(A man with a thick brown handlebar mustache and wearing a butternut field uniform with a bandolier of grenades hanging across and a Mk III helmet points a submachine gun at the screen.)
Confederate Freedom Party: The fierce nationalist front line forces of the Confederate States of America who carried out the whims of their fanatical leader without hesitation...
(A group of CFP soldiers are shown forcing their way across a battlefield with explosions ringing out all around them, gunning down the United States soldiers in the opposing trench.)
vs.
(A man in a blue military uniform with a matching overcoat and beret points a rifle at the screen.)
Amestrian State Military: The loyal front line forces that confront all threats to Amestris with sheer precision and deadly force.
(Amestrian soldiers are shown pressing forth on a battlefield and gunning down attacking Ishval rogues while one of them stops halfway to chuck a Model 24 hand grenade into one of the Ishval trenches.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?!
To find out, we've assembled a team of world-class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21st-century 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 FICTIONAL 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:
Confederate Freedom Party
Appearing from: Harry Turtledove's "Southern Victory" series
Leader: Jake Featherston
Loyalty: Confederate States of America
Circa: 1941
Amestrian State Military
Appearing from: Full Metal Alchemist
Leader: King Bradley
Loyalty: Amestris
Circa: 1908
"We have a battle today between two front line infantry forces, the Confederate Freedom Party of the Confederate States of America, going up against the State Military of Amestris. Given the history of these two forces, we will be representing them at significant points in existence. For the CFP, it's going to be during their service in the Second Great War, versus the ASM during the Ishval Civil War," biomedical scientist Bradley Foster started.
"Both of these warriors were trained from a young age and had a fierce sense of nationalism conditioned into them by the Freedom Party Youth Groups and Military Academy respectively. They are more than willing to fight to the death and will fight to the last man if necessary," trauma doctor Joseph Kaiser explained.
"With both sides, we are talking about weaponry similar to those used in both World Wars: pistols, submachine guns, rifles, explosives, trench warfare...we are running the entire gamut of early 20th century warfare here," computer expert Eddie Cortez added.
"Enough talk. We need to get some weapons data," Bradley concluded.
The camera pans over to a middle-aged man in a green-gray field uniform who lowers his cigarette in a holder and picks up a bolt-action rifle to check over the sights.
Representing the Confederate Freedom Party will be Gen. Daniel MacArthur.
A veteran of both Great Wars, MacArthur brings a wealth of knowledge regarding the Confederate tactics and weapons.
"The CFP is comprised of the most fanatical of all in the Confederate forces. They will stop at nothing until they are assured absolute victory," MacArthur spoke.
Nearby, a man in a uniform similar to MacArthur's and wearing a steel helmet affixes a drum magazine to a submachine gun.
Also representing the CFP will be Gen. Irving Morrell.
A career soldier with the U.S. military who would become an authority on barrels, he led several successful assaults into Confederate territory and knows what it takes to fight them head on.
"The Confederates had it all: competent leadership, powerful foreign allies, and innovative weapons and tactics. It was because of that combination they were able to last as long as they did," Irving spoke.
Following Robert E. Lee's Special Order 191 being carried out to success, the Confederate States of America went on to win the Second American Revolution. Gaining diplomatic recognition from Great Britain and France, the CSA would go on to expand and establish itself as a prime player and would battle their northern neighbors again in the Second Mexican War and emerge victorious. It wasn't until the Great War when the US and their allies in the Central Powers finally defeated the CSA and an armistice was signed.
"It was a humiliating defeat for the Confederacy. That, along with the economic collapse of 1928 and the lingering hatred for blacks, socialists and other 'undesirables' resulted in the perfect storm that led to the founding of the Confederate Freedom Party and the eventual rise of a madman," Daniel explained.
An embittered ex-sergeant named Jake Featherston would rise to lead the party and soon reorganize the party to revolve his own ambitions. Preying upon the resentment felt towards their hereditary enemies in the north, the party rose to prominence in a wave of nationalistic furor that capped off with Featherston's election to the presidency in 1934. With Featherston at the helm, things took a darker turn as the infamous "Population Reduction" of African-Americans was implemented. It wasn't until 1941 when the Confederate States began its invasion of the United States and the Second Great War was under way.
"It was a brutal conflict, but we eventually turned the tide of the war and Featherston paid for his own arrogance in the end," Irving concluded.
The Confederate Freedom Party stormed into battle with a trusted arsenal inspired by their British allies:
Short Range: Confederate .45 Pistol
Mid Range: Griswold SMG
Long Range Assault: Tredegar Automatic Rifle
Long Range Sniper: Tredegar Bolt Action
Explosive Weapon: Mills Bomb
But how will the Southern patriots fare when they are pitted against another fierce front line infantry squadron.
The camera focuses on a woman in a blue uniform with waist-length blonde hair and a sword strapped to her side. She is shown drawing an FN Model 1910 pistol and taking aim at a nearby target.
Providing insight on the tactics and history of the Amestrian State Military will be Maj. Gen. Olivier Mira Armstrong.
An accomplished sword fighter and high-ranking officer in the northern land of Briggs, Armstrong has personally fought alongside some of the country's most powerful soldiers and can attest to their toughness.
"The Confederates are inferior to the military might of Amestris. They couldn't even save themselves in the end. What makes them think things will be any different this time around?" Olivier spoke confidently.
The camera then focuses on another woman with her long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and wearing a uniform similar to Olivier, this one staring down the sights of a bolt-action rifle.
Also on hand to represent the State Military is 2nd Lt. Rebecca Catalina.
A member of the East City's military, she brings her knowledge of the State Military's weapons to the front
"These Confederates haven't faced down some of the threats Amestris has. They would be outclassed in every way," Rebecca spoke.
Founded in the year 1550, the country known as Amestris would rise in power and influence as they gained knowledge in the practice of Alchemy. After its foundation, the nation would further expand its territory by invading neighboring countries with their elite State Military leading the way. The army is comprised of normal men and women who joined alongside the alchemists as part of an elite government mandated program. In 1894, the prominent general King Bradley would be appointed as the country's Fuhrer, which would cause various conflicts within Amestris.
"There were massacres and civil wars. It was a chaotic time, but little did we know that it was only the beginning of something much larger, something that would change Amestris forever," Rebecca spoke.
Things would come to a head in 1901, when the province of Ishval revolted after an Amestrian soldier shot an Ishvalan girl. A brutal war against the Ishvalan rebels followed the next seven years until Fuhrer King Bradley issued Executive Order No. 3066, which sent the military's most feared special division, the State Alchemists, to the front lines, where they and the Amestrian State Military would deal a decisive and horrific end to the Ishval Civil War.
"We won, but it came at a devastating price on both sides. Come to find out, it was only carried out as a part of something much more greater and sinister – to create the massive bloodshed needed for the Nationwide Transmutation Circle," Olivier spoke in disgust.
When conquering more territory, the Amestrian State Military had a reliable arsenal to do the job:
Short Range: FN Model 1910
Mid Range: Walther MPL
Long Range Assault: Mauser Selbstlader M1916
Long Range Sniper: Mosin-Nagant M91/30
Explosive Weapon: Model 24 Stielhandgranate
Both warriors are front line fighters who rely upon trusted assault rifles to tear through all threats standing before them. For the Confederate Freedom Party, they relied upon a trusted select-fire battle rifle designed to offset the numerical superiority of their northern rivals, the Tredegar Automatic Rifle.
(A squad of Confederate infantrymen are shown pushing their way across a Kentucky battlefield, cutting down several United States soldiers with blasts from their Tredegar Automatic Rifles.)
Tredegar Automatic Rifle
Select-Fire
Length: 44.3 in.
Weight: 10.7 lbs.
Cartridge: .308 Confederate
Clip Size: 25 Rounds
"The Tredegar Automatic Rifle was one of the primary weapons of the Confederate infantry during the Second Great War. It was designed specifically to deal with the superior numbers they were up against and was known for being so effective, a lot of the U.S. soldiers would willingly dump their own standard issue rifles to use salvaged rifles from the battlefields," Daniel explained showing off the battle rifle.
"Sounds rather cowardly when you have to rely upon stealing another's weapons," Olivier commented.
"Not to mention pretty damn lazy on the part of your manufacturers," Rebecca added, "In Amestris we don't have that problem because we have the best weapons at our disposal right away," she said holding up her own rifle.
To answer the Tredegar's challenge, the Amestrians return fire with a rare, but deadly member of the mighty Mauser family, the Mauser Selbstlader M1916.
(Amestrian soldiers are shown charging on the front line and gunning down several Ishvalan rebels in their midst.)
Mauser Selbstlader M1916
Semi-Automatic
Length: 45.3 in.
Weight: 10.8 lbs.
Cartridge: 7.92x57mm Mauser
Clip Size: 20 Rounds
"Given that these are the main front line weapons of your respective armies, we wanted to devise a scenario that would be very similar to what they would have faced in actual combat," Bradley explained as he motioned to an open range behind him with sandbags and barbed wire.
"Both of these warriors would have stormed heavily-entrenched positions and in doing so, would cross a dangerous stretch known as the 'no man's land.' This will not be a walk in the park as we are recreating said scenario complete with razor wire and simulated artillery strikes," Bradley explained as an explosion went off behind him, kicking dirt into the air.
"You are both going to attack an enemy trench with 9 targets set up: 3 static, 3 moving and 3 reactive pop ups. You will each have 20 rounds to prove your point. We are looking for accuracy, maneuverability, and overall deadliness. Daniel, you'll be up first," Bradley concluded.
Daniel nodded and took cover behind a line of sandbags positioned 75 yards away from the nearest targets with his rifle at the ready.
"Daniel, are you ready?" Bradley called out.
"Ready to go!" he called back.
"Then on 3...2...1, open fire!"
Daniel took aim and fired a round that hit one of the static targets in the side of its neck, followed by a spurt of stage blood.
Tredegar Kills: 1
Rounds Left: 19
An explosion went off not far away, kicking dirt and grass into the air and the pillar of smoke obstructed his view as he searched for his next target and fired a round that struck one of the sandbag fortifications dead on and then another that punched harmlessly into the grass before striking his next static target in the gut and the last one in the chest.
Tredegar Kills: 3
Rounds Left: 15
Daniel tried to focus on one of the moving targets towards the rear, but then a pop up caught him by surprise and he fired a round that caught the target right between the eyes to the "oohs" and "ahs" of the panelists while Olivier and Rebecca looked on unimpressed.
Tredegar Kills: 4
Rounds Left: 14
He waited for the next pop up target and fired a round that only managed to graze its side before coming back with another shot right through its chest.
Tredegar Kills: 5
Rounds Left: 12
The last pop up target appeared, but Daniel found himself rattled by another explosion before he could squeeze the trigger and he was forced to peer through the thick layer of smoke before firing his next round that only grazed the side of his target before firing another that clipped the side of its head.
Tredegar Kills: 6
Rounds Left: 10
"10 rounds left! Daniel, advance forward!" Bradley called out.
Daniel rose to his feet and raced towards the second firing position, bounding over the strand of razor wire just as a third explosion went off next to him. He did what he could to shake the blast off and fell into a prone position.
He took aim at the moving targets situated farthest away and fired a round that only managed to strike the grassy hill behind them before another round only grazed the shoulder of one target. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he fired a round that caught the next target in the side of its face and blowing away a large foam chunk.
Tredegar Kills: 7
Rounds Left: 7
Daniel took his time with the wounded target and fired another round that managed to strike its lower left abdomen before going higher with another round that found its left pectoral.
Tredegar Kills: 9
Rounds Left: 5
He was about to set his sights on the last untouched moving target when a fourth blast occurred that threw off his aim as he fired again and his bullet sailed harmlessly through the air. He tried to steady his aim and search for the last target, firing a round that again missed its mark before he managed to strike its right shoulder for a nasty wound. He took another deep breath and fired a round that caught the dummy beneath its left eye before firing another round that struck it in the throat before his rifle clicked empty.
Tredegar Kills: 11
Rounds Left: 0
"I'm out!" Daniel called back.
"Alright, I paid close attention and counted up your kill shots," Dr. Kaiser began, "Out of 20 shots, you managed to score 11 kill shots, 4 were grazing shots, and 5 were misses. That's still not a bad hit-to-miss ratio you had there."
"As I've said, the Confederates had a lot of us to put up with. They had to have the extra rounds," Daniel replied.
"That gun looks pretty badass," Eddie commented before looking over to Rebecca, "You're not feeling intimidated right now, are you?"
"Not at all. I can hit my enemies from farther away. Just you wait and see," she smugly answered.
"Well then it's your turn, so get in position," Bradley replied.
Rebecca nodded and took a prone position behind the line of sandbags.
"Rebecca, are you ready?!"
"Yep!" she called back.
"Then on 3...2...1, fire away!"
Rebecca squeezed the trigger and her first round found its way through the first static target's left ribcage for an instant killshot.
Mauser Kills: 1
Rounds Left: 19
She took aim for her next shot and just as she squeezed the trigger, an explosion went off that startled her, throwing off her aim and leaving her hitting nothing. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm her nerves and tried to see through the thick pillar of smoke before firing another round that punched into one of the sandbags. Still struggling to get her groove back, she fired another round that punched into the sandbag wall before adjusting her sights and hitting the second static target in the center of its abdomen and then another that tore through its sternum area.
Mauser Kills: 3
Rounds Left: 14
She set her sights on the last static target and fired a round that tore through its collarbone before striking it with another in on the right side of its chest.
Mauser Kills: 5
Rounds Left: 12
She noticed the moving targets farther away and started following the movements of one before a pop up target suddenly appeared from behind a fortification and she fired a shot that missed before another explosion rang out that threw off her next shot.
Mauser Kills: 5
Rounds Left: 10
"That's 10 rounds left! Rebecca, advance forward!" Bradley shouted.
Rebecca dusted herself off and pulled herself to her feet, racing towards the second firing position and bounding over the strand of razor wire just as the third explosion went off. She did what she could to shake off the after effects of the blast before she fell into a prone position and took aim on the same pop up target as before, firing another round that only grazed its shoulder before striking it through its left eye.
Mauser Kills: 6
Rounds Left: 8
She set her sights on the next pop up target as it appeared and fired a round that caught it just above its right eye in a messy explosion of foam and stage blood before the last pop up appeared and she fired a round that tore through the foam beneath its jaw for another instant kill.
Mauser Kills: 8
Rounds Left: 6
Rebecca set her sights on the moving targets at the rear and was about to fire upon the closest target when a fourth explosion rang out and she was again halted. It took her a few brief moments to regain her wits before she fired another round that grazed the first moving target. Undeterred, she took aim and sent a round that struck it in the lower abdomen.
Mauser Kills: 9
Rounds Left: 4
There were two untouched moving targets left and Rebecca knew she had to take her time. She focused on the closest one and fired a round that punched through its shoulder before following up with another that tore off a chunk of its jaw.
Mauser Kills: 11
Rounds Left: 2
There was only one target left and her first round missed, yet her final round found its way into the dummy's cheek.
Mauser Kills: 12
Rounds Left: 0
"I'm out!" Rebecca called back.
"Counting down your final totals, you had 12 kill shots out of 20 rounds, 6 misses and 2 grazing shots. Altogether you had a better kill ratio, but not by much. Your miss ratio was also slightly greater," Dr. Kaiser reported.
"Gotta ease up with the sloppy shooting there. Not a smart move when you don't have as many bullets to piss away," Daniel said to Rebecca.
"Keep talking, pops. I still scored more kills in the end. That ought to say something about Amestrian training right there," she fired back.
"Apparently they teach you to rest on your laurels for far too long. This isn't over yet. Not by a long shot," Irving interjected.
In addition to the relentless assault of their front line forces, both armies employed their best tactical snipers as back up.
When the Amestrian infantry forces needed cover from afar, their snipers relied upon the trusted bolt-action killer of the Russian Empire, the Mosin-Nagant M91/30.
(An Amestrian sniper takes aim with his Mosin-Nagant and drops an Ishvalan resistance fighter manning a machine gun with a round through the skull.)
Mosin-Nagant M91/30
Bolt-Action
Length: 48.5 in.
Weight: 8.8 lbs.
Cartridge: 7.62×54mmR
Clip Size: 5 Rounds
But when the Confederate front line forces faced the assault of the massive United States Army, they relied upon a clone of the famed British Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III alongside their trusted TAR, the Tredegar Rifle.
(A Confederate sniper is shown in a prone position on a hilltop, taking down an American officer with a single shot to the chest from his Tredegar Rifle.
Tredegar Rifle
Bolt-Action
Length: 44.57 in.
Weight: 8.73 lbs.
Cartridge: .303 British
Clip Size: 10 Rounds
"Both of these guns are bolt-action rifles with an estimated effective range of 550 yards, so we've set up a range to test their accuracy," Brad said before motioning towards the range behind him, "We have 5 moving targets at varying speeds and you have 10 shots each to prove your point. Olivier, you're up first."
"Very well," Olivier replied, taking her Mosin-Nagant and taking a prone position behind some sandbags.
"Alright Armstrong, on 3...2...1, open fire!"
Olivier fired a round that tore through her first target's throat before her second round nicked the shoulder of one passing next to it. She fired again, only to miss. She set her sights on a slower moving target and landed a shot directly in the center of its stomach before firing her last shot into the face of another.
Her rifle clicked empty and she reached into her pouch to pull out a spare clip, earning some rolling eyes from Daniel and Irving, but her actions were quick and practiced and she wasted no time getting back to business when her gun was reloaded, hitting the wounded target in its pectoral before she missed another shot. She took her time and managed to hit the last untouched target just beneath its right eye before delivering another grazing shot to the first target's side and then her final shot striking her third target's chest.
"I'm out!" she called back.
"Out of 10 shots, you landed 8 hits with 6 being kill shots and 2 grazing. All targets are eliminated," Dr. Kaiser reported.
"I'm a bit concerned with you having to stop halfway through to reload like that. You wasted precious seconds and if your opponent catches you in that moment of weakness, he can easily exploit it," Bradley spoke up.
"And a Confederate WON'T hesitate," Daniel added.
"This gun has an effective range of 550 yards. When you're going up against an Amestrian, they would be dead before they even knew we were around," Armstrong replied.
"Keep talking. With our gun, there's no need to reload. We'll have this done in half the time," Irving spoke.
With those words, Irving took a prone position where Olivier had been just moments earlier and took aim.
"Alright Irving, on 3...2...1, open fire!"
Irving squeezed the trigger and put a round through his first target's left rib cage for an instant kill shot. He took aim at his next target and tore through its collarbone before hitting a third in the sternum.
"Quite the strong start," Eddie commented.
Irving next took aim at the fourth moving target, but missed two shots back to back, prompting chuckles from Olivier and Rebecca. It took some time for Irving to regain his bearings before he finally hit the fourth target in the sternum before hitting his fifth with a shot to the shoulder. To make sure it was dead, he fired another round into its lower abdomen. With two shots left he wasted no time and fired a round that caught his first target in the center of its face and then his final shot to his second target's intestinal area.
"I'm dry here!" Irving called back.
"Out of 10 shots, you landed 8 hits with 7 kill shots and 1 grazing. All targets are accounted for. Good job!" Dr. Kaiser reported.
"And as you saw, I didn't have to waste time reloading. If this were an actual battle, your people would have been finished," Irving said to the Amestrians, who both crossed their arms and shook their heads.
Both rifles proved their worth in terms of accuracy and killing power, but where do our panelists stand?
"Starting out with assault rifles, I'm thinking this is going to be extremely close given the performance we saw carried out by both guns. They had accuracy and they had the killing power. In spite of the Tredegar having 5 extra rounds in a typical magazine, the Mauser still had the power to keep up. I'm calling this even," Bradley started.
"Extra rounds versus the extra power, they both have their strengths that keep them on a level playing field. I'm calling this even," Dr. Kaiser concurred.
"I'm agreeing with both of you. It seems the Tredegar can also fire faster given its automatic build, but the Mauser can go farther. Edge even," Eddie concluded.
In long range assault rifles, are warriors are even.
"Moving on to sniper rifles, while both of them are even in terms of accuracy and effective range, it's ultimately going to come down to the number of rounds per magazine. The Tredegar has 5 more rounds and thus I'm giving it my edge," Bradley started.
"I agree. You do not want to have to reload in the middle of a firefight, edge Tredegar," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"I'm with both of you on this one, edge Tredegar," Eddie concluded.
In long range sniper rifles, the edge goes to the Confederate Freedom Party with the Tredegar Rifle.
Coming up, it's a first on 'Fictional Deadliest Warrior' when an urban assault is carried out.
And then later, two front line forces collide in a battle for supremacy.
XXXXXX
The Confederate Freedom Party and the Amestrian State Military, two fierce front line forces that have never before met, until today.
We have already seen the long range weapons employed by both sides, but now what will happen as both sides attempt to overtake an enemy compound?
"For the first time on 'Fictional Deadliest Warrior,' we are going to be using three different weapons in a single test, using the kind of tactics that would be utilized in taking an enemy outpost. This assault will be initiated with grenades, then move on to submachine guns and then taking control of the building with handguns," Bradley explained.
When both forces needed to eliminate multiple enemies at once, they relied upon their trusted explosives to get the job done. For the Amestrians, they had a trusted German-made stick grenade, the Model 24 Stielhandgranate.
(An Amestrian soldier is shown lobbing a Model 24 into a trench filled with Ishvalan rebels, killing several of them in the following blast.)
Model 24 Stielhandgranate
Length: 14.37 in.
Weight: 1.31 lb.
Filling: 165 g TNT
Blast Radius: 15 meters
The Confederates will respond with a grenade compliments of their British allies, the Mills Bomb.
(A Confederate infantryman is shown pulling the pin on a Mills bomb and then chucking it into an American machine gun nest, taking out the gunner in the following blast.)
Mills Bomb
Length: 3.75 in.
Weight: 1.67 lbs.
Filling: 70 g TNT
Blast Radius: 35 meters
Next up, when both sides needed to storm their enemies in a lightning flurry in the following confusion, they came equipped with rapid firing submachine guns.
For the Confederates, they came equipped with a rapid fire killer modeled after the Sten used by their British allies, coupled with the drum magazine of the feared Tommy Gun, the Griswold SMG.
(Two Confederate infantrymen storm a crumbling building where a small group of American soldiers have taken refuge, gunning them down in a lead spitting flurry.)
Griswold SMG
Length: 30 in.
Weight: 8.5 lbs.
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Clip Size: 50 Rounds
To counter, the Amestrians came equipped with their own compact killer for close quarters environments, the Walther MPL.
(Two Amestrian soldiers are shown gunning down a horde of advancing wolf chimeras.)
Walther MPL
Length: 18.2 in.
Weight: 6.6 lbs.
Cartridge: 9×19mm Parabellum
Clip Size: 32 Rounds
And lastly, when they needed to get up close and personal, they had their trusted handguns to finish the job. For the Amestrians, their soldiers and military police carried a trusted early 20th-century killer, the FN Model 1910.
(An Amestrian soldier is shown gunning down an Ishvalan rebel attempting to ambush one of his colleagues with a trio of shots from his FN.)
FN Model 1910
Semi-Automatic
Length: 6.02 in.
Weight: 1.3 lbs.
Cartridge: .32 ACP
Clip Size: 7 Rounds
But when the Confederates need to fire back, they carried their own sidearm that served them well in both Great Wars, the Confederate .45.
(A Confederate officer is shown executing a captured American soldier with a point blank shot to the face from his .45 pistol.)
Confederate .45 Pistol
Semi-Automatic
Length: 8.25 in.
Weight: 2.44 lbs.
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Clip Size: 7 Rounds
The panelists and the representatives stood before a range where a mockup enemy base was positioned.
"We are going to simulate a three phase assault in an effort to overtake an enemy compound. The first phase will test the killing abilities of your grenade against 4 targets," Bradley said gesturing towards a guard outpost, where 3 foam targets stood on the outside and a fourth was on the inside, "We will be testing the fragmentation, plus the percussion effects with 38G and 100G shock patches. If the 38G is tripped, the target is disoriented. If the 100G patch is tripped, they're dead."
He then motioned towards a portion marked by crude walls guarding foam targets moving back and forth on zip lines.
"The second phase will see you drawing your submachine guns against 5 targets guarding the building. We wanna see how much damage those can do," he continued before moving along towards the building, "Your final targets are inside the building and you will eliminate them with your handguns," Bradley concluded before turning his attention to Daniel and Irving, "Team CFP, you are up first!"
Both men nodded and took their positions on the hill overlooking the range.
"On 3...2...1, bombs away!"
Irving pulled the pin and chucked the grenade towards the outpost, which ended up rolling away farther than he expected and he had to wait 4 seconds before it detonated and managed to take out 3 of the 4 targets. Daniel then made his way down the hill and fired a burst into the face of the remaining target before charging through the outpost's gate and taking cover behind two oil drums.
Taking careful aim he fired into the closest target, ripping apart its chest cavity and sending stage blood flowing from all the wounds. Knowing he had ammo to spare, Daniel sprayed the remaining targets in a continous volley until his gun clicked empty.
Throwing his emptied Griswold to the ground, Daniel advanced to the mockup building and withdrew his sidearm, booting the door open and double tapping the target in front of him before turning his sights on his second target and following suit before emptying what remained of his clip into the third target.
"Done!" he called out.
"1 minute and 47 seconds," Bradley called back, "Let's go check out the damage done."
Dr. Kaiser started out with the targets at the checkpoint, "From what we saw, the two guys furthest away from the guard shack bore the brunt of the blast, both of them within 5 feet of the detonation point."
"Not exactly what I had planned," Irving admitted.
"Ooh yeah, your grenade's design played a role in that," Eddie added.
Dr. Kaiser went about examining the other targets, "Your guy in the guard shack has no frag damage, yet his 100G patch has been tripped. He would have been killed by the concussive force that followed," he said before making his way over to the last target and pulling its shirt aside, "This guy's 38G patch has been tripped, but not his 100G. He's disoriented, but not dead. He was killed alone by your submachine gun fire. Either way, he's dead on the spot. Moving on to phase two..."
The doctor made his way over to the second batch of targets and carefully examining them, "These guys were all hit by several rounds in vital spots around their chests and necks. They're all dead on arrival."
"I noticed you took it easy with the first guy, but then got a little wild with the others," Bradley observed.
"It's what happens when you have the extra ammo to piss away," Daniel replied.
"Typical spray and pray," Olivier said shaking her head.
Dr. Kaiser made his way into the building to inspect the damage to the last targets, "You double tapped your first guy with two close knit rounds to the chest, same for your second guy, and then your last guy you went higher with rounds to the face and throat. All targets eliminated."
"It was quite an impressive showing, but now it's Team ASM's turn," Bradley said looking over to Olivier and Rebecca, "Think you're up to the challenge?"
"Absolutely," Olivier replied nodding over to Rebecca going and taking their positions on the hilltop.
"Ladies, are you ready?" Bradley called out.
Both women nodded in reply.
"Then on 3...2...1, throw the grenade!"
Olivier pulled the ring out of the stick grenade before lobbing it in front of the guard shack, landing right in front of the small structure, resulting in a more powerful explosion 3 seconds later that immediately took out 3 of the targets, one of them sent flying several feet away. Raising her MPL, Rebecca quickly dropped the survivor with a quick burst before running towards the next checkpoint, but not before stopping to knock one of the foam mannequins down with a hard strike from the Walther's stock as it stood in her way.
Rebecca then took her position behind some oil drums before popping up and firing a three short burst into the first guard's chest before waiting for the next target to swing into view and repeating the process. The next 2 targets fell in a similar manner before she fired what was left of her clip into the last target and then tossed her MPL aside, drawing her FN Model 1910 and making her way towards the makeshift command post.
Rebecca kicked the door open and fired three rounds into the first dummy before firing two into the second target's abdominal area and then fired her remaining rounds into the last target's chest.
"Done!" she called out.
"1 minute and 54 seconds," Bradley called back, "Dr. Kaiser, if you will please be so kind."
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage, starting with the targets remaining closest to the guard shack, "Both these guys have their 100G shock patches tripped, both their bodies are riddled with shrapnel. These are both instant kills," he reported before making his way over to the target lying on the ground, "This guy's 100G patch is also tripped for another instant kill."
He then made his way over to assess the target that was furthest away, carefully checking over his uniform shirt for any signs and finding several tears in the sleeve, "This guy avoided the brunt of the blast, yet I am seeing bits of shrapnel sticking out of his arm that appear to come from the grenade's wooden handle. It's hitting him in the upper bicep, where you could have possible struck his brachial artery. He'd be bleeding out from that wound in under an hour."
He then opened the dummy's shirt, "You didn't trip the 100G, but you did get his 38G tripped. He's disoriented and possibly suffering vertigo. The survivor was already wounded and had his head rocked before you finished the job with that salvo to the chest."
The good doctor then made his way over to the second phase to inspect the targets finished by the MPL, "All of these guys have multiple rounds through their shoulders, chests and abdominal areas. You are 5 for 5 here."
"And you actually managed to pull that off with short, controlled bursts," Eddie added.
"Again, another testament to the rigorous discipline instilled in our cadets. We know we don't have as many bullets as our opponent, and yet that motivates us to be more cautious and controlled," Rebecca nodded.
Dr. Kaiser then made his way into the command center for the final inspection, "Again, we've got three guys dead, all with tight groupings, albeit a little delayed with your second guy you shot in the abdomen. He gets to lay there and watch his buddies die. All in all, all targets are accounted for."
The testing has concluded and all weapons showed their lethal capabilities, but where do our panelists stand?
"Starting out in order with explosives, while I feel that the Mills Bomb does possess the greater blast radius, I give it to the Model 24 thanks to its stick design so that when you throw it, it stays where you want it to go. The Mills Bomb on the other hand is shaped like a baseball and you don't know where it will go," Bradley started.
"The Model 24 also possessed the bigger bang of the two, plus a handle that acts as extra shrapnel. Edge Model 24," Eddie seconded.
"The shrapnel left by the Model 24 stands testament, amplified by a bigger bang. Edge Model 24," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
In explosive weapons, the Amestrian State Military takes the edge with the Model 24 Stielhandgranate.
"Moving on to mid-ranged weapons, I give it to the Griswold. It has the more powerful round and you have 50 rounds compared to the MPL's 32," Bradley started.
"Agreed, more rounds and more power. Edge Griswold," Eddie seconded.
"I have no reason to disagree here," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
In mid-ranged weapons, the Confederate Freedom Party takes the edge with the Griswold SMG.
"Lastly, we are down to pistols. Both these guns were evenly matched in terms of rounds and similar in accuracy, but for me the deciding factor is the power of the rounds being fired. The Confederate .45 has the stronger round compared to the Model 1910," Bradley started.
"I'm going to disagree and call them even on this one," Eddie countered.
The tiebreaker would then fall down to Dr. Kaiser.
"I'm going with Bradley on this one. The more powerful round wins the day for me in the end," the doctor concluded.
In short range weapons, the Confederate Freedom Party takes the edge with the Confederate .45 Pistol.
As it is with all warriors, there is a critical X-factor that makes them who they are. For the CFP, it's their sheer fanaticism.
"The CFP was under the complete control of Jake Featherston. He had his stalwarts pioneering political violence at the meetings of rival political parties, his party guards carrying out extralegal activities, and even carrying out his Population Reduction program that resulted in the deaths of millions of blacks," Irving explained.
For the Amestrian State Military, they believe it's the diversity of their ranks.
"Our membership does not discriminate based upon sex, gender, or race. We have members of all different abilities, both physical and combat related, and different specialties, such as our State Alchemists, Chimeras, and Black Ops Division," Olivier explained.
Coming up, it's a battle of two front line forces to decide who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
XXXXXX
With our testing complete and our X-factors evaluated, we are now a step closer to determining who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior."
Our teams tested 5 weapons used by the CFP: The Confederate .45 Pistol, Griswold SMG, Tredegar Automatic Rifle, Tredegar Bolt-Action Rifle and the Mills Bomb.
On the opposite side, 5 weapons of the Amestrian State Military were tested for battle: The FN Model 1910 handgun, the Walther MPL, the Mauser Selbstlader M1916, the Mosin-Nagant M91/30, and the Model 24 Stielhandgranate.
In short range weapons, the greater stopping power of the .45's round put down the FN's offensive.
EDGE: Confederate Freedom Party
In mid-ranged weapons, the Griswold's stronger round and greater drum capacity cut down the Walther MPL in a flurry of madness.
EDGE: Confederate Freedom Party
In long range assault weapons, the Mauser's stopping power enabled it to stand up to the Tredegar's greater number of rounds.
EDGE: Even
For sniper rifles, the extra rounds of the Tredegar Bolt Action shot down the Mosin-Nagant.
EDGE: Confederate Freedom Party
Lastly, the greater bang and stick design of the Model 24 blew away the Mills Bomb.
EDGE: Amestrian State Military
Our scientists and weapons experts are done testing. The results are in and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. The battle will be fought in a 5-on-5 squad battle between 5 Confederate soldiers and 5 Amestrian soldiers. 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 win in a battle between two front line forces?
The Confederate States of America
(Confederate soldiers are shown running across a battlefield as their barrels back them up.)
vs. Amestris
(Amestrian soldiers charge across a battlefield with rifles drawn as explosions occur around them.)
A well-oiled military machine
(Amestrian soldiers are shown standing together and cheer before heading off into battle.)
vs. Fierce nationalists
(Confederate soldiers are shown in a raving frenzy after being electrified by one of President Featherston's charismatic speeches.)
"Everything's ready. Let's do this!" Eddie said before typing in a few commands and then pressing 'ENTER.'
XXXXXX
In a heavily-scorched portion of the Kentucky countryside with only the blackened husks of trees and bushes left behind, 5 men in butternut field uniforms and Mk III helmets are in the middle of taking a chow break following another tense patrol. The sergeant leading the group, a man with a thick brown handlebar mustache, was currently in the middle of eating his rations. He had a Tredegar Automatic Rifle in hand while the man sitting next to him had a Griswold SMG and the others seated across from him had TAR's as well. Not too far away was a lookout who was equipped with a bolt-action Tredegar.
These men were members of the Confederate Freedom Party and they had split off from the rest of their detachment as they continued to patrol the Kentucky border for any threats from their neighbors to the north, especially after there had been rumors floating that they had established relations with another major Euorpean power.
Confederate Freedom Party: 5
Not too far away, five soldiers clad in blue overcoats and matching berets marched along the beaten trails, their leader carrying a Mauser Selbstlader M1916 rifle, as did the two men behind him. The fourth man in the lineup was carrying a Walther MPL submachine gun, while the man at the very back was carrying a Mosin-Nagant M91/30.
These men were members of the Amestrian State Military, their country having recently formed an alliance with the United States of America. They are carrying out a scouting mission on behalf of their new allies, as well as to gather intel for their country's forces back home.
Amestrian State Military: 5
The foreign unit continues marching along past the remnants of some Mk. III Confederate barrels until their leader hears activity in the distance and raises a hand to halt them. Looking over to his sniper, he motions for the man to follow him while the others stay put. The duo makes their way along a blackened hill and carefully ascends to a spot where they are surrounded by some untouched shrubs and some large rocks, which the Amestrian sergeant takes cover behind as he draws his binoculars and observes a small campsite, where 5 men in butternut field uniforms have gathered.
Going by the intel received from the Americans, they have come into contact with members of the Confederate Army. Ordering his sniper to remain put, the sergeant returns to his waiting troops and orders them to follow before splitting them up and having the submachine gunner following him, while the other two riflemen round the hill to approach from the opposite end.
The Confederates continued to converse among themselves as one of their riflemen finished his meal and was about to head off to relieve himself. He got far enough away from his colleagues, when he suddenly spotted a flash of blue and called out to his colleagues.
"Enemy unit!" the man shouted as he raised his automatic rifle, but was quickly cut down by Mauser rounds tearing through his chest.
CFP: 4 – ASM: 5
The Confederates were rattled from their break and sent scrambling behind whatever cover they could find. The Amestrian sniper watches from his perch and takes aim at the Confederate closest to him, getting a bead on the man's unarmored chest and getting ready to fire when the man suddenly ducked at the last split second. His shot rang out and instead, the Southerner was struck in his shoulder.
The Confederate submachine gunner heard the shot ring out and looked over to see his colleague falling down with a bleeding shoulder. He fired in the direction of the shot and rushed over to pull his wounded colleague to cover behind an earthen mound.
Nearby the Confederate sergeant was exchanging gunfire with the invading Amestrian sergeant and submachine gunner when he noticed his colleagues in their predicament and instinctively ducked for cover behind a large rock just as another round would have struck his head had he been a second later. He peered ahead and saw the flash of blue following the Amestrian's sudden movement and dashed towards the man's position, firing away with his automatic rifle before finding covered behind a blackened tree trunk. Reaching for one of the Mills Bombs attached to his bandolier, he pulled the pin and chucked it into the clearing, the following explosion sending his fleeing opponent airborne with his body shredded by shrapnel.
CFP: 4 – ASM: 4
The Confederate sniper took cover behind another uprooted tree and took aim on one of the Amestrian riflemen attacking from the west, firing a round that managed to strike the man through his wrist and forcing him to drop his rifle behind firing another that struck him in the gut.
The wounded Amestrian fell to the ground and his colleague quickly pulled out a Model 24 and pulled the cord before chucking into the open. He hoped it would buy them some time as he grabbed his wounded colleague and pulled him to safety, the grenade going off behind them. He threw the wounded man's arm across his shoulder and walked him along a covered trail as the grenade went off behind them, jumping as he heard commotion from nearby, only to calm down when he realized it was his leader and the submachine gunner.
As the Amestrians regrouped nearby, the Confederates were ready to push forward and rose from their hiding spots to go after their invading adversaries, the wounded man pushing himself back to his feet and drawing his .45 sidearm.
The Confederates saw the Amestrians trying to seek cover behind overturned trees and large rocks and rained gunfire down upon their opponents, their submachine gunner firing a salvo from his Griswold that cut down the already wounded Amestrian and wounded his colleague with a round to the side before he was able to throw himself over a tree trunk.
CFP: 4 – ASM: 3
Again, it was another back and forth shootout between both sides with the Amestrian's submachine gunner firing controlled bursts, whereas the Confederate's submachine gunner loaded a fresh drum magazine and continued spraying fire upon his opponents, while the Confederate sniper kept the other Amestrians down with suppressive fire.
The Amestrian sergeant looked to his wounded colleague and nodded to him as the man reached for another Model 24 grenade and he took aim at the Confederate sniper, peppering the man's position with Mauser rounds until one of them grazed the man's arm, opening up space for his colleague to chuck the stick grenade at the wounded man.
The Confederate sniper saw the grenade and dropped his nearly emptied bolt-action Tredegar in an effort to run away, but the powerful blast still caught him and shredded his back, legs and neck open with shrapnel.
CFP: 3 – ASM: 3
The remaining Confederates refused to give up ground, the sergeant firing away with his automatic rifle alongside the submachine gunner and his wounded colleague, who still fought bravely popping out and firing rounds from his .45.
On the other end, the Amestrians were looking for an opening to exploit against their well entrenched foes, the sergeant firing away with his Selbstlader, while his wounded colleague ran out of ammo for his and was now down to his FN Model 1910, both of them supported by the submachine gunner laying down cover fire.
The Confederate sergeant looked over to his submachine gunner and nodded, both of them pulling out Mills Bombs simultaneously and pulling the pins, both chucking them towards their opponents.
Back to back explosions followed and the Amestrian submachine gunner found himself showered with wooden splinters that cut into his exposed skin with greater velocity. The sergeant saw his predicament and inched over to check on him before grabbing him by the shoulder and trying to lead him away, calling out to his wounded colleague.
The wounded Amestrian stepped into the open, only to be met by the wounded Confederate gunman. Both men raised their pistols and exchanged gunfire, with the Amestrian being struck in the gut and the Confederate being struck in the leg. In spite of their wounds they would not let up and the Amestrian fired another shot into his adversary while the Confederate got him again in the abdomen before he was hit by a round to his own stomach. Still, he would not let up and fired managed to fire a round that struck his opponent in the chest and sent him sagging to the ground.
CFP: 3 – ASM: 2
With his opponent defeated, the Confederate gunman slumped against a tree and fell into a sitting position, giving his fallen adversary a one finger salute before succumbing to his wounds.
CFP: 2 – ASM: 2
The remaining Confederates saw their enemies trying to retreat and let loose a fresh volley of rounds upon the surviving Amestrians, who were both forced into cover as their weapons ran empty and were forced to reload.
The Confederate submachine gunner noticed the Amestrian sergeant's predicament and let loose another volley that forced him to drop his Selbstlader and reach for his FN sidearm, yet the Amestrian submachine gunner was there to meet the Confederate and fire a burst from his MPL that tore through the Southerner's chest.
CFP: 1 – ASM: 2
The submachine gunner tried to set his sights on the Confederate sergeant and let loose a salvo of his own, but his gun again clicked empty and the sergeant popped out to fire a round from his automatic rifle into the man's face.
CFP: 1 – ASM: 1
It was down to two men and they were both constantly on the move trying to stay one step ahead of their opponent. The Amestrian sergeant tried to lay low and keep his Confederate counterpart from being able to get a good bead on him with his more powerful rifle. The Confederate sergeant sees him popping his head out, yet only managed to shoot the beret off his head, just inches away from scalping the foreigner, who in turn sticks his arm out over the earthen ridge to blind fire at his challenger.
All of the Amestrian's shots miss and with no further time to waste, the Confederate sergeant lets out a rebel yell and draws his .45 pistol as he pulls himself over a tree trunk as he charges down the hill at his adversary, firing several shots that keep the man pinned to the ground. He approaches the ridge and leaps down to meet his grounded opponent and sticks his gun in the man's face.
The Amestrian sergeant refused to go down without a fight and shot his foot out into the Confederate's shin, sending the man staggering to a knee. He then pushed himself to his feet and tried to punch the sergeant in the face, yet the Confederate brought his forearm up to block the blow and then tried to shove the man backwards into a blackened tree trying to choke him to death, yet the Amestrian gets a grip on his arm and sinks his nails in deep enough to draw blood before scratching him hard enough he is forced to relinquish his grip.
The Amestrian points his FN in the Confederate's face, yet the Southern soldier grabs the man's wrists and forces him to point his gun upward, where he fires twice into the air before the sergeant headbutts him with his helmet on, shattering the foreign sergeant's nose before shoving him backward and firing two rounds into the man's knee cap.
The Amestrian sergeant cries out in pain, only to be silenced as he is pistol whipped to the ground by his Confederate counterpart, who then kicks him hard enough in the side to force him over onto his back.
"So this is the best the Yankees had to throw our way?" the sergeant asks before firing a round into the Amestrian's face.
CFP: 1 – ASM: 0
With the last man fallen, the Confederate sergeant raises his pistol into the air and shouts in victory.
XXXXXX
Winner: Confederate Freedom Party
Confederate Freedom Party:
Confederate .45 Pistol: 27
Griswold SMG: 132
Tredegar Automatic Rifle: 210
Tredegar Bolt Action: 85
Mills Bomb: 78
Total: 532
Amestrian State Military:
FN Model 1910: 15
Walther MPL: 120
Mauser Selbstlader M1916: 167
Mosin-Nagant M91/30: 80
Model 24 Stielhandgranate: 86
Total: 468
"While it was another very close battle, the CFP ultimately prevailed thanks to their the majority of their guns carrying more rounds and greater knockdown power than those used by the Amestrian State Military. While the ASM proved to have the superior explosives and the more disciplined troops, it still wasn't enough to win the battle in the end," Bradley explained.
"That's impossible," Olivier huffed, "Amestrian soldiers losing to a bunch of peasants? If we had the State Alchemists at our side, things would have been different!"
"The CFP was fanatical enough to do whatever it took to win and they showed why they were able to hold on for so long in the end," Daniel concluded.
(The Confederate sergeant is shown hobbling down a narrow dirt path until he reaches a clearing where more Confederate forces await him.)
XXXXXX
Next time on "Fictional Deadliest Warrior," it's a battle of the elementals:
(A man in dark, form-fitting clothes, a demon mask and cowl swings a heavy-tipped sword at the camera.)
Mist Ninja: The quiet, lethal slayer whose entire nation was built on bloodshed...
vs.
(A man in red, demonic demonic looking armor and an expressionless mask swings a curved sword followed by a trail of fire.)
Firebender: The elite warriors of the Fire Nation who can bend the flames to their will.
Who will be...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR?!
Author's Notes: And so your friendly neighborhood Metal Harbinger has returned from hibernation to bring you the latest installment of "Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
I'll admit that this was a hard battle for me to work on since I've heard of the Confederate Freedom Party and didn't know much about them, but thought they were interesting and wanted to do something involving them. Basically, everything I know about their weapons I learned from reading about them in the "CFP vs. NCR" battle that gojiratoho25 had in his "GT25's Versus Series."
The Confederate .45 Pistol is meant to be a copy of the Colt M1911, the Griswold SMG is thought to have a design based upon the British Sten submachine gun with the kind of drum magazine used by a Thompson Submachine Gun, the Tredegar Automatic Rifle is thought to resemble a real-life M14, and the Tredegar Bolt-Action is thought to be a copy of the British Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No. 1, which makes sense given the Confederates were aligned with the British in this alternate timeline.
I've also made numerous mentions of "barrels" in this chapter. In the "Southern Victory" series, "barrels" are their equivalent of real-life battle tanks.
On the Amestrians' side, I was going to give them the Mauser C96 for their short range weapons, but from what I heard in the anime, I believe the FN Model 1910 was more commonly used by the front line forces.
As for the Mauser Selbstlader M1916, I honestly didn't know much about that rifle either, which was pointed out to me by Poseidon Productions and I believe I had to do more research on a WWII-themed wiki to get more info on it. Apparently it wasn't a very popular rifle, but given that this is an anime we are dealing with, I'm sure they overlooked any real life flaws or the sake of artistic and entertainment value.
Speaking of which, I am also fully aware of the anachronism presented by the presence of the Walther MPL, which in reality was not developed until the early 1960's, but I went with that as a gun similar to it was present in the "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood" anime being used by more front line soldiers.
The Confederate Freedom Party and all references to the "Southern Victory" lore are the property of Harry Turtledove. The Amestrian State Military and all references to "Full Metal Alchemist" are the property of Viz Media and Yen Press.
With apologies to all "Full Metal Alchemist" fans.
Until then, hope you are all hanging in there in this crazy world and that you will take the time to read and review! Until then, this is the Metal Harbinger saying SPREAD THE SICKNESS, ONE MIND AT A TIME! (and NOT the Coronavirus!)