Landsknecht Doppelsoldner: The brutal butcher of Germany who sacked Rome over unpaid wages.
(A landsknecht is locked in a duel with a Swiss Guardsman in burning Rome, breaking through his defenses and slicing his throat open.)
vs
French Musketeer: The king's ruthless personal guards and fierce defenders of France's borders.
(A French Musketeer cuts down a rebelling peasant with a well-placed shot from his flintlock musket.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?
To find out, we've assembled a team of world class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21stcentury science, we'll see what happens when two warriors go toe to toe.
No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is…THE DEADLIEST WARRIOR!
Here in our elite fight club we have gathered doctors, medical scientists and weapons experts to test out the lethal arsenals wielded by each of our combatants to determine who would win a fight between two warriors who never met in a face to face duel:
Landsknecht Doppelsoldner
Circa: 1550
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Armor: Burgonet, Munitions Armor
French Musketeer
Circa: 1745 A.D.
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Armor: Steel Cuirass
"This is one match many fans and we have always wondered the outcome of." Mack starts off. "The Landsknecht take on the Musketeer. Both wear steel armor and wield early black powder weaponry, this will be very interesting."
"I'm siding with the musketeers." Biomedical engineer Geoff Desmoulin says. "They have the superior firearm and training. They were provided the best weapons and medical care of their time and they went through legendary training."
"I'm siding with the landsknecht". Trauma doctor Armand Dorian countered." They may have the inferior firearm, but they fought with such ferocity that while most died in bar fights, they still proved themselves in battle."
German for 'country servant,' the Landsknecht were first formed by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in the early Renaissance at a time when professional armies were much too expensive for most European leaders. They famously served in nearly every major European conflict of the 1500's, including the notorious Sack of Rome in 1527 over unpaid wages. Those who volunteered to fight on the front line were known as 'doppelsoldner,' or 'double soldiers,' who took on the extra risk in exchange for double payment.
"They were just as renowned for their brutality as they were their flamboyant style of dress, matched only by their greed," Mack concluded.
The brutal mercenary came equipped with an assortment of front line weaponry that painted the European continent in the blood of its enemies:
Short Range: Dusack
Mid Range: Zweihander
Long Range: Arquebus
Special: Katzbalger
Today, the German mercenary goes up against a fearless defender of their king, the French Musketeers.
Founded in 1622, King Louis XIII formed the Musketeers of the Guard as his personal bodyguards. In addition to their bodyguard work, they also served on the frontlines in numerous conflicts where they would clash with Spanish, Belgian, Swiss and Dutch musketeers, often coming out on top.
"They were among the most prestigious of the military companies of the Ancient Regime, and in principle the companies would be reserved for nobles, meaning they would have the best of everything," Mack explained.
Musketeers fought in battle both on foot as infantry and on horseback as dragoons, one of their most famous exploits being the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, where the King's musketeers served as the regular cavalry, charging the British infantry with drawn swords. They would continue to fight fiercely in the service of the King until 1776, when they were disbanded by King Louis XVI.
"They were the ultimate rock stars of their day, respected and feared alike by the public and those who fought against them. It was their famed kinship and fighting spirit that galvanized them into popular culture," Mack concluded.
The Musketeer was equipped for battle with the best weapons available:
Short Range: Rapier
Mid Range: Plug Bayonet
Long Range: Flintlock Musket
Special: Main Gauche
Both warriors were deadly sword fighters, the landsknecht will be up first with a deadly blade of theirs.
The dusack is a very intricate sword with a blade similar to a cutlass and an ornate knuckle guard to offer maximum protection. It was a very fine German steel blade that was 32 inches long and weighed 3 and ½ pounds," weapons maker Dave Baker explained.
Landsknecht expert Hans Zimmer stood with the reproduced dusack in hand before a ballistic gel torso outfitted in the Musketeer's steel breastplate.
"Alright Hans, we're giving you 3 shots, 2 to the armor and one to the head." Geoff explained.
Hans nodded and got into position.
He starts off with a swing at the cuirass, leaving a dent, undeterred, he swings at the neck of the torso and lacerates through the entire neck. He finishes off with another swing at the cuirass again, leaving another dent.
Dr. Dorian made his way over to the dummy.
"Your two strikes to the cuirass did not generate enough force to break Amy ribs behind it. The slice to the throat lacerates through all major blood vessels for a quick bleed out and kill."
"Heh, of course, you won't expect to cut your way through a steel cuirass type of armor with a mainly slashing weapon." Musketeer expert Xavier Declie said. "Our blade has parrying capabilities"
The musketeers fight back with their trademark blade.
"The rapier was a trademark weapon of the musketeer, one of his most trusted next to his trademark musket," Dave Baker started, "It was a stabbing weapon also known for its excellent parrying capabilities. It had a long, thin and flexible steel blade that would wiggle and cause more trauma to a victim, also coming equipped with a hilt to protect the user's hand. It was 4 feet long and weighed 3 pounds."
Xavier was equipped with a rapier and was practicing his fencing moves with another staff member as the crew wheeled two ballistic gel torsos over to him.
"Alright Xavier, we want to see what that sword can do to both unarmored and armored adversaries," Geoff said motioning to the two torsos, "First we want you to attack the unarmored target and then we want you to charge the armored torso so we can see its effect. Whenever you are ready."
Xavier nodded and got into position.
"Alright Xavier, on 3…2…1, make your charge!"
Xavier shot his rapier outward into the torso's chest, letting it wiggle for a bit before pulling it out and thrusting a little lower into its abdomen, then striking at its throat, a fourth strike through its synthetic eyeball and lastly into its other eye.
With the unarmored torso dealt with, he made his way over to the torso outfitted with the landsknecht's munitions armor. He thrusts at the armor leaving only a small dent. He thrusts again leaving only a small hole.
With his enemy's defeated Dr. Dorian made his way over first to examine the unarmored torso, "According to our readings you managed to score 5 strikes in 16 seconds on this guy. Your first strike stabbed between two ribs and pierced this man's heart, that plus the additional trauma caused by you wiggling the blade will result in a kill. Your second strike pierced this man's abdomen and right into his colon, probably won't kill him immediately or even on the day of the injury, but the following sepsis will eventually. Your third strike severed both the jugular and carotid artery, instant kill. The fourth strike went right through the synthetic eyeball and into the brain, cutting off all his basic life functions, ditto on the last strike to the other eye."
He then made his way over to the armored torso to assess the damage, "Your first strike failed to penetrate, so he's going to survive that if that's all you can do.
"Your average thrusting speed was 5.9 feet per second, the rough equivalent of 4 mph," Geoff reported.
"That blade is too thin and looks like it wants to snap when you leave it lodged in like that, plus it's mostly a thrusting weapon." Hans said from the sideline.
Both swords have shown what they can do, which gets the edge?
"Even with the armor failure, I'm giving the edge to the rapier." Geoff started. "It may be vulnerable to snapping, but it also allows the user to parry any strike from the dusack to set you up for the killing blow. Edge rapier."
"I disagree and call it even." Dorian countered. Both have mainly one dimensional uses and did evenly against each other's armor. Edge even."
"I agree with you doc, both have their advantages, edge even."
In short range weapons, both warriors are even.
Coming up, a massive sword goes up against a lethal bayonet when both sides bring out their mid ranged weapons.
XXXX
Now it is time for both warriors to bring out their lethal mid ranged game, the musketeer will be first.
"The plug bayonet was an easy to use knife or attached to the end of the flintlock musket. It weighed under one pound and is 13 inches long." Dave explained.
To test the plug bayonet, the team has set up a torso wearing munitions armor of the landsknecht.
Xavier attached it to his musket and gets into position
"Okay Xavier, on 3...2...1...go!" Geoff yelled.
Xavier thrusts his musket at the armor, managing to leave a small hole in it. He withdraws and thrusts into the eye. He then thrusts again above the previous hole, penetrating but getting stuck.
Dr. Dorian walks over
"Okay, with your first thrust, you only managed to leave a small hole. The second one is a kill because it got into his brain, instant kill. The second hole is a little deeper than the first one and you managed to give him a small cut."
"I don't know, I'm not impressed. He has small reach on that weapon. My weapon will slaughter the musketeers." Hans said.
The landsknecht responds with their massive sword.
"The zweihander was a very impressive and large two-handed sword," Dave began, "It tapered to a sharp point with a sharpened edge and an unsharpened edge to bludgeon through armor and pike formations. It was 5 feet long and weighed 7 pounds with a long grip and guard, complete with a pair of parrying lugs near the guard. Finally, on the guard was also a handle to give further power to the thrusting," he concluded.
"Wow, that is massive," Mack commented as Hans stood before him with the giant sword in his hands, also standing before an unarmored torso and one outfitted in the Musketeer's cuirass.
Geoff gives the countdown and with a mighty swing, swings the blunted edge at the cuirass and Hans hits it leaving a massive dent on the cuirass. He then swings the sharp edge at the neck decapitating it in a gory display.
Dr. Dorian walls over to check the carnage.
"Wow, weapon and damn impressive. The swing at the cuirass hit and broke all his ribs and caused a confusion of the heart for an instant kill, And the head is decapitated, obvious kill."
Both sides have shown their weapons killing abilities, which gets the edge?
"I have no problem deciding the edge for this, the Zweihander all the way." Geoff started.
"True, more weapon to work with, more options and superior reach." Dorian said
"Yeah, also the ability to kill the musketeer through his armor gets it the edge." Mack concludes.
In mid-range weapons, the Landsknecht takes the edge with the zweihander.
Coming up, both warriors show off their famed shooting skills when two black powder guns are put to the test.
XXXX
The time has come for the battle to go long range and both warriors bring their punishing firearms to the table. Up first will be the Musketeers.
Since we already tested the Arquebus, we will just test the musket.
"This is the flintlock musket, the very weapon from which the Musketeer derives his name and is also credited with being the weapon which drove traditional knights into extinction," Hank explained, "It fired a .75 musket ball round and had an accurate range of 100 yards, in addition it was slightly lighter at 8 pounds.
"Alright, we set up a torso with landsknecht armor." Goeff says.
Xavier nodded and got into a firing position.
Hank wasted no time squeezing the trigger, his round nailing the first moving target right between the eyes and to the whistles of the onlookers. He pulled out his cleaning rod and proceeded to clean the musket's barrel.
"Definitely making better time than the arquebus," Mack commented as he reloaded his musket and squeezed off his next round, striking the second target in the dead center of its chest. He quickly goes to work loading his third shot and took a shot that punched through the iron alloy of the munitions armor leaving a massive hole.
"Excellent shooting," Geoff called out before looking down to his stopwatch, "and your average reload time was 38 seconds. Good job!"
Dr. Dorian as before went over to assess the damage, "For your first target there is no need to check it out, you've turned this guy's brains to mush with a dead on shot." He was quickly able to make is way over to the second target, "With this guy this as perfect as you can get a shot. You are hitting the aorta and are cutting off its connection to all of its other vital organs, an instant kill. For your last target you've torn this guy's aorta for a quick blledoit. Good work."
The team then reviews the arquebus test from 'Ottoman Janissary vs Conquistador and come to an easy conclusion.
"I have no trouble deciding the edge here." Geoff says. "The arquebus no doubt will punch through the musketeer's armor, it is inferior in technology. Edge flintlock musket."
"Agreed, plus a quicker reload time helps out a lot too. Edge flintlock musket." Dorian says.
"Too right you guys, edge flintlock musket." Mack said.
In long range weapons, the Musketeer takes the edge with the flintlock musket.
Coming up, both sides take out their signature sidearms and after, we will have our battle of mercenary vs bodyguard.
XXXX
The time has come for both sides to display their special weapons and up first will be the Musketeer with the simple, yet deadly dagger.
"The main gauche was basically a shorter rapier, it was used to assist in parrying an incoming thrust allowing the user to finish them off. It was a foot long and weighed one and a half pounds." Dave explained.
Xavier stood before a torso outfitted in munitions armor. He will be given three strikes to see if this weapon can penetrate.
Geoff gives the countdown and Xavier thrusts into the armor, managing to leave a small hole in it. He then thrusts just below that hole and penetrates a little deeper. He finishes off with a thrust into the eye of the torso.
"Nice work." Dorian says walking up to inspect the armor. "Your blade managed to break skin on both thrusts. Not much but will hurt enough to slow him down and leave him open to your strike to the eye, severing the brain stem for am instant kill."
"But your blade needs to hit the right area to get the kill and how do you expect to put that off against someone as heavily-armored as the Landsknecht, not to forget you also don't want to end up going against something you can't get around before you can get to your target. My blade is the solution to the tactical flaws you grossly overlooked with that puny blade," Hans commented.
The landsknecht slash back with their own deadly sidearm.
"The katzbalger, also known as the 'cat-gutter,' was a short Renaissance arming sword notable for its sturdy build and distinctive figure-8 guard that protected the hand if the opposing sword should slide down the blade. It was roughly 2 and a half feet long and weighed over 2 pounds," Dave explained.
Hans stood with a katzbalger in hand before two targets, one a suspended pig carcass and the other a ballistic gel torso outfitted in the Musketeer's cuirass.
"Alright we want to see what the katzbalger can do against unarmored and armored foes. When you are ready," Geoff spoke up.
Hans nodded and got into position.
"On 3...2...1, slice 'em up!"
Hans swung the katzbalger outward into the pig's neck, slicing it open. He then drew back and lunged forth, shooting it through the pig's chest. With the pig dealt with he made his way over to the armored torso and attempted to shoot the blade through the cuirass, punching through it and getting 2 inches in the armor.
Dr. Dorian made his way over to assess the damage, "On your first target you are slicing its neck wide open and piercing the heart, both instant kills respectively."
He then made his way over to the armored target before carefully removing it, "Your first shot managed to pierce the steel plating, only getting two inches in the armor and getting an inch into the skin, nothing serious really, but you performed better than the main gauche."
Both special weapons eliminated their targets, but where do our panelists stand?
"I'm siding with the katzbalger. It has greater reach, is more versatile, and it was made to pierce chainmail armor, let alone can puncture the musketeer's cuirass with better results." Geoff started.
"Why would you bring a dagger to a sword fight? The katzbalger would cut the main gauche's user down before he could get close enough. Edge katzbalger," Mack seconded.
"You also have to factor in the kind of iron alloy plate armor the Landsknecht wore compared to the cuirass of the musketeers, whose armor is easier to pierce, edge katzbalger," Dr. Dorian concluded.
In special weapons, the Landsknecht takes the edge with the katzbalger.
Coming up, our panelists gauge the X-factors of each warrior and then after that, it's a battle between two ace marksmen to determine who is 'The Deadliest Warrior.'
XXXX
And now Mack will gauge the x-factors of both warriors.
"Of course, we will first cover training. Of course, the musketeers take this one. He was the best trained of his time with the best weapons available while the landsknecht were basically mercenaries. The musketeers get a 92 to the landsknechts with an 84."
"Up next is physicality. While the musketeer engaged in personal duels and exercised regularly, the landsknecht was much larger and wore heavier armor. He gets an 88 to the musketeers with an 86."
"Up next is killer instinct. The musketeers were drilled into their heads that they were better than anyone else which would have made them ready to kill to back that air of superiority. They get a 92 to the landsknechts with an 89."
"Next we have intimidation, the musketeer wore gaudy clothes to high their toughness in battle while the landsknecht wore flamboyant clothes and feathers on their hats to hide their sadistic intentions. Both have a 77."
"Lastly we have loyalty. The musketeers were fiercely loyal to their king while the landsknechts were only loyal to the highest bidder. The musketeer gets a 95 to the landsknecht's 67."
Our scientists and weapons experts are done testing the results and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. To ensure the battle won't be decided by a single lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.
Who will prevail in a battle between two famed black powder warriors?
"In the end there can only be one. Let's find out," Mack said.
XXXX
The battle begins in small village on France - German border. Five musketeers are seen in the town hall conversating about the war brewing with an army of mercenaries from Germany.
French Musketeer: 5
Meanwhile, five landsknechts are walking into the village and come across the hall.
Landsknecht: 5
As soon as they do, the musketeers walk out and suddenly, the landsknecht's open fire with their arquebus and a barrage bullets pepper the musketeers.
One musketeer falls back dead, a giant hole where his heart is. Another musketeer is hit in the side but nothing serious.
French Musketeer: 4 - Landsknecht: 5
The musketeer captain orders his men to load up their muskets as the landsknechts advance onto the building. As the German mercenaries draw closer, the Franch captain gives the order to fire and a hail of gunfire hits the Germans. One German is hit in the aortic knob while another is hit through his face with a dent in the back of his burgonet.
French Musketeer: 4 - Landsknecht: 3
The musketeers go to reload but the Germans have already got to the door and begin breaking through it with their zweihanders. The musketeer captain gives the order to retreat and they fled out the back door. The landsknechts break through the door and follow them.
The musketeers decide to split up and the landsknechts do the same. One landsknecht Hauptmann has chased two musketeers into a small barn. He enters the barn and sees nothing. Suddenly the two musketeers jump out and take him two on one. The first musketeer attempts a thrust with his rapier but the landsknecht moves to the side and with his zweihander, swings it at the back of his armor with enough force to break his entire spine killing him.
French Musketeer: 3 - Landsknecht: 3
He turns around to see the other frenchman attempt a thrust with his rapier into the German's face but he leans back and grabs his wrist and breaks it. The musketeer cries in pain and the German stabs into his armor with the zweihander, the frenchman's cuirass doing nothing to protect against the massive sword and the blade goes all the way through his body. The German kicks him off his sword.
French Musketeer: 2 - Landsknecht: 3
Meanwhile, the Musketeer captain and his last man are in retreat running from the two Germans chasing them. They decide to load up their muskets and sit in wait for them. A landsknecht turns the corner around a house and he is shot in his face.
French Musketeer: 2 - Landsknecht: 2
They reload but unknown to them, the other landsknecht had made his way around them and with his katzbalger, decapitates the captain's second in command. The Frenchman turns around to avoid having his own head taken off and draws his rapier and main gauche. The German thrusts with his katzbalger to which the musketeer parries with his rapier and with that, disarms his opponent and with the main gauche, stabs him through the eye.
French Musketeer: 1 - Landsknecht: 1
He takes the main gauche out of the German's eye and retreats to the village exit. He finds the exit and sees the landsknecht Hauptmann waiting for him. With his zweihander in hand. The musketeer is not intimidated and bravely walks over to the German. The sound of steel clashing echoes through out the area and the musketeer blocks the zweihander's thrust and with his rapier, stabs the German in the arm. He grimaces and drops his zweihander and then draws his dusack.
The two exchange blows again. The musketeer parries a slash from the dusack and attempts to stab the German with his main gauche. The German saw the parry and quickly backhands the musketeer in the face. He stumbles holding his nose as it bleeds. The German charges with his dusack raised high and the musketeer stabs him in the leg with his main gauche. The German yells in pain and falls backwards.
The musketeer goes to finish the fight by taking his musket's plug bayonet, but suddenly, he stops with a shocked expression in his face. The German had taken his zweihander and thrusted it all the way through musketeer's cuirass. The Hauptmann twists the zweihander and pulls it out.
Seeing that Frenchman is still alive, he drops him onto one knee, and with that, loads up for a mighty swing and the zweihander decapitates the Frenchmen.
French Musketeer: 0 - Landsknecht: 1
The German picks up the head and raises it into the air and yells "Die Landsknechte siegen!"
XXXX
Winner: Landsknecht Doppelsoldner
Landsknecht Doppelsoldner: 582
Dusack: 95
Zweihander: 297
Arquebus: 76
Katzbalger: 114
French Musketeer: 418
Rapier: 122
Plug Bayonet: 43
Flintlock Musket: 194
Main Gauche: 59
In a relatively lopsided battle, the Landsknechts emerged victorious. Even though they had the inferior firearm, they proved to be too much when it came down to close range combat. Their zweihander being the most deadliest weapon in the entire simulation.
"The landsknechts won because, even though they were out shot at long ranges, as soon as the distance was closed, it was all over for the French musketeers. They did their very best, but they lose today." Geoff explained.
(The Hauptmann is seen walking out of the village, he carries his adversary's head and rapier in hand, he will give word to attack France in a full scale war.)
XXXX
Next time on Deadliest Warrior, its the season one finale as two of history's most brutal butchers do battle.
Vlad the Impaler: The Wallachian prince who imapled his victims and inspired history's most terrifying vampire.
vs
Hernan Cortes: The brutal Spanish explorer who ended the Aztec empire.
So I wasn't able to find a proper explosive weapons for Kopassus in their match against the U.S. Army Rangers. Instead it will be U.S. Army Rangers vs Special Service Group, ROK UTD/SEALs vs Special Forces Group and Kopassus vs PLA Special Operations Force.