Twenty neanderthals with spears vs twenty orangutans

[MichaelC]

Twenty neanderthals with spears vs twenty orangutans. All bloodlusted.

[Twickster]

Aren't the neanderthals at or close to chimpanzee strength already? Add to that range weapons, planning and coordinated attack.

[Sharpandpointies]

Weapons versus...less-effective natural weapons leads me to believe that pretty quickly this is going to go badly for the poor orangutans. I'm sure some Neanderthals will get mauled, but.

[BitVyper]

Weapons versus...less-effective natural weapons leads me to believe that pretty quickly this is going to go badly for the poor orangutans. I'm sure some Neanderthals will get mauled, but.

Depends how they fight, really. If they're in any way cautious, I think they could take it uninjured, but we have no particularly good basis for understanding how a group of neanderthals would have responded to this sort of situation. They're not stupid though.

[Sharpandpointies]

Truth that we don't know exactly how it'll go down. I favour the armed dudes, is all.

[Tami]

I call it 50-50. There will be bloodshed on both sides. Spears are great for long distances, but if the orangutans move in fast, get in close and from all sides, the weapons will be nearly useless.

[Sharpandpointies]

I agree with both sides getting bloodied. This isn't going to be a cakewalk. But I still maintain the Neanderthals will take this one.

The orangutans can't close from all sides without coming face to face with an equal number of enemies, as the numbers are equal; it's one for one Neanderthal. If the orangutans decide to gang up against single Neanderthals, all they're doing is inviting Neanderthals who AREN'T getting mobbed to stab them in the back.

Spears are great for melee fighting. While I doubt that Neanderthals knew spear-based fighting systems, I'm pretty sure they understood stab-stab-stab. Spears work even better in melee against short-reach weapons, and teeth on orangutans is about as short-reach as it gets.

Mileage, it doth vary.

[theoneandonly]

I think the orangutans can take it so long as they remember to throw debris at the Neanderthals who will get enraged and try to close in upon them then.

[Sharpandpointies]

Despite the years of combat, the arena is somewhat short on debris.

[big_adventure]

Definitely favoring the larger dudes with reach-extending stabby weapons over the unarmed stronger dudes.

[theoneandonly]

Despite the years of combat, the arena is somewhat short on debris.

if there is no debris then it does look like the scenario favours the Neanderthals.

[BitVyper]

Truth that we don't know exactly how it'll go down. I favour the armed dudes, is all.

Oh yeah, I don't really see them taking anything less than 7/10 even if they're especially dumb. Orangutans are scary, but they're not quite the kind of animal that's gonna be super dangerous to someone with a spear and the ability to use it, especially on flat, open terrain. Put them in the middle of a jungle where they can get above the neanderthals and things might be different.

[The Arbiter]

Neanderthals 10/10. They will be hurt, and with some casualties, but having a weqpon in this Arena setting is too much here.

[KJS]

I think the orangutans can take it so long as they remember to throw debris at the Neanderthals who will get enraged and try to close in upon them then.

Hmmm, this gives me an idea...

Despite the years of combat, the arena is somewhat short on debris.

Unless they crap the "debris" out. Nobody wants that thrown at them - and monkeys/apes are kind of known for it.

[Sharpandpointies]

Hmmm, this gives me an idea...

Apes, as I understand, are lousy throwers.

Unless they crap the "debris" out. Nobody wants that thrown at them - and monkeys/apes are kind of known for it.

Whilst disgusting, I doubt it'll have a huge 'impact' on the fight; they're not Bullseye, after all. ^_^