Rome vs Japan

[Magnus]

Marcus!!! Dude, where did you get all those parts from? Are they antiques or repros? Where did you get the menpo?

Ben, you're not taking into account the massive amount of missile troops employed by Samurai armies. We're talking both bows and muskets. Before the legionarys heavy infantry even get close to javelin range, they're being pounded by arrows and shot.

The Dacians were able to punch holes in the Roman shield wall with the Falx...the no-dachi, naginata and nagamaki would all be able to accomplish the same feat.

I also have little doubt that the samurai's mounted troops would over power it's Roman counterparts, armed with Yari or bows. The Romans at first had great difficulty with the mounted archers and cavalry of the Persians/Parthians...without prior engagements, I forsee the Romans haveing the same problems with a samurai army.

And as Marcus pointed out in a comparison picture, the Legionarys are a lot more vulnerable to repeated missile fire, either head on or from above. And even if the legionarys form a testudo, then they're creating openings for the faster, mounted samurai to move around the battle line and hit from the side or behind.