiamana had no idea what sort of problem the invaders had to just wantonly inflict causalities without any form of negotiation first.)
In the midst of that thought, Alohi had collapsed right in front of him. The rest of the Koa could just watch helplessly and vow revenge as he convulsed and turned blue from lack of breath. It did not take long for the poison to take full effect.
Hawaiian Koa : 5 Huaorani tribesmen :4
___________________________________________________________________
The sun slowly began to set over the island, but the battle was not yet over, and had only taken a brief interim.
As the Koa creeped into the forest, the remaining Huaorani had inadvertently split off from one another in their hectic retreat. Gikita and Mincaye had gone together, but Gabo and Itaeca were isolated. Each of them knew that in order to win they would have to play into their old tactic of ambushing but would have preferred to have done it together.
Meanwhile the warriors of this land had realized that the Huaorani had split up, judging by the three different sets of tracks and the blood trail. After the briefest of discussions the Koa agreed to each go their separate ways. A’alona and Lae’ulu would go after the tracks on the far right (unknowing to them, those led to Gabo), while Kaiamana and Makaha would go for the ones leading down the middle (Itaeca).Making an inference that the one with the blood trail was near death, the group judged that Pono would be enough to handle him. The three groups raced off in three separate directions to deal with three separate nuisances.
10 minutes later…
“Why have we not left to join the others yet, how can we follow tracks that have since faded?” said A’alona for the third time in the last minute.
“Because fool, if we let this one go he’ll just come back to ambush us later, when we are dealing with the others “ fired back Lae’ulu, getting increasingly incensed at his companion’s incessant whining.
“How do you know that the others of his kind aren’t dead?”
“Well, have you heard any screams or cries or sounds of fighting? Such sounds would usually precede death?”
“Maybe they are too far away to be heard?”
Lae’ulu did not have an answer for that; he had no idea how far into the forest they were, or how far the others were from them. He met the comment with only silence, which unfortunately was not a good enough answer for the talkative A’aloni. The man was a chatterbox, and while that maybe appropriate in the village, on the battlefield, in a dense terrain where an ambush could easily, this was not acceptable.
Unfortunately for him, A’alohni did not seem to take the hint to shut up, and was now talking about unrelated topics
“Hey Lae’ulu, who do you think will win that upcoming duel to the death that the village has been looking forward too? Personally I am rooting for Too-“
A quick swoosh and a gurgle cut him off, and when Lae’ulu looked over his eyes widened. A two-pronged barbed arrow stuck out of his throat; evidently he wasn’t the only one within listening distance that wanted him to shut up. Lae’ulu knew that his compatriot was done for, and quickly ducked under a log as the next arrow came swooshing by. Beside him, A’lohni collapsed to the ground.
Lae’ulu remembered something from the beach. When he had seen this man running he had had only three arrows, and if he had expended two….
Cautiously, Lae’ulu folded up his tell-tale bright cape, and raised it slightly above the log, hopeful that the enemy archer would spot it. Lae’ulu felt something scrape the fingers holding the cloak, but was satisfied that the enemy had fired his last arrow. With a battle cry, Lae’ulu jumped up and charged in the direction of the bowman, who for his part had cast aside his now useless bow and switched to a massive club. Lae’ulu was bereft of any weapons save for his prized strangulation cord
The bowman swung his heavy club over his back and attempted to bring it down onto Lae’ulu’s shoulder, only for the agile Hawaiian to evade out of the way. The invader swung parallel to the floor, only for the Koa to again dodge. Smirking, Lae’ulu knew that he could keep this up all day; unfortunately his comrades elsewhere needed him. When the bowman swung next Lae’ulu reached out and grabbed one of the arms, pulling it back around the bowman’s body as he did. The man gave a cry of pain as his shoulder was dislocated, and another cry as Lae’ulu did the same thing with the other. He tied the man’s arms up with the cord, and then forced him to the ground. This club will suit me better later on, he thought, then the strangulation cord. Lae’ulu picked up the giant club, examining it and apparently forgetting about the struggling man at his feet. When he was satisfied he smirked at the man below, and kicked him over so that he was on his back. The man’s eyes widened, as Lae’ulu raised the club above his head. His mouth moved, almost as if he was pleading with the Hawaiian, but such foolish gestures were futile; Lae’ulu knew no mercy. He brought the giant hunk of wood crashing down on his head-
Two sounds occurred at that moment pretty simultaneously. The first was sort of a smashing sound; the second was a hiss of pain. The first came from the crushed skull of the man below him, the second from Lae’ulu, who hissed as a dart penetrated his neck. They were not alone.
Cursing Lae’ulu removed the dart, and scanned the foliage around him in order to determine his attacker’s location. Before he had even made a full turn of the head, another dart struck him, this time in the place where the chest met the neck.
Okay, he dizzily thought, this cursed dog is in front of me somewhere. Visibly fuming, Lae’ulu began striking the nearby brush with his club, in an attempt to force the coward out of hiding. Another dart struck him, this time in the back. Screaming out curses and becoming increasingly fearful, Lae’ulu turned around and began beating into the brush in the other direction, though his movements became slower as the poison took hold.
A fourth dart bit into his cheek, and now the Hawaiian did not even have the strength to pull it out. He was visibly panting, struggling in the effort to keep his vital organs running. A fifth dart caused him to collapse to his knees, and a sixth dart sent into him was just overkill. The man fell backwards, eyes towards the sky-and he finally found where the coward was hiding.
_____________________________________________________________________
Hawaiian Koa: 3 Huaorani tribesmen :3
Hawaiian Koa: 3 Huaorani tribesmen :3
Elsewhere the righteous Pono was still following the blood trail, pursuing it ever deeper into the jungle. The man lost a LOT of blood he thought, how the hell is he still able to run?
The Koa himself was starting to feel tired; and that was with his lifetime of training! A non-koa should not be able to run this far, even if it was under fear.
Pono pushed aside some foliage, and was finally met with the sight of his prey- propped up against a tree, dead. Cautiously, Pono approached the man- he had heard many a tale of the hunter being killed by the prey who was previously thought to be dead, and he did not want that to happen to him. When he was an arm’s length away, Pono poked the corpse with his curved dagger-hard. It did not stir.
Curiously, Pono bent down to examine the man. At first he saw no problems, but then upon closer examination of the now deceased invader, he saw a large wound in the man’s side, and got back up, now understanding. Many warriors who sustained wounds on the battlefield did not die there, but rather minutes, hours or sometimes days later, often in the care of their loved ones. This man may have lived if he didn’t except himself so, but that was irrelevant now. He was dead.
That doesn’t explain how he managed to make it so far, though. He should have collapsed about a half a mile ago. Someone had to have carrie-
His thoughts were interrupted by the machete that went into his back and out his front, impaling everything in between. Pono gave a bloodcurdling cry of utmost pain as the blade was pulled out, and this time brought to bear on his neck. Pono’s cries ended abruptly, as his head separated from his body.
Hawaiian Koa: 2 Huaorani tribesmen :2
Kaiamana heard Pono’s cries and was deeply troubled. He and Makaha had lost the trail of the slippery snake who they were supposed to follow, and now one of his friends was in danger. Curses, he thought, I knew I was right in objecting to the division. Divide and conquer is a classic and easy way to win.
He was about to turn and tell Makaha to forgot about chasing this snake, when a rustle among the caught both their attention. Makaha turned to him and said
“You go and help Pono, ill handle this cowardly snake.”
Kaiamana was about to object; hadn’t he just been thinking about how dividing forces is a BAD idea, but the fierce look in Makaha’s eyes brooked no argument. Sighing, Kaimana went off to help his probably-dead comrade.
With his opponent finished, Mincaye dropped to the ground, exhausted and saddened by the day’s events. His only remaining family member lay dead before him, the result of a wound that he had failed to stop. The rest of his tribe was likely dead; Mincaye had seen nothing of them since they had split up. Worse still he was stuck on a hostile island, seemingly doomed to die. Mincaye had learned long ago that you cannot run from something as unstoppable as death, and knew that fear of it must eventually be put aside.
Predictably he heard a rustle in the foliage in front of him, and out of it stepped a heavily tattooed man wearing a vest of some kind. A long blanket (a word which the foolish missionaries had introduced him to) covered hi back, and in his hands he held a club with a cord attached to it. His other hand had a cord which was connected to a peculiar looking dagger.
Without preamble, the man chucked his club at Mincaye, its long cord stretching out the distance.
Mincaye just barely dodged, the club impacting Gikita’s chest with a hard smack, knocking him from his position propped up against the tree. Mincaye cursed as the man reeled it back in. The next swing of the club he was ready, sidestepped it, and in a single motion cut the cord off from the club. If Mincaye expected the islander to be dismayed by this, he was sorely disappointed.
Mincaye only just turned around in time to swing his machete, forcing his rapidly advancing opponent back. He followed through with a slash to the man’s stomach, burying into it. The man grunted in pain, but held the machete in its place while he advanced with his small, oddly designed dagger. Mincaye responded by kicking him in the balls, which caused the man to catch his leg but let go of the machete.
With a now freed weapon he forced the islander to let go, and attempted to decapitate the Cowode’s head, only failing when the man moved out of distance. Mincaye cursed to himself; he didn’t want to prolong the fight any longer then he had too. He doubled back to pick up his cousin’s cerbatana, already preloaded, while making sure to keep an eye on his foe. The man seemed to have guessed his intention and renewed the offensive, trying to swipe Mincaye’s feet out from under him and receiving a slash across his leg in return, this blow cutting deep into it.
Now the tide had turned. The Cowode was no longer able to keep on the evasive and he knew it. Mincaye, feeling confident, attempted an overhand hack into the man’s should right as he lifted his cape. Much to Mincaye’s surprise, the Cowode caught the blow, though the machete sank deep into his hand. In a swift movement he twirled the cape around the weapon, entangling it and then finally wrenching it from Mincaye’s grasp.
Mincaye’s eyes widened, too focused on that arm to notice what he was doing in his other one. Mincaye felt white hot pain as the sharpened spear-like end of the Leiomano poked into his throat.
For the second time in a day the old Huaorani saw flashes of his life pass by his eyes; his childhood, his first hunt, his first revenge kill, meeting with the missionaries, his slaying of the Cowode chieftain, and finally, earlier stages of the battle. As Mincaye collapsed to the floor he couldn’t help but think one, last, dreary thought.
Was it all worth it?
Hawaiian Koa: 2 Huaorani Tribesmen: 1
Kaiamana was exhausted by the fight. He hadn’t had one that tough since, well, the last foreigners that he fought. He visibly struggled to catch his breath, when a dart suddenly hit his coconut breastplate. Fuck he cursed; I had enough of these projectiles on the beach.
The Hawaiian looked around in all angles, left right, straight, behind him, before finally looking up. There, perched in an exceptionally tall tree, was the native, blowgun in hand. Kaiamana jumped backwards to dodge his next shot, feeling a sharp pain as he did so. Looking down he saw that he was in no condition to walk, and faced with reluctance the near certainty of his demise. He locked eyes with his attacker; if he was going to die he was going to perish facing his foe like a true man.
The man put the blowgun to his mouth- just as a giant stone collided into his chest. He screamed as he lost his balance and fell….60 feet, hitting the ground with a resounding crack.
Kaiamana’s attention was diverted to a second figure, this one on the ground and approaching him rapidly.
Makaha kneeled down, examining his injuries, and much too coldly for Kaiamana liking said “You’ll live, this isn’t mortal”, he turned his head to the invader, who even Kaiamana’s aged eyes could see was in a puddle of his own blood “thank the gods that you are not that unlucky son of a whore.”
Kaiamana thanked him, and with some help limped back to the village to let them know of the day’s events. As he did so he uttered a silent prayer to the gods, grateful for surviving today’s events.
Hawaiian Koa: 2 Huaorani Tribesmen:
Epilogue:
Kaiamana admired his new trophies. It had been two month’s since the fight, and both he and Makaha were still reaping the awards. The latter had been become one of the great king’s personal bodyguards, while Kaiamana himself had seen his jurisdiction expanded. And it was all because of those invaders who were nice enough to give him the two weapons that now hung on his wall, together with that strange weapon he had won while in that foreign land. One of them was the long tube-like thing that shot darts at them, the other was the steel blade who a European visitor (yes, he was now important enough to receive foreign visitors in his private estate) had identified as a machete. He called the other one a blowgun.
He peaked a glance outside to observe the construction his servants were working on. Things were changing rapidly for everyday life in the islands. A group of foreigners, claiming to preach the one true faith, had arrived on the island and were making some converts with the lower classes, something Kaiamana thought dangerous. King Kamehameha tolerated them for some reason, probably for their fire sprouting weapons or so Kaiamana thought.
Those firearms had certainly played heir part in his lord's recent victories, in fact Kaiamana wouldn't be surprised if the man took over the entire island chain in a couple of years!
Those firearms had certainly played heir part in his lord's recent victories, in fact Kaiamana wouldn't be surprised if the man took over the entire island chain in a couple of years!
Personally, he half-hoped that his jurisdiction got invaded again; at this rate he just might be given the whole island! But this time, he would prefer NOT to lead from the front….
Part 6: Conclusion and Statistics:
Category:
|
Hauorani Tribesmen
|
Hawaiian Koa
|
Long Range:
|
38
|
25
|
Mid-Range:
|
19
|
24
|
Close-range:
|
12
|
18
|
Special:
|
23
|
20
|
Armor: Head:
|
2
|
5
|
Body:
|
4
|
10
|
Legs:
|
2
|
3
|
Arms:
|
2
|
3
|
Blocking:
|
4
|
6
|
Tactics:
|
28
|
22
|
Terrain Manipulation
|
5
|
2
|
Rules:
|
6
|
11
|
Motivation:
|
10
|
7
|
Training/Experience/Enemies:
|
13
|
17
|
Martial Arts:
|
3
|
10
|
Total:
|
171
|
183
|
The Hawaiian Koa is the Winner!!!!
|
||
Conclusion: The Koa
simply had too many advantages in this battle for the Huaorani to really
compete. Though experiencing difficulty at range due to the poison based
weaponry of the Amazonians, often used in conjunction with ambushes, at every
other range and situation the Hawaiians have the upper hand. Unlike the
Huaorani, who take up war as a part time profession, the Koa fight all the
time, and are trained from birth to be warriors. Their brutal martial art,
which also includes elements of strategy, further helped along their win.
Category
|
Hauorani Tribesmen:
|
Hawaiian Koa
|
Long Range:
|
Bow: 687 Blowgun: 892
|
Sling: 301 Ihe Javelin: 195 Pikoi: 143
|
Mid-Range:
|
Tapa: 340
|
Ihe: 467
|
Close Range:
|
Machete: 156 Stone Ax: 124
|
Leiomano: 320 Newa: 407 Curved Dagger: 287
|
Special:
|
Borduna: 56
|
Marlin and Swordfish daggers: 464 Strangulation Cord: 73
|
Martial Arts:
|
Hakau-Haku: none
|
Lua: 88
|
Conclusion:
|
2255
|
2745
|
Hawaiian Koa:
Sling (301): In this battle, the sling had superior range,
allowing it to get the first strike on the enemy. Though it lacked slightly in
lethality (remember the Koa were EXTREMELY talented slingers and their
ammunition harder than that used on the show) it got a great many assistors (meaning
other weapon’s finished the job that the sling started), and some delayed kills
as many of those that were hit died from internal wounds.
Ihe javelin(195) : A javelin kill was a bit harder to achieve then the
sling due to the agility of the Huaorani, as well as the fact that not every
Ihe was thrown. Still, a hail of javelins thrown by men talented at this took
its toll fast.
Pikoi(143): The Pikoi is another of those weapons that got
more assistors then kills, due in part to its use of ensnaring fleeing enemies.
Still its club component, as well as its
strangling ability got some kills.
Ihe-hand-held (467):
The Koa, being master spearmen, took the lion’s share of mid-range kills. They
were just too superior in skill for even the deadly tapa to keep up.
Leiomano (320):
The surgical Leiomano suffered at range, but once the Hawaiians got up close
they literally carved their foes up. Like all mid,close and special weapons,
the presence of Lua greatly impacted the number of kills it received.
Newa(407): This
blender of a club was quite capable, and successful in, pounding the Huoarni
into oblivion.
Curved Dagger (287):Though
more difficult and rarer than the other weapons in this category, it still got
a respectable amount of kills, though it suffered at range.
“Long Daggers” (464):
Both the Marlin or Swordfish dagger faired well at range, and both were capable
stabbing instruments. For this reason, the Koa got most of their close range
kills here.
Strangulation cord
(73): This got some assistors from the Koa tying their foes up and brutally
executing them, but it also got some direct strangulation kills as well.
Lua(88): As a
martial art, Lua made its presence known in the fight in basically every
category, including its own. The fighting style got 88 kills of its own through
brutal fist fighting
Armor: Reduced
the amount of Hauorani kills in every weapon category, even long range. Had it
been present in greater quantity, it would have made this battle a blowout.
Tactics: When
things got to close range, the Hauorani dominated thanks to their double
teaming tactics. Also their initial tactic of peppering them at range with
stone paid great dividends later on.
Terrain Manipulation:
Were Competent enough here to figure out Hauorani hiding places, but inadequate
compared to them.
Rules: Their lack of gave them great freedom of
tactics in this fight, and helped in melee.
Motivation: Were
motivated enough to stay in the fight.
Training/Experience/Quality
of Enemies: The Koa spent a life
time training for battles, and have fought tougher (though perhaps not as
tricky) opponent then the Huaorani before, many times in fact.
Martial Arts: A
great helper all around, in ALL ranges. Without the presence of this, the Koa
may not have been able to beat the irregular tactics of the Huaorani.
Hauorani:
Bow(687): Great
weapon, with the power, accuracy, and presence of poison (as well as uniquely
carved arrows) earning it this huge triple digit kill. The only reason it got
less than the blowgun was the lack of presence of an arrow quiver, as well as
the Hauorani familiarity with the other contendor in this category.
Blowgun(892): As
the weapon of choice for the Huaorani, the blowgun scored the most amount of
kills of any weapon on either side (though if you count substances, then it is
in second). It is startlingly accurate, a great tool to use in ambushing and in
conjunction with others. Limited by armor.
Tapa(340): the
Huaorani are spearmen to the core, and managed to rack up 340 kills, even with
the presence of armor. The Koa’s skill, armor and blocking cape all played a
role in reducing kills, however.
Machete(156): As
the only steel weapon in the match, the Machete did pretty well for itself,
nabbing 156 kills against a superior close quarters enemy.
Stone Ax(124): I
may have wrongfully underestimated this weapon in the past, which was foolish
for me to do so. This weapon was powerful enough to make almost every hit a
kill.
Borduna (56):
kind of useless due to its weight against the fast moving Koa. Still got some
kills.
Poison: If you were to count most of the bow and ALL
of the blowgun kills towards it, this substance would have the most kills in
the battle. Helped the Huaorani out a lot in long-range, though in the long run
it wasn’t enough.
Armor and blocking: The Huaorani did not have any. Their mobility
saved them a couple of times, though.
Tactics: Ambushes and Guerilla tactics helped a LOT in
the Huaorani winning battles, and when the battlefield started getting dark
they had the experience to keep on going.
Terrain Manipulation:
Huaorani were masters of it, and were even able to ambush the Koa on their own
terrain
Rules: Hurt a bit
here by their policy of leaving downed enemies with a spear in them- wasting a
good spear. Also the impaled man sometimes had enough energy left to wreak
horrifying vengeance on their attackers.
Motivation: The
fanaticism behind Huaorani killings made it so that the Amazonian did not give
up until the icy hand of death claimed them.
Training/Experience/Quality
of Enemies: Though experienced and not upset by the prospect of fighting
unfamiliar enemies, the Huaorani could not compete with Koa in lifelong
training.
Martial Arts: I
suppose Haku-Haku is better than nothing, but Lua dominated here.
Well that’s it folks.
Have any comments, criticisms, predictions about next match? Leave them below!
Next time....
In a clash of Sci-Fi anti-heroes, Sarah Kerrigan, the Zerg Queen of Blades takes on Alex Mercer, the anti-hero and disease vector that annihilated New York. With new abilities for both, who will ultimately prove the Deadliest Warrior?
Vs....
Both of them are common in that they are something more, or perhaps something less, than human.
Good to see this! Looking forward to its continuation.
ReplyDeleteNice one. The huaorani are fearsome warriors indeed and it will be dangerous to face them. Their x-factor is dangerous and may decide the outcome. I do think that the koa will win due to the armour.
ReplyDeleteCannot wait for the Koa bio btw.
I do have one question. You said that the spear is a weapon with maximum two shots, i can understand that. But if a spear kills someone in the first shot, does it still get a second one or is it done?
I think it will be hard to aim it at an opponent while somebody is stuck in the buttend
Thanks for the comments guys~!
ReplyDelete@ Ares
Generally Huaorani beliefs demand that the spear lay stuck into the foes body, and the tip breaks usually when sticking it into someone, and could be broken off completely with minimum effort. The Huaorani solve this problem by A. sharpening on both ends and B. bringing multiple spears (just learned that fact).
This is going along very quickly, I'm impressed with your progress. I guess that having already done the research for these two means that you can move on to the real substance of the match- the Edges and the Battle. As of right now, I don't have a clear cut favorite; maybe the intangibles categories will help to clarify things.
ReplyDeletehmm, still looking very nice.
ReplyDeleteI do have a question about the Koa's.
Why did you choose to use the pikoi in long range instead of midrange?
Will the rope of this weapon be used the same as the strangling cord; Blocking, catching the weapon and flipping?
As for the match itself, the Native Americans will prob. score very good with their ambushes and raids. The poison will also help to some extent but I feel that the Koa's have this battle. They were trained for battle and know how to fight a war. They have good weapons, good armour and good unarmed combat. The training that they recieved will also help a lot in this battle.
Also the Koa's have taken down the shaolin monks succefully who had a lot of steel weapons.
The most succesful Huaorani weapons will be the blowgun and Machete.
The most succesful Koa weapons will be the pikoi, ihe and laimohano
I feel that the this will be much closer than we might initially believe - the Huaorani are very dominant in close ranges, while the Koa are dominant at long distances, and they appear to split the series at medium distances.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm going to give the edge to the Huaorani; they use superior tactics (ambushes) and their poison is going to really effect the outcome of this fight.
Looking forward to where it goes from here!
Thansk for the comments guys!
ReplyDelete@ Ares
Thanks for the prediction!
The Pikoi was chosen for long range because the Hawaiians can and did use it to catch fleeing enemies. If you saw Star Wars : The Return of the Jedi then it would be like theEqoks threw those cords that wrapped around the stormtroopers necks...except in this case it would be their feet. The Pikoi is multi-purpose, I could rightfully put it in any category, but its usefulness begins in Long Range.
@Mike
Thanks for giving an opposing prediction to Ares! Its always good to compare the proponents of two sides before giving edges. I can tell this will be close, and I am quite interested in who will win myself.
I'll post my Edge predictions tomorrow, but initially I can say that I think the Koa have a slight edge overall. While the Huaorani projectiles and ambushing will certainly be effective initially, I just don't see the Huaorani being able to stand toe to toe with hardened and disciplined warriors with superior close range abilities like the Koa. While I think the poison will be a factor, I'd be careful not to overrate its effectiveness in a pitched battle- it'd take at least several minutes to work, and the Koa may have already won by then. With that being said, I think the Indians have a shot if they can keep away and use hit and run tactics. However, they don't have much of a chance if the Koa can manage to catch up to them.
ReplyDeleteMy good man :D You've outdone yourself once more :D
ReplyDeleteI am just bursting to see what happens next XD
So far my bett goes to the Hawaians but things could change. I can see those big bastards winning :)
and by the way, great way to represent both of these cultures. :) It's very sensitive and inteligent :)
ta
Master of the Boot
Thanks for the comments!
ReplyDelete@ Vercingetorix
Thanks for the comment!
You are absolutely right that the length of the poison may not be immediate, and I'll be sure to include that in edges. I'll be operating under the assumption that where the poison hit determines how long or how severe the poison will be. A needle to a major artery will be pretty bad, whereas if you get it in the hand you have a higher liklyhood of living.
@Master of the Boot
Thanks man! I hope Albert vs. Helsing is going well!
And I hope I represented both cultures the way they would have wanted!
And now for the Edge predictions.....
ReplyDeleteLong Range: The Huaorani gets it convincingly here, since I think the bow is a superior weapon to the sling in most cases. That six-foot longbow has a shot at piercing the coconut armor, and its accuracy and knockdown power play well into the Indians' ambushing tactics. The poison is an added benefit as always, but I'm thinking the arrows will do plenty of damage on their own. The blowgun may not be as useful as last time due to the Koas' harsh training and their chaotic fighting style (hard to nail someone with a blowgun when you are in javelin and pikoi range, plus the Huaorani will want to flee or go melee asap if closed on), but it'll definitely be good to an extent. I just don't think the sling will be as effective against an irregular force that likes to take cover, although the slings will definitely give the Koa a rate of fire advantage and they could let them harass the Indians if the Huaorani cover gets blown. As far as the javelins go, they might not be so effective against such elusive opponents since I doubt the Huaorani will want to stand and fight fair. I actually believe the pikoi will be useful from a novelty standpoint alone, because the Indians may get whacked if they try to use the blowgun at mid range or something. Still, the bow and cebernetas work perfectly for the Huaorani's style and their effectiveness put them over the Koa weapons for me.
Edge: Huaorani
Mid Range: As you noted, the spears are about the same length. However, what is different are two factors: first and most importantly, the Koa have more experience in pitched battles with the spear and they have used spear wall tactics before to effectiveness. I just don't think the Huaorani can match this proficiency, and the Koa had formalized training as well. Secondly, I'm afraid that the Huaorani spear could break if struck with another weapon like the Newa or Pikoi. I'm also skeptical of the abilities of the Huaorani to keep multiple Koa at once (due to tag teaming) outside of the spear's dead zone. For the Koa's greater discipline, the Ihe gets the Edge.
Edge: Koa
Close Range: This one's tough to decide, because the Huaorani have the better weapons while the Koa have better training and discipline. I doubt there's much the Koa has that can stop the axe or machete, and if the Huaorani stand and fight these weapons could be extremely effective. However, I just can't ignore the martial arts and training of the Koa in close range. While it seems the Huaorani use their close weapons occasionally, it's also apparent that the Koa live and die by theirs. The leiomano in particular should be effective in cutting the naked Huaorani, and it seems like the Koa are larger and more intimidating up close in general. It's not easy, but I do think the Koa deserve the Edge here.
Edge: Koa
Special Weapons:
I think that curare, while not the game changer it was last time, will be quite effective against the unarmored Koa. In order for the Curare to be effective, however, the Huaorani will need to win the tactical game first by successfully using hit and run attacks to wear the Koa down. I think the Koa will wisen up when they lose a few to the poison, so the burden's on the Huaorani to stay elusive. In the middle of a pitched battle, I think the Curare will be slow to act and the battle must be decided by arms instead. The club I'm not taking very seriously due to the Koa martial arts, boy the long daggers give the Hawaiians a shot at offsetting their close weapon inferiority so they will be significant. If the Huaorani can use it successfully, the Curare will be an excellent asset to them.
Edge: Huaorani
Armor Categories:
ReplyDeleteHead Armor:
Obvious Koa edge here, I think the most significant use of the mahiole will be, like you said, to block the blowgun shots. Outside of that, I don't see it completely stopping any Huaorani weapons but it's still better than nothing.
Edge: Koa
Torso Armor:
Koa win again, no surprise here. The coconut fiber armor will be quite significant for those who have it, because it eliminates much of the target area for a blowgun dart hit. However, I differ with you in that I believe the bow may be able to pierce this armor up close. Remember, we are dealing with a much longer and stronger weapon here than the botto and pima and due to the poison only a grazing hit is necessary for a kill. Even if the armor stops the arrow, the Koa will be knocked on his ass regardless. The vest will still be a big plus against the Huaorani slashing weapons as well as the rather fragile spear.
For the capes, they might stop a blow dart or two but I see them mainly being used as a distraction tactic against the less experienced Huaorani spearmen. The capes might stop the axe or machete as well, but its use is primarily offensive. As a side note, the bright capes may be a hinderance if they make their wearers easy targets to the hunters in the jungles.
The oil just makes the Koa harder targets in melee, bolstering their advantage in that area. Without question,
Edge: Koa
Blocking:
Koa win again due to sturdier weapons and martial arts, though there's something to be said for Huaorani mobility and evasion- they'll need to make full use of it in order to win.
Edge: Koa
Intangibles Categories:
*Note that I still prefer "intangibles" because these categories make their presence known without being physical objects like weapons and armor. In my humble opinion, pretty much every category out there is a "variable"
Tactics: Here we have the famous Spartan vs. Ninja debate: either one can win if the situation favors them. I'm putting in the Huaorani as a narrow edge because they seem to have more strategy in their raids than just running in to cut and bludgeon. Besides, I think the Huaorani need to have an edge here if they are to have a shot at the win- they are just no match for the Koa when playing the Hawaiians' game.
Edge: Huaorani
Rules:
ReplyDeleteI think both of these cultures will forget any rules they had when they see how ruthless the opposing sides are. The ambushing will be very effective initially, while the tag teaming of the Koa will be significant later on. The tiebreaker for me is the worrying fact of no down kills for the Huaorani- with the Indians being unfamiliar with the use of armor, I think it's possible that they could misjudge a supposedly dead Koa to their detriment.
Edge: Koa
Terrain Manipulation:
Clear Huaorani edge, and another one that I think they MUST use in order to have a shot at victory. Their hunting experiences have given them excellent perspectives on cover, ambushing, and prey behavior (see: Southern Redneck) and even on enemy turf they probably can coordinate stealth raids and psychological warfare better than the Koa. The Koa aren't stupid and they also use terrain well, but not nearly to the extent of the Huaorani.
Edge: Huaorani
Training and Experience:
Again, this is an apples-and-oranges comparison so it's tough to pick a winner. Huaorani get the edge for ambushes, hunting, etc., but there's no substitute for an institutionalized training system aimed at producing Warriors, not hunters. Perhaps you'll give the Huaorani the edge here, but I think the training of the Koa affects every other one of their skills so that narrowly takes precedent. Also, in terms of opponents other Koa and enemy soldiers > other hunters, tapirs, and missionaries.
Edge: Koa
Martial Arts:
Edge Hawaii again, although I don't entirely rule out the tricks of the Indians in terms of stealth and precision archery. Ritual sport wrestling, though, is no match for a lethal discipline such as Lua.
Edge: Koa
Motivation: While in your battle the Koa may be fighting for their homes and families, I think in general the fanatical revenge motivations of the Huaorani push them further here. However, I could see the Huaorani making temporary retreats when faced by such intimidating enemies. That doesn't mean that they'll quit, though!
Edge: Huaorani
This is again, very Awesome! Looking forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteAnd like what Mater of the Boot said, you're portrayal of these two cultures is excellent. This is going to be anybody's game as far as who is going to win [though the Koa have more to bring as far as armour, close quarter combat and training].
Love how you start off the introduction by referring to the previous match-ups.
Going to re-work on my Rough Riders vs. Boer Commandos [with a few adjustments made].
Be sure to check out my new DWC fanart I updated last night: Sharptooth the Vampire [mountain lion] vs. Zombie Rats [plus Smokepaw].
Hey there, hope the main battle is going well and I appreciate your kind reception to my edge predictions. I guess it's now time for my overall prediction:
ReplyDeleteI won't lie to you, early on I voted for the Huaorani in your poll and I favored them to win by a comfortable margin. After all, they possess superior stealth instincts, hard-hitting bows, poison weapons, and a culture of vengeance. What's not to like?
Unfortunately for the Huaorani, though, I think there's a big difference between their past opponent (who they narrowly beat) and the Koa. In particular, the Hawaiians seem to be a far more trained and professional warrior culture than the Fijians were. The Koa were drilled constantly in the martial arts, and they were proficient to the maximum in close range combat. In particular, I think their higher discipline will allow them to cope better with the Huaorani irregular tactics than the Fijians did.
Furthermore, I think the abilities of the battle capes and the coconut vests will be something entirely foreign to the Huaorani, who are unfamiliar with the use of armor. At close range, this tips the combat balance even further towards the Koa, but at long range these may slightly reduce the number of blowgun kills as well.
These points are no disrespect to the Huaorani, who definitely have the advantage under the right circumstances. The problem with the Indian hunters is that their current opponents are effective in a greater variety of battle situations- the Huaorani must ambush and expertly use terrain to win, while the Hawaiians in addition to these approaches can win in more conventional battlefield situations as well. If one aims to determine who is the Deadliest Warrior, I think this versatility must be considered.
To conclude, I think that these are two warrior cultures that have different ways of approaching battle. The Huaorani are very deadly, but I believe they are at a disadvantage in most instances of actual fighting against the Koa. In addition, I'm just not convinced that on neutral terrain against disciplined enemies the Huaorani ambushes will be effective enough to override the previously stated disadvantage. With that in mind, I'm picking the Koa to win by a score of 2700 to 2300.
Also, the edges on Sora vs. Toon Link are finally done! Let's hear some final predictions for that battle from your readers!
@ Vercingetorix Thanks for the Edges predictions and overall prediction! They were extremely helpful in making this, and for that I thank you.As you can see I did take your edges in particular into account, and our predictions ended up almost being exact where it hadn't been in the past (as much with Shaka vs. Arminius, and not at all with Sarah vs. Anakin) .
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in that the Hauorani barely won the last battle, and I think that this will be a factor in this coming battle, too. The battle is getting pretty close to being done, and hopefully I can put it out this weekend.
Excellent Battle and a somewhat shocking result. Though outmatched in long range and tactics, it was the Koa's ability to strike back at closer range and run down the Huaorani with their superior martial skill. Good match to both warriors here.
ReplyDeleteAlex vs. Sarah is going to be awesome too, with myself pulling for Sarah. Unless Alex can get around them, the pisonic may prove to much for him, though he does bring better defensive point to this than Anakin.
Very Very Very Very nice dude. You brought the story great and kept it entertaining to the end. really did not expect such a training.
ReplyDeleteI do have one sugestion. When you swap side of telling the story, you might try to keep some space between it. Due to the strange names of the warriors, it might get confusing.
For your next match.I agree that Sarah will win. She is just more powerful
Hey man :D)
ReplyDeleteI have to congratulate you once more on a job very well done. I can tell very easily that you're a man who likes to take it one step extra ;)
Honestly though, this battle was marvelous and you did a great job of representing these cultures. THey were exciting and exotic without seeming cardboard or exploitive.
The fight was amazing, seesawing back and forth at various points but I think your end result was right on the mark.
i eagerly await your Sarah vs Alex match ;) Though Sarah's picture is missing for some reason.
Ta
Master of the Boot
Kaimana to Mincaye:
ReplyDelete"I don't need yo' civil woa, bitch!!!"
Seriously though, awesome job on this. Way better than the previous battle, and possibly the best one from you yet. You did an excellent job in making the characters interesting, even though most of them were new. Also, the predator-prey chase was extremely tense and the battle itself was more graphic than ever! Excellent job yet again.
I was kind of sad to see Mincaye die, but I guess it had to happen in the long run- the Huaorani probably wouldn't have forgiven imself or his enemies in any case. A question: who was the last Huaorani to survive?
As a brief side note, it's ironic that in your battles Mincaye fights to the very end in true Huaorani fashion. The real Mincaye (who is still alive today, believe it or not) was involved in the killing of missionaries at Auca, but he later became a Christian and renounced violence. I think it's cool that you name your warriors after real people- is your Kaimana character also based on a historical person?
I'm glad that we came out on the same side of the battle this time, since the result did make sense in most cases. I suppose the martial arts and defenses were enough of an improvement over the Fijians to make a difference, after all.
By the way, if you ever want ideas for battle music I'd be glad to offer suggestions (although guns and roses was awesome!)
About the next match, I actually never read Dante vs. Alex so I guess it's time for some homework! Sara's my early favorite, though.
Congratulations on an excellent match, and stop by for the Ultimate Showdown between Sora and Toon Link!
Great job again friend!
ReplyDeleteI think it was obvious who would win. But still amazingly great.
Can't wit to see Sarah win.
Updated more fan-art, and doing my best to continue working on my first match-up.