Gladiator 2018 - Round 3, Match 7 - Fire Me Boy! versus Bwana

[Rain Man]

Vote for the person that you think would win this match in a battle to death or submission. As background, assume that prior to the tournament you received 10 minutes of training on every weapon. The time listed is the amount of time before the match where you learn what the weaponry and venue is. All participants are handed their weapons at t=0 unless stated otherwise.

Venue - Floating in the Dead Sea
Starting Distance - 99 feet

Fire Me Boy!

Main Weapon - Pirate cutlass
Backup Weapon - None

Prep Time - 6 Minutes
Special Factors - You just ran 6 miles to get to the fight because your alarm didn't go off

Bwana

Main Weapon - Pirate cutlass
Backup Weapon - Small Ball Peen Hammer

Prep Time - 14 seconds
Special Factors - You're wearing a football helmet and a 40-lb. backpack of bricks that you can't remove

[Pasta Little Brioni]

JFC

[Buehler445]

So they're swimming or like standing on drift wood or something?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

So they're swimming or like standing on drift wood or something?

They're in the water. Swimming or floating or however they wish to avoid drowning in a Biblical manner.

[Buehler445]

I like bwana here. He can throw the ball peen and use the backpack as a shield.

Unless they're swimming. If they're swimming, he boned.

[Buehler445]

OK, if they're swimming, its FMB!

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Can FMB even swim

[Rain Man]

We need one of our physics people to do some math comparing the buoyancy of the Dead Sea against the weight of a brick backpack. For a typical person, isn't it almost impossible to drown?

[Rain Man]

Hmm, interesting. It's not at all what I would have thought, and for a reason I wouldn't have suspected.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/5798844/why-...n-the-dead-sea

[Rain Man]

Here's my theory. Fire Me Boy! is going to be weak-legged and tired, so it'll be hard for him to draw out the match in the early stages, but if he does, he'll get stronger while Bwana gets weaker.

Bwana, on the other hand, will have fresh legs, but he's going to tire quickly. He has to close fast on Fire Me Boy! and make the match happen fast. But at a distance of 99 feet, I think he can do it.

If he can close the distance, he now also has some armor with the helmet and backpack. Surprisingly, I think the helmet will be the difference maker here. But that assumes that Bwana can stay afloat with 40 pounds of bricks. I'm going to do some more research on that.

[NJChiefsFan]

What kind of face mask are we talking about. I wouldn't want a nose tackles face mask while I'm trying to fend of a sword.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

What kind of face mask are we talking about. I wouldn't want a nose tackles face mask while I'm trying to fend of a sword.

Tight end.

[Buehler445]

The other thing is it’s going to be hard as hell to fight with a sword I while swimming. Do they get a sheath or scabbard to store the thing while they swim? If not that makes mobility far more difficult.

[NJChiefsFan]

That face mask seems fine, although how would I really know if it would work. That article you posted implies it's really hard to stand on the bottom due to the density of the water. This is going to be a potentially awkward fight.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Here's my theory. Fire Me Boy! is going to be weak-legged and tired, so it'll be hard for him to draw out the match in the early stages, but if he does, he'll get stronger while Bwana gets weaker.

Bwana, on the other hand, will have fresh legs, but he's going to tire quickly. He has to close fast on Fire Me Boy! and make the match happen fast. But at a distance of 99 feet, I think he can do it.

If he can close the distance, he now also has some armor with the helmet and backpack. Surprisingly, I think the helmet will be the difference maker here. But that assumes that Bwana can stay afloat with 40 pounds of bricks. I'm going to do some more research on that.

That answer is easy. Do what the mongols and other horse bound armies did when fighting infantry. Retreat. FMB just has to swim the other way. He should be able to outswim Bwana fairly easily and he can just retreat and fight at his leisure.