NationStates Jolt Archive

Name says it all. Vikings were truly awesome, but pirates have cannons. Let the arguments begin!

Vikings were pirates..

Vikings were pirates
*sigh* Fine, be technical, Pirates from 1500AD-1800AD

Pirates hands down.

Vikings would win, I think their longboat is agile enough to avoid getting hit by a broadside from the heavier pirate ship as they approach it for boarding.

This thread is a welcome change from the endless pirates vs ninjas debate.:)

Vikings.

I guess that depends who is drunker at the time. *nod*

Well, Pirates had these things called guns, so they would win...

Obviously pirates.

I thought LG was female.

I think Vikings would win if they had 2 or 3 ships-alot like the USSR vs the Nazis... & Pirate Ships wer pretty agile too, so theyd probably pick off a Viking Longboat or 2:mp5:

Well it depends lets say the vikings had a case of rum then the pirates would kick ass for the precious liquid. But lets say it is impossible for them to fight (which it is) unless the pirates go back intime. In which case they would be tired and weary from their journy and the vikings would win. But if you were to throw a hooker in the middle than it would be fair game. Thus the reason LG would kick ass in this battle for the sea/hooker/rum.

asterix

cannons beat axes

history will tell you that they interbred and became pikies!

history will tell you that they interbred and became pikies!
I prefer "skeffers" myself, although that's maybe even less PC :p

I love well thought out things to argue over,
but here's the unfortunate reality.
Pirates would win every time, unless there was some exceedingly
odd set of events.
Here's why,
First; Long boats have a wide body and shallow draft to go up rivers,
they are NOT a deep water vessel.
Second; Long boats are OPEN to the weather, leaving the crew without
any cover from battle or storms,
Third; Long boats rely on banks of Rowers in Time to get places, that
or the Tide / river currents. The mast is only a sort of Backup.
Fourth; Without the benefit of surprise Vikings would be hard pressed
to catch a Pirate ship.
Now for Pirates,
Pirate ships are Fast, maneuverable and Tall,
It is anywhere from 6ft to 15ft from waterline to deck,
The Guns generally had a range of 1 to 3 miles,
and carried such an assortment munitions to make all but Iron hulled
ships very Vulnerable to the destructiveness.
Cannon balls, no explanation needed,
Chain shot, two balls with a length of chain, slashes through masts
and people like hot knives through butter.
Grape Shot, Like a Cannon sized shotgun blast. Dozens of Golf Ball
sized steel balls.
Canister shot, thousands of rifle or Musket balls thrown from the
cannon This is the Shotgun Of The GODS.
Now introduce the Sails of a pirate ship, the size of it,
What would the Vikings use to "Kill" a "pirate" ship. Fire is the only weapon
which comes to mind.
Boarding a ship on the open Ocean is scary when your both at about
the same height and side by side...
Now try to Climb the Sides of a ship rolling on the Sea Swells, with a
Sword / axe and A torch?
Nope sorry I love the Vikings, but this was over before it began...

asterix

Asterix?


http://mama.indstate.edu/users/adivi/homepage/images/asterix/asterix.jpg

He's a Gaul, Not a Viking...

Asterix?

He's a Gaul, Not a Viking...
http://www.scoremagacine.com/Resena_fotos.php?item=Portada&Codigo=526

I prefer "skeffers" myself, although that's maybe even less PC :p

you can't be too hard on the land pirates now;)

SNIPPED
Interesting... but one point is where the clash takes place.

Vikings also are fiercer on land than on water, so if the battle took place on land, the Vikings have the advantage.

if the battle took place out on the ocean waves, then the Pirates would win.

Of course pirates would win, how is this even a question?

There's a reason naval militaries adopted cannons and guns instead of the old, yelling at each other from across the waves technique. A technique which, while Vikings were good at, the pirates were too (even excluding the aforementioned guns). The only advantage I can think of here is that the vikings maybe had personal armor. Not really enough though, I mean there's a reason militaries stopped relying on armored infantrymen too.

http://www.scoremagacine.com/Resena_fotos.php?item=Portada&Codigo=526

Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix)


The Adventures of Asterix (French: Astérix or Astérix le Gaulois) is a series of French comic books by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). Uderzo has continued the series since the death of Goscinny in 1977. The series follows the exploits of a village of ancient Gauls as they resist Roman occupation.

And the first ever volume is called Asterix the Gaul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix_the_Gaul)

And since when did the Vikings fight the Romans...

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix"
I am ABSOLUTELY AWARE of Astérix and everything to do with it.
And since when did the Vikings fight the Romans...
It's an adaptation of Asterix and the Normans, in which the Normans come to Gaul and want to learn about fear. IIRC in the comic they send the bard to the Normans and they run off in terror after he starts playing.

So there we go.

I am ABSOLUTELY AWARE of Astérix and everything to do with it.

It's an adaptation of Asterix and the Normans, in which the Normans come to Gaul and want to learn about fear. IIRC in the comic they send the bard to the Normans and they run off in terror after he starts playing.

So there we go.

ok...

Clearly Pirates would win.

Well, Pirates had these things called guns, so they would win...

Exactly.

Exactly.
Hey, it's Chris!

What shit clubs have you been to tonight?

The wee Nac Mac Feegle hands down....

All things being equal - the Vikings.

Hmmm interesting one!

On Thursday night I went to see Turisas (Who are a Viking Metal band) And one of their support acts was Alestorm (a Pirate Metal band).

In a straight up fight? Probably the vikings.

Pirates of course, gun powder and actually being used to sea warfare, I think Vikings mostly did coastal raids opposed to entering other boats.

I voted for the Vikings, as I imagined that their superior numbers would win despite their ships not being built for this sort of thing.

But I guess there have been large and organized pirate fleets as well, and the OP post doesn't specify any numbers or conditions. United Vikings vs. Pirate Land? One on one?

Asterix?


http://mama.indstate.edu/users/adivi/homepage/images/asterix/asterix.jpg

He's a Gaul, Not a Viking...

he fought both vikings and pirates and pwned the lot. therefore, who would win? asterix. *nods*

he fought both vikings and pirates and pwned the lot. therefore, who would win? asterix. *nods*

Indeed, with the exception of the first book, I can't ever remember Asterix losing.

Ninjas.

Sorry.

Sea battle: Who would win? Pirates or Vikings.

Definitely the sea.

Pirates. They have guns after all.

I don't care how good of an individual fighter you are, a volley of grapeshot will blow the crap out of you. Pirates.

Hmmm interesting one!

On Thursday night I went to see Turisas (Who are a Viking Metal band) And one of their support acts was Alestorm (a Pirate Metal band).

In a straight up fight? Probably the vikings.

Hell yeah man. Their new album, The Varangian Way is great. I'm waiting for them to come to the US end of this April for the Pagan Fest 2008 tour, playing with Tyr, Ensiferum, and those other bands.

Anyway, who would win depends on the conditions of the battle. Boat to boat combat, Pirates, hands down, no contest. Viking raid onto land, assaulting Pirates there, then I would say that the Vikings would win so long as they had the element of surprise. Now, I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that there is one other condition through which Vikings could possibly have a chance. If a small, fast Viking ship, such as a Snekkja was able to survive the cannon bombardment and rope their boat to that of the Pirates, and board them and engage them in melee, (of course sending in the Úlfhéðnar / Berserkers in first), then they might actually have a possibility of victory. However, it is important to keep in mind that the Vikings more than likely used large, round wooden shields, not made of iron, which makes them even more vulnerable, and AT BEST, they would be wearing chain mail or scale mail, but even this would be a rarity among Viking hordes. But at the same time, this meager amount of protection would give them the protection they needed if they engaged in close ranged combat with the Pirates, who seldom would wear any substantial armor, obviously because such things would have been obsolete by their time.

All in all, I hypothesize that unless the conditions were ideal, Pirates would win in battle, but due EXCLUSIVELY to their level of technology vs that of the Vikings. I mean, come on, the Viking age was about 450-550 years before the 'Golden Age of Piracy'. This factor alone would ensure their victory. Now, if Vikings had Pirate technology, or if Pirates were limited to Viking technology, then it would be a different scenario all together.

I thought LG was female.He is.

Indeed, with the exception of the first book, I can't ever remember Asterix losing.
He does in the Olympics, but only due to his opponents taking vast amounts of performance enhancers, which then make their tongues go blue due to a plan by Getafix, IIRC, and is hence given the gold medal anyway, but passes it onto a Roman legionary, if memory serves.

Pirates would frequently have to resort to boarding since they usually didn't have enough ammo, guns or the crew to man them.

Pirates still would likely win, especially those of the later era. Guns would be enough.

and is hence given the gold medal anyway

Right. Because he and Getafix tricked the Romans into drinking the potion.

I think that counts as winning. :)

I think the Vikings could win if they had their Gods on their side eh?
Think about it, Pirates don't seem to have any Gods, just an endless stream of opportunist sailors, Vikings were born and bred to fight with axes.

Oh and one other thing, if this fight is over water then the Pirates could win but if the Viking Gods had anything to do with it the Vikings would win.
Over land the Vikings would kick their ass. aah brings back memories of Medieval Viking edition, they ruled they really did.
So i'll stick with the Vikings.

Vikings were pirates.

Vikings were intellegent people, they would have adopted guns if exposed to them. Vikings would shoot the pirates and then chop them up with axes, and then sell the survivors into slavery.

Vikings were pirates.

Vikings were intellegent people, they would have adopted guns if exposed to them. Vikings would shoot the pirates and then chop them up with axes, and then sell the survivors into slavery.

Kind of hard to adopt guns between first seeing them and getting shot by them.

Pirates all the way.

LG. One pie to the keel and they're on a one-way trip to Davey Jones' Locker.

I regret to inform you that Jormungandr wopuld swallow both ships whole.

obliviouslu only few had read their history well 1) vikings raided on land not on sea 2) pirates did both 3) guess twice which ones were more frightening in their times? Answer: vikings since they were scared even by the military(doesn't include finns:D) unlike most of pirates and 3) when compearing these two remember who exists even now days(pirates). but I vote the vikings since history doesn't know that my ancestors would have fought against pirates(sorry i count battle skills by what finns have fought against and continue to count it to those who have fought against same oponent, but pirates are difficult to count since they have/had number of different nationalities and they all have different skills in fighting). 4) AND how anyone can adopt to something even if they haven't SEEN such a weapon. come on this is like compearing russians to yanks(no wars between them has ever been)

obliviouslu only few had read their history well 1) vikings raided on land not on sea 2) pirates did both 3) guess twice which ones were more frightening in their times? Answer: vikings since they were scared even by the military(doesn't include finns:D) unlike most of pirates and 3) when compearing these two remember who exists even now days(pirates). but I vote the vikings since history doesn't know that my ancestors would have fought against pirates(sorry i count battle skills by what finns have fought against and continue to count it to those who have fought against same oponent, but pirates are difficult to count since they have/had number of different nationalities and they all have different skills in fighting). 4) AND how anyone can adopt to something even if they haven't SEEN such a weapon. come on this is like compearing russians to yanks(no wars between them has ever been)

...well-said!

Vikings, definately. They´re fiercer.

Vikings, definately. They´re fiercer.

Fierce enough to scare away bullets?

Fierce enough to scare away bullets?

Perhaps. Show a pirate of those nasty, dirty Viking faces with horrible yellow teeth and the bullets could ricochet off those teeth.... Wait, are we talking about Pirates and Vikings? They´re practically the same!:eek:

Perhaps. Show a pirate of those nasty, dirty Viking faces with horrible yellow teeth and the bullets could ricochet off those teeth.... Wait, are we talking about Pirates and Vikings? They´re practically the same!:eek:

Not really. Vikings had awesome boats, but they were for transport, not war. Pirates had much bigger boats, and better weapons. And equally bad hygiene.

Not really. Vikings had awesome boats, but they were for transport, not war. Pirates had much bigger boats, and better weapons.

Understood.

My prediction:

Pirates catch Viking longship. They demast her and board.

Vikings counter-board, hack pirates to death.

Vikings get a new ship. And maybe a few hats.:)

And then they get wiped out by LG.

I love Vikings, I really do.

Unfortunately, with the aid of our Noodely Master, they wouldn't stand a chance against pirates.

RAmen.

I love Vikings, I really do.

Unfortunately, with the aid of our Noodely Master, they wouldn't stand a chance against pirates.

RAmen.

Ummm, Ramen. It´s delicious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaoXsbPRFFE

Pirates, of course.

If the pirates try to outright destroy the ship, then they'll easily win with their cannons. If they try to board and loot the ship, they'll be able to ruin the Viking ship's sails with chainshot, then the amount of Vikings that get ripped apart by the grapeshot and musket/pistol fire should be more than enough to compensate for the pirate's arguably lesser close-combat ability.

Bang sticks beat axes every time.
Cannons and ranged weapons beat even superior numbers,
Vikings were pirates in a different age,

No armour developed pre-industry could reliably stop a bullet,
due to the unreliablility of small arms, the pistols were VERY LARGE
calliber. Single shots were almost always leathal.
And I don't care how "Berserk" you go, A 400gr. bullet at half the speed
of sound will crash through you and kill you.
I love the Finns, they rock like few others,
but Guns are what decides battles,
Only a massively co-ordinated large force of Vikings could surround and
overwhelm a ship, or landed party.
No ship would have ever been without a crew, only a part ( small part )
of a crew was ever released for shore at a time, the Time it takes to
load a cannon is 20 to 30 seconds from start to fire first shot.
Most pirate ships would have been able to fire between 10-30 volly's
before needing to replentish their stores.
And a Warship in pirate hands ( like a ship of the line ) would have
been a match for almost any number of Viking longboats.
Sorry,
But GUNS WIN

Bang sticks beat axes every time. except barrel loading flintlocks with piss poor accuracy won't guarentee a win.
Cannons and ranged weapons beat even superior numbers, not if the battle took place on land where pirates are mixed in with the vikings. pinpoint sniping with a cannon is... difficult.
Vikings were pirates in a different age, and different tactics. Vikings dont fight on water, but on land.

No armour developed pre-industry could reliably stop a bullet, yet vikings had wooden sheilds. that could stop a ball bearing bullet.
due to the unreliablility of small arms, the pistols were VERY LARGE calliber. Single shots were almost always leathal. ... slow to reload, and very, very unrelable in accuacy... and let's not mention when their powder gets wet.
And I don't care how "Berserk" you go, A 400gr. bullet at half the speed of sound will crash through you and kill you. bullet gotta hit. then add to that, the bullet gotta hit the proper spot. and add to that the fact that by the time the shooter reloads, a javalin or hatchet thrown by a viking would already be buried in the pirate...
I love the Finns, they rock like few others, but Guns are what decides battles, and guns back then are unreleable.
Only a massively co-ordinated large force of Vikings could surround and overwhelm a ship, or landed party.more vikings than pirates per ship.
No ship would have ever been without a crew, only a part ( small part ) of a crew was ever released for shore at a time, the Time it takes to load a cannon is 20 to 30 seconds from start to fire first shot. and cannon fire can only do so much damage. and if the pirates on shore are mixing it up with the vikings on shore, I doubt any captain who orders cannon fire on his own crew would last long.
Most pirate ships would have been able to fire between 10-30 volly's before needing to replentish their stores.
And a Warship in pirate hands ( like a ship of the line ) would have
been a match for almost any number of Viking longboats. Vikings strengths are not sea battles but land. they would be stupid to fight pirates on the ocean.

however, pirates need to land sometime...

Sorry,
But GUNS WIN not always.