OT: Deadliest Warrior

[Raellus]

Tonight, here in the U.S., on Spike, the series Deadliest Warrior is airing an episode entitled Green Beret vs. Spetznaz.

It's a pretty silly show, but strangely entertaining. Check it out, if you have the means.

Cheers.

[TiggerCCW UK]

Don't think they show it in the UK. Whats the idea behind it - I'm assuming they haven't actually set some Green Beret's off against Spetsnaz? Is it a historical comparison?

[kato13]

I think it is an extension of what the history channel did with certain computer models of historical conflicts. They take the standard Nerd or Barroom discussion "Who would win in a fight between X and Y" enter some stats into a computer and then simulate the outcome (I believe in live action). Of course they need filler so they give a dramatized video version of the history, weapons and tactics of both parties.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadliest_Warrior

Here are the matchups so far
* 3.1 Episode 1: Apache vs Gladiator
* 3.2 Episode 2: Viking vs Samurai
* 3.3 Episode 3: Spartan vs Ninja
* 3.4 Episode 4: Pirate vs Knight
* 3.5 Episode 5: Yakuza vs Mafia
* 3.6 Episode 6: Green Beret vs Spetsnaz
* 3.7 Episode 7: Shaolin Monk vs Māori
* 3.8 Episode 8: William Wallace vs Shaka Zulu
* 3.9 Episode 9: IRA vs Taliban

I did not think I would have much interest in watching until I saw the "Shaolin Monk vs Māori" and then I imagined myself being totally on one side of that argument. Might be intrigued enough to watch that one.

The IRA/Taliban one seems to me to be in bad taste.

[TiggerCCW UK]

Have to agree there, the IRA/Taliban one wouldn't be something I'd watch. Unless of course they were really going to stick Provies and Taliban in a room and make them go at each other for real - that could be interesting.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by kato13

I did not think I would have much interest in watching until I saw the "Shaolin Monk vs Māori" and then I imagined myself being totally on one side of that argument. Might be intrigued enough to watch that one.

Interesting. Having some knowledge of martial arts my logical brain would back the monks but being a New Zealander (and having known many Maori) my heart would back the Maori. Also, once the Maori were introduced to firearms they embraced the the idea enthusiastically. What did the program conclude?

[kato13]

I don't think it has aired yet.

I expected the Maori would have some sentimental backers here. I must state that my backing of the monks is also a bit sentimental. I used to jokingly chastize my mom for not abandoning me at the door or a Shao-lin temple when I was young (like Caine from Kung-Fu). Her respone was always "trust me if I could have found one you would be there"

[headquarters]

Originally Posted by kato13

I don't think it has aired yet.

I expected the Maori would have some sentimental backers here. I must state that my backing of the monks is also a bit sentimental. I used to jokingly chastize my mom for not abandoning me at the door or a Shao-lin temple when I was young. Her respone was always "trust me if I could have found one you would be there"

lol

[Darksheer]

these shows are unquestionably biased in every aspect and im actually surprised this isnt on fox
the "experts" usually have no formal military training but have either
a: been in the cadets
b: read alot of books
c: got beat up by a real military person for being smarmy
d: failed out of basic and went back to school
e: owned alot of <insert military weapon/hardware here>
f: been related to someone who served

and 90 % of the stuff is garbage
but It does make for a amusing hour

[Raellus]

Tonight's episode- arguably the silliest match up to date. Maori warrior vs. Shaolin Monk.

Should be... interesting.

[Legbreaker]

So.... How many points of IQ are you intending to lose by watching it?

[kato13]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

So.... How many points of IQ are you intending to lose by watching it?

I think I'll risk one or two for this one. I have always been a sucker for all information about the Shao-Lin. I am pretty sure I won't really learn anything new but it might have some different interpretations.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

So.... How many points of IQ are you intending to lose by watching it?

It's like the reason I love slasher movies -- they're funny!

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

It's like the reason I love slasher movies -- they're funny!

Yeah, I'll watch it for the comedic value. Plus, I've got plenty of surplus IQ points to spare.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

It's like the reason I love slasher movies -- they're funny!

Slasher films are pointless without lots of nekkid women.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Raellus

Tonight's episode- arguably the silliest match up to date. Maori warrior vs. Shaolin Monk.

Should be... interesting.

I think it would come down to what era each was taken from. Once the Maori had been introduced to the firearm and the New Zealand Wars were underway the Maori fully embraced the gun. The Maori wooden pallisade fort or 'Pa' was also pretty amazing - they could assemble one in a single night and often built them and left them empty, both as decoys and as positions to fall back to. Maori earthworks were very clever, they independently invented the zig-zag trench to prevent invaders shooting straight along trenchlines during storming actions. And in the New Zealand bush the Maori were the absolute masters of their domain.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Targan

I think it would come down to what era each was taken from. Once the Maori had been introduced to the firearm and the New Zealand Wars were underway the Maori fully embraced the gun. The Maori wooden pallisade fort or 'Pa' was also pretty amazing - they could assemble one in a single night and often built them and left them empty, both as decoys and as positions to fall back to. Maori earthworks were very clever, they independently invented the zig-zag trench to prevent invaders shooting straight along trenchlines during storming actions. And in the New Zealand bush the Maori were the absolute masters of their domain.

That's true of a lot of these warriors they feature -- do you think the Ninja would be using bows, swords, and shuriken today? No, they'd be using silenced pistols, Barrett M-82s with the best optics, and setting up Claymores in front of peoples' houses.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Targan

The Maori wooden pallisade fort or 'Pa' was also pretty amazing - they could assemble one in a single night and often built them and left them empty, both as decoys and as positions to fall back to. Maori earthworks were very clever, they independently invented the zig-zag trench to prevent invaders shooting straight along trenchlines during storming actions.

I did not know that. Reminds me of Roman legionaire forts.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I did not know that. Reminds me of Roman legionaire forts.

Exactly. For a Stone Age people they adapted their existing military technology very quickly to 19th century warfare and for decades they really gave the British Army a run for its money. At one stage the British Army had between 80,000 and 100,000 troops fighting in the Maori Wars and even brought a couple of steam powered gunboats over from Australia, opposed by less than 10,000 Maori warriors who were all part time warrior/farmers. The British only defeated the Maori in the end because they went into the village areas of the warring tribes, burned or stole their crops and slaughtered their women and children.

One of the most amusing things about the Maori Wars for me is that for a while the Maori had better weapons than the British Army as the Redcoats were still using Brown Bess Muskets but the Maori were being supplied with new fangled rifles being smuggled over from Australia (paid for with good old New Zealand greenstone, a type of jade).