The following is based off analysis of the two media warriors' weapons and put under fair testing. I do not own the creations of Stan Lee or Hiromu Arakawa.
Fuhrer King Bradley
(A mustached man with an eye patch took a sword in hand, then thrust it forward, his face cold as ice.)
The Fuhrer of Amestris who, in secret, threatened the very existence of the planet, manipulating and killing all who knew his diabolical secret.
(Bradley races past a small brigade of his soldiers, a sword in hand. With his blade, he cut down a squadron of guerilla warriors.)
Captain America
(A muscular man in a red, white, and blue uniform took a circular shield and held it in a defensive position.)
The American-made Super-Soldier from World War II, who prevented a change in the war, and now fights for his country in the present day.
(Captain America charges a group of HYDRA soldiers, bullets bouncing off his raised shield, and then smashes his shield into a soldier, breaking mentioned soldier's neck in the process.)
WHO…IS…DEADLIEST?
To find out, our world-class fighters are testing fiction's most lethal weapons. Using twenty-first century science, we see what happens when the two warriors go toe-to-toe.
No rules, no safety, no mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is…
The DEADLIEST WARRIOR
The fight club was decorated with firearms from iconic moments of the past: rifles, machine guns, pistols, and close-quarter weapons; each from different times and different countries of origin.
Welcome to the fight club: a proverbial battlezone where scientists, doctors, and weapons experts have gathered, all to see who will win between two "super soldiers" of their respective times and countries.
Captain America: the frail man turned American super-soldier who helped change the tide of World War II…
VS.
King Bradley: the home-grown superman who became Fuhrer of Amestris and slaughtered enemies of the state.
Captain America:
Height: 6'2"
Weight:240lbs
Age: 28
Equipment: 24lbs
Circa: 1944
King Bradley:
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 176lbs
Age: 60
Equipment: 23lbs
Circa: 1914
A young man wearing a Marvel shirt held up a rifle before looking down the sights.
A media man and biomedical engineer, Tohokari-Steel, will gather the data that these two super-soldiers' weapons can unleash.
"I LOVE this episode." Steel said, excitedly, "These two are packing weapons from famous battles in their respective worlds: World War II and the Amestris Rebellion. I can't wait to see what they'll do in battle against each other."
Another young man, this one in a black army beret and getup worthy of SOLDIER inspected a nasty slash wound in a gel torso's neck.
Biologist and weapons expert, Sgt. Reynol, will inspect the trauma inflicted by each of the warriors' weapons.
"On one hand, you have Captain America. He's a young man and in his prime, but then you have Bradley who is more than sixty years old and probably just as fit. It's a battle of young and fit vs. old and experienced. It's an interesting contrast between the two."
A teen with wild, spiky, red hair sat at a computer, looking over information on both America and Bradley.
Computer wiz, Lunatic the 121st, will input the test data into a computer program to simulate a true-to-life confrontation between the two super soldiers.
"To set the record straight, we've had to put these two warriors into different timelines. Captain America is from 1944, the peak of World War II, and Fuhrer Bradley from 1914: the time of the Coup d'état in Amestris."
Because of the lethality of these two arsenals, Lunatic sets the battle to be five-on-five. Captain America and four American GIs will face off against King Bradley and four Amestris soldiers. The winner will be crowned "Deadliest Warrior".
A middle-aged man with an eye patch, military getup, and graying temples took a pistol in hand, testing how it felt in the hands of a warrior.
Captain America's weapons will be wielded by Colonel Nick Fury. Nick is an army veteran who, thanks to his slowed aging process, actually fought in World War II.
"I don't know who this Bradley guy is, but he's got no chance against Cap." Fury said, shaking his head, "There's a thirty-year gap between the two, and you're pitting a highly-trained human against someone who was good to go from the beginning."
Another man, this one with odd hair, side burns, and an animalistic aura to him took a rifle in hand. He was clad, in contrast to Fury, a gray t-shirt and jeans.
Also fighting for Captain America is Wolverine. Wolverine is a WWII veteran and actually fought alongside the super soldier during his last WWII battle in 1945.
"I only knew Captain America for a short time, but I'm still going to need a good bit of convincing if Bradley can ever stand a chance." Wolverine said, arms folded across his chest, "Cap is determined, loyal, and is going to give his all to the death."
Captain America didn't start out as a hero. In the beginning, he was just a frail man named Steve Rogers. When recruitment in America during WWII began, Steve was rejected repeatedly because of his poor physicality.
"Cap started out as nobody." Fury narrated, "He was a ninety-eight-pound weakling, but then came an opportunity that he just couldn't turn down."
Steve's moment of glory came when a scientist came to him and gave him an offer to become much more than he already was. Through a series of injections, ingested formulas, and inhaled gases, Steve would emerge in peak physical condition and America's super soldier was born.
Fighting decisive battles in World War II, Captain America also prevented an explosive assault on the United States. It cast him into freezing waters and, thanks to the Super Soldier serum preserving his body, was rediscovered in the twenty-first century and fights to this day.
However, the opposing side bears a super-soldier of its own; one two experts say is far more cutthroat: Fuhrer King Bradley.
A woman with long, blonde hair, a blue uniform, and a fierce gleam in her eyes took a sword in a diagonal slash.
Providing insight on Fuhrer Bradley is Olivier Mira Armstrong. Armstrong is a world-class sword-fighter and a Major General in the northern land of Briggs, a land that harbors some of Amestris' most powerful soldiers.
"Captain America stands no chance against Bradley." Olivier stated, her hand on her sword, "I hate to admit it, but Bradley has a thirst for blood that this man has never seen before. In just a short span of time, Captain America's blood will be gathering on the ground."
Another woman, this one with black hair tied back in a ponytail, pulled back the bolt of a rifle before looking down its sights.
A member of the East City's military, Rebecca Catalina, will test the firearms of the Amestris. She is also a close friend of Riza Hawkeye, a trusted lieutenant of the famed Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang.
"Captain America has only been fighting as a soldier for a few years. It can't compare to the combat experience of Bradley, who is over sixty years old and still fit for battle." Rebecca said with a shrug.
Born in the mid-nineteenth century, the boy who would become King Bradley had no name, no family, and no past life. His only purpose was to be trained in hand-to-hand combat, swordplay, and marksmanship so that he could become Fuhrer of Amestris.
"Bradley was among a group of expendables training to one day rule the country." Armstrong explained, "But the real changing point for him was the final part of his 'training'."
For one final test, Bradley was injected with a philosopher's stone. The process had killed all before him, and yet he was the only one to survive. The process gave him enhanced vision and, in his adult years, he became the Fuhrer of Amestris and apprehended anything he deemed a "threat to the state".
But in a head-to-head clash, which of these two home-grown super soldiers will walk away with his life?
"Captain America's goal, in this fight, would be to take out Bradley." Fury said with a slightly smug-looking grin, "Bradley is oppressing the land of Amestris and apprehending those doing the right thing. Cap will want to take him down."
"Bradley would want nothing more than to take out Captain America." Armstrong said, sternly, "Captain America, to him, is an enemy of the state. He is a threat to his reputation and his life, so the only logical thing for Bradley to do is kill him."
Both of these warriors are used to urban warfare and, in this episode, we will witness the process step-by-step.
"Alright, both these warriors have similar attack patterns when it comes to battling in the urban environment." Ray said, looking over each arsenal, "They have rifles for long-range, submachine guns for mid-range, and pistols and melee weapons for close-range combat. Because of the way the urban battle begins, the fight will begin at long-range."
Our two warriors begin with long-range rifles to pick off enemy scouts, snipers, or sentries. They would then move into the city and use submachine guns to take out any enemies on the city streets, and finally, try to seize any important buildings with a combination of pistols and melee weapons.
Bradley's long-range rifle of choice is the Gewehr 98: a bolt action weapon that can take out enemies more than five-hundred yards away.
Gewehr 98 Rifle
Size: 4ft
Weight: 9lbs
Ammunition: 8x57mm IS
Rounds: 5
Range: 550yd
Action: Bolt Action
Out at the firing range, Rebecca held out the iconic infantry rifle. "This is the Gewehr 98: Amestris soldiers' key choice of weapon when it came to sniping." The brunette said, demonstrating its bolt action, "Holds five rounds and, with its range, you can just find high ground and keep killing without people even knowing you were there."
"What's the range on this thing?" Steel asked, "Iron sights only."
"You can take someone out at five-fifty yards without any scopes attached." Rebecca answered.
"That's your weapon?" Wolverine asked, brow raised, "Working the bolt like that would probably throw off your aim. With Cap's gun, we can shoot AND keep an eye on the enemy."
Captain America's go-to rifle is the M1 Garand: America's iconic weapon for World War II combat.
M1 Garand
Size: 3.5ft
Weight: 9.5lbs
Ammunition: 7.62x51mm
Rounds: 8
Range: 440yd
Action: Semi-Automatic
"I used this weapon in World War II." Wolverine said, holding up the iconic gun, "It's saved the lives of many American soldiers in Europe, many of which I fought with."
"Wow. You're old." Lunatic said, eyes wide.
"I know." Wolverine growled, then got back on the subject of the gun, "This gun is semi-automatic. That means I don't have to waste time reloading and getting my sights back. I can keep enemies in my sight without taking my eye off them to reload."
"Right. It's semi-automatic, so you just have to pull the trigger to fire another round." Steel said with a nod in understanding.
To test the effectiveness of each rifle, both Wolverine and Rebecca will take aim at eight targets placed at two-hundred yards: the average range of fire in both World Wars.
Rebecca will go first with the Gewehr…
Rebecca lay flat on the ground, then pushed a five-round clip into the stock of her rifle. Pushing the bolt back into place, she took aim at the first target.
"Rebecca, you ready?" Steel called.
"Yep!"
"Three! Two! One! FIRE AWAY!"
BANG!
The first shot from Rebecca's rifle nailed one of the targets dead in the collarbone, earning "ooh's" from the experts. Rebecca pulled back the bolt of the rifle, ejecting the empty shell in the process, then took aim again. She did, however, have to move her head in order to do so. Had she not, the bolt action would bump into her face.
Gewehr Kills: 1
Rounds Left: 9
Rebecca fired at a target just next to the one she nailed: a miss. A quick bolt-action later and the target was struck right in the gut. The next target was hit right on the right side of its chest, and after that, his buddy received a graze.
Gewehr Kills: 3
Rounds Left: 5
Rebecca pulled back the bolt, then reached into a pouch and pulled out a spare clip. It earned her a roll of the eyes from Fury and Wolverine while she pushed it into the stock of her gun. When it was fully reloaded, she got back down to business.
With a "bang", she nailed the grazed target in the gut with her rifle.
Gewehr Kills: 4
Rounds Left: 4
She worked the bolt action quickly, then fired. She missed this time. Another shot, however, was a bit luckier, for it hit the target right between the eyes. Another shot hit a target in its lower-left abdomen.
Gewehr Kills: 6
Rounds Left: 1
Rebecca took one last aim down her sights, then fired at the remaining target. The round hit just beneath the dummy's left eye, leaving a blood-red hole.
Gewehr Kills: 7
Rounds Left: 0
"DONE!" Rebecca called.
"Alright, I counted up your time and your killshots." Steel brought up as Rebecca got up and walked over, "You fired ten shots, seven of which were kill shots, two were misses, and one was a graze wound. That's still not a bad hit-to-miss ratio there."
"I'm a little worried, though, that it took precious seconds to reload and work the bolt action." Ray pointed out, "If your opponent catches you in that moment of weakness, he can exploit it REAL easy."
"This thing has an effective range of five-fifty yards, so I'll be sure to kill them before they kill me." Rebecca said, holding up her gun.
"Talk all you want." Wolverine said, then held up the M1, "With this gun, I can do just as much in half the time."
Now it's team America's turn to take out just as many targets with the M1 Garand.
Wolverine lay on the ground, then pushed an eight-round clip into the rifle's stock. He readied himself, eyes focused on the eight targets in his range.
"Logan, you ready?" Steel called.
"I'm ready, bub."
"Three! Two! One! OPEN FIRE!"
Wolverine pulled the trigger of his M1 and landed his first shot right on the first target's left ribcage: an instant-killshot.
Garand Kills: 1
Rounds Left: 15
Without wasting time, Wolverine aimed the rifle at the second target and fired again. This shot missed, but a quick adjustment of aim quickly fixed the problem. A bleeding bullet wound in the dummy's throat proved the speed of adjustment. Wolverine fired again, hitting the third target in the shoulder. Just to make sure it was dead, Wolverine fired again, hitting it in the lower abdominal region.
Garand Kills: 3
Rounds Left: 11
Wolverine fired twice at one dummy, each one hitting the next target's abdomen. Both were mortal wounds: something Wolverine was more than happy to dish out.
Garand Kills: 4
Rounds Left: 9
Wolverine aimed, then fired a single round at his next target, hitting dead-center of the chest. But a split-second after the round was fired, the rifle ejected the empty clip with a resounding "ping". All three experts started a little, the noise surprising them.
Garand Kills: 5
Rounds Left: 8
A common flaw of the M1 Garand: it ejects its clip very noisily. If this were a real combat situation, and if Logan were in hiding and picking off enemies, the enemy would become aware of his position.
Wolverine reached into a pouch on his belt, pulled out a spare eight-round clip, then loaded it into his gun's stock before returning to firing position.
BANG!
A crimson wound was torn in the neck of Wolverine's next target, dyeing the foam torso's shoulder to top it all off.
Garand Kills: 6
Rounds Left: 7
Wolverine aimed again, then fired at target number seven. The bullet hit the hip area; a delayed kill, but a mortal wound nonetheless through rupturing intestines.
Garand Kills: 7
Rounds Left: 6
Wolverine took aim at the last target, aimed, then fired only to miss. He cursed under his breath, then fired again, hitting the target's shoulder. One final shot nailed the last target in the center mass of the face.
Garand Kills: 8
Rounds Left: 3
"Done!"
"Nice shooting, Logan." Steel congratulated, "From what I gathered, you did kill the targets faster, but your shooting was a little sloppier."
"I have more rounds in my gun, ammo to spare, and I don't have to waste time working bolt-action." Wolverine defended, "As long as my enemies are dead, I'm happy."
Both the Gewehr and the Garand prove their worth in accuracy, but which weapon gives their warrior the edge?
"While I admit that the Gewehr has the superior range and its limited ammunition can force the user to take the time to place their shots, it can't compare to the M1. It doesn't restrict your vision, has a good range of its own, and it's semi-automatic." Lunatic said, counting off his fingers, "I'm giving the edge to the M1 Garand."
In long-range weapons, the edge goes to Captain America for the M1 Garand.
But the battle is just heating up. After taking out sentries and lookouts, the two soldiers would storm the city, taking with them their lead-spitting submachine guns.
The submachine gun of the Amestris Army was the MP18: the world's very first portable machine gun.
MP18
Size: 2.5ft
Weight: 9lbs
Ammunition: 7.63 Mauser
Rounds: 32
Rate of Fire: 500rpm
Range: 100yd
"This is the pride and joy of gun development: the MP18." Armstrong said, holding up a submachine gun with a strange magazine jutting from its left side: something like a cross between a drum and a box magazine, "It fires five-hundred rounds per minute, carries thirty-two rounds."
But Team America has their own iconic submachine gun; the M3 "Grease Gun": a forty-five-cal, rapid-fire slaughtering machine.
M3 "Grease Gun"
Size: 2.5ft
Weight: 8lbs
Ammunition: .45 ACP
Rounds: 30
Rate of Fire: 450rpm
Range: 80yd
"This is the M3 submachine gun, or 'Grease Gun' as it's more commonly known as." Fury said, taking up a more compact gun with a folding stock and a kind of pistol-grip magazine, "It shoots a forty-five caliber bullet, unlike that antique gun. Its more-compact design means that I can maneuver with it much better in tight spaces."
To help settle the debate on which submachine gun is more lethal, our experts will simulate a building raid. Both will have to take out two sentries, one guard around the corner, and a lead officer in the quarters.
Olivier will go first with the MP18…
Armstrong loaded an MP18 with a thirty-two round clip, then focused on her goal: killing two guards at the entryway.
"Armstrong, you ready?" Steel called.
"Ready!"
"Three…two…one…STORM IT!"
Armstrong peered down her submachine gun's barrel before unleashing a pair of three-round bursts at the first guard, landing a series of bullet wounds on it. She quickly turned her sights onto the next one, pumping it with a quick burst from the MP18 and dyeing its clothes crimson with blood.
Armstrong, sure that her two targets were dead now, lifted her foot and proceeded to kick the door of the building open. With lightning-quick reflexes, she turned the corner and nailed the soldier target inside with a hail of bullets.
Once that dummy was taken down, she stormed over to the door, kicked it open, then gave the officer at the desk one quick look before raising her gun and nailing him with whatever remained of her ammo.
"Nice shooting, Armstrong." Lunatic said as the team went in to inspect the damage.
"First guy you shot, you nailed him multiple times in his chest. One of the bullets actually strayed and struck his arm, but you hit him in the upper bicep. That means you could hit his brachial artery and he'd bleed out from that wound in under an hour. The guy next to him, he's got bullet holes in his face, his shoulders, and his chest." Ray said, then moved the group inside to show them the guard inside.
"This guy is toast. I mean, you kicked the door down, catching him completely by surprise, and you peppered him with a good burst round. All in the abdominal region, spilling his fluids and getting all kinds of nasty stuff in his guts. He's going to die a slow and sickening death."
"What about the main target?" Lunatic asked, peering into the room. Only then did he discover the fate of the target. "Dang…just…dang."
"Dang is right, Loon." Steel said, looking at the room, which had a blood-red spot right behind the main target's head, "The single hit blew the guy's head open. You splattered his brains all over the wall. I mean, I'm no doctor or anything, but…holy CRAP, man. Holy crap!"
"Thanks to the greater range of this gun, I could pick off the guards from a relatively safe distance." Armstrong said, holding up the MP18, "I'd like to see Captain America do better."
"We've got a better grip on our gun and it hits with greater stopping power." Fury said, holding up his Grease Gun.
The next test: Fury will do the same with the M3 "Grease Gun".
Nick Fury, fully dressed in military camo, loaded a box-magazine into the Grease Gun, then extended its extendable stock before pressing mentioned stock firmly against his shoulder.
"Nick, you ready?" Steel called.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Three…two…one…MOVE OUT!"
Fury moved in closer, then aimed his Grease Gun and fired a hail of .45 caliber bullets at the two dummies. Once he was sure he had hit them both, he charged forward, rammed the door open, then turned to meet the guard.
A quick pull of the trigger later and the dummy was pelted with a seven-round burst. Fury moved in for the final target, kicked the door down, then pelted the target in question with a barrage of bullets.
"Okay, what I notice is that each of these wounds are slightly larger than those of the MP18." Ray said, removing one dummy's shirt, "This guy is peppered, almost head-to-hip with bullets. Heck, you didn't spare anyone, even his partner here. You just got in, peppered them both, then barged in."
"All part of the training." Fury said with a nod, "We need a job done quickly and we delivered."
"The guy inside is dead, too." Ray said as the team moved inside, "You hit his gut first and just climbed up his body from there. And as for the final guy in the office here, He's got kill shots on him, but not a whole lot. You used twelve rounds, but only seven of them hit. Guess those forty-five cal bullets are pretty hard to control."
"Just a little, but I can control it a lot better with the magazine acting as a kind of handgrip." Fury said, giving a slight demonstration.
"I think you were a little careless here." Armstrong said, arms folded across her chest, "You had to get much closer than I did to those guards. If I can use this gun at a further distance, you won't get a chance to use that."
"The evidence is right there. I can maneuver it and deliver a harder hit than your gun." Fury countered.
With our two experts unconvinced, it's up to the trio to decide whose gun gets the edge.
"MP18 vs. Grease Gun…this is a tough decision." Steel said, meaning each word, "But if I had to stake my life on one gun, I'd take the one with the greater range. It has similar stopping power to the Grease Gun, but can hit from more than twenty yards further. Distance and slightly more controllable fire means that I'm giving the edge to the MP18."
In mid-range weapons, the edge goes to Fuhrer King Bradley and the MP18.
Coming up, the fight gets up close and personal as both pack their pistols and their iconic melee weapons...
Captain America, or Fuhrer King Bradley? If these two super soldiers were to butt heads, who would come out on top?
Our Captain America experts believe that their main man will prevail because of his tenacity, clear-headed approach to combat, and stamina.
"Cap won't just give up on a fight." Wolverine said, shaking his head, "Even if he's the last man standing, he's going to keep going until he himself goes down. And the chances of him doing that are very, VERY slim."
In comparison, our Bradley experts believe that the fuhrer's cold-blooded approach and astonishing fighting skill will give him the necessary advantage.
"Bradley is ferocious." Armstrong said, sternly, "Because he thinks very little of those he fights, it makes it so much easier for him to slit their throats. And the fact that he WILL do it without hesitation will install fear in his enemies' minds and slow them down, making them easier to kill."
So far, the weapons are neck-and-neck with rifles and submachine guns. Now that they've stormed the city, it's time to get up-close and personal. Both sides now enter a building and pull out their pistols.
Captain America brings the Colt M1911: a gun so widely-used, it's still used to this day.
Colt M1911
Size: 8in
Weight: 2.4lbs
Ammunition: .45 cal
Rounds: 7
Range: 150ft
"At last." Ray said, holding up a black pistol with a brown handgrip, "The classic semi-auto pistol."
"It's been used in both World Wars and it's still used to this day." Wolverine said, taking the gun back, "The reason it's well-known and used is because it uses a forty-five caliber bullet. It packs a lot more punch than a nine-millimeter, so it can kill with one shot if you're good enough with it."
Bradley also brings a semi-automatic pistol of his own, one the experts say is more accurate.
The Steyr 1912: in the hands of an Amestris Soldier, it's a one-two punch.
Steyr 1912
Size: 8.5"
Weight: 2.6lbs
Ammunition: 9mm
Rounds: 8
Range: 150ft
"This is the Steyr." Rebecca said, holding up a more silvery pistol, "It does use smaller bullets than America's gun, but it does boost its accuracy and allows for you to get more shots downrange because of less kick."
"Okay, it's time to decide which is better: stopping power or accuracy." Lunatic said, taking the group out to the range, "We have five guys down there and you'll each have two magazines to burn. Rebecca, you're up first with the Steyr."
To test each pistol's effectiveness in a close-quarter battle, our team has simulated a hallway leading to an officer's quarters. Each team will have two magazines to burn.
Rebecca, uneasily, loaded the Steyr with an eight-round clip. But she had to load it by pulling the ejection mechanism and forcing the rounds down into it. Once she had properly loaded the gun, she held it at a ready at the corner of the hallway.
"Rebecca, you ready?" Steel asked.
"Ready."
"THREE! TWO! ONE! GO!"
Rebecca turned the corner, then fired three rounds at the first dummy, creating a tight cluster of bullet holes in his chest. She fired two more at the second, both in the abdominal region.
Rebecca moved, swiftly, down the hall, then turned a corner to meet the second corner and fired two rounds at one of them and fired a third at the second one before the gun clicked empty. Rebecca sighed, then hid behind the corner and began the difficult reload process again.
The process earned her a few negative responses from both the scientists and the Captain America experts.
After the painful reload, Rebecca planted two rounds into the dummy she had missed, making sure it was dead this time. She moved on to the simulated officer's quarters, kicked the door down, then pumped the officer stand-in with whatever bullets she had left in her gun.
"Done!" Rebecca called, emerging from the room.
Now, it's Team America's turn to dish out death with the Colt 1911…
Fury took up a Colt pistol, then loaded a box magazine into its stock, located in the gun's handle. It seemed a lot simpler than the Steyr's reload method.
"Nick, you ready?" Steel called.
"Ready!"
"Three! Two! One! STORM IT!"
Fury moved fast, aimed his gun at the first of the two dummies. While he fired the bullets slightly slower, the damage was undeniable. Two bullets hit the first dummy full in the chest while one hit the target full in the face.
Fury moved past the first two dummies, then turned a corner and fired two rounds each at both. When his gun clicked empty, he reloaded in what seemed like a much more comfortable and time-saving method.
With the guards well out of the way, Fury barged into the room, aimed his pistol, and planted four rounds into the officer stand-in.
"Done!"
With the shootout finished, our experts examine the results of both handguns.
Ray went over to the dummy stand-ins, then peeled their shirts to reveal the bullet wounds inflicted on both.
"Okay, what we see here is that the Steyr's rounds are a little more accurate and form a tighter grouping." Ray said, "All are either in the gut or in the chest. In comparison to Nick's targets, it took him a little longer to get rounds off, but he actually made a more sizeable wound with just one shot."
"On terms of damage done with their guns, I think they're even." Lunatic pointed out, "One gets more shots out faster while the other deals good damage with just one shot. For me, the deciding factor is reload time. Putting a magazine into the stock of a gun is much more time-saving than shoving the rounds in with a clip and through the top."
"Edge: Colt?" Steel asked.
"Edge: Colt." Ray and Loon agreed.
In close-range weapons, Captain America gets the edge with the Colt 1911.
But pistols aren't their only methods of close-quarter combat. Both Bradley and America share one thing: both relish in melee combat. Their method of combat relies on metal, not bullets.
Bradley's choice weapon for melee combat is the Infantry Saber: three feet of carbon-steel cutting power that is both light and strong.
"If Bradley wanted to kill you, he wouldn't use a gun. He'd put your blood on this blade, instead." Armstrong said, unsheathing a long, thin blade from her belt.
The sword was typical of late nineteenth- to early twentieth- century design. It had a black grip decorated with a gilded handguard, and the blade itself was three feet long, straight, and had a single edge that glimmered in the light.
"It's light, so you can carry it all day and not tire." Armstrong said, demonstrating a few maneuvers with the sword, "And it's durable, so it won't break easily. It can go straight through plate armor, no problem."
"Well, Armstrong, we have just the test for you." Steel said, gesturing to a gel torso, "We've got a torso for you that'll simulate human flesh and bone. What will you do with this sword?"
Armstrong smirked. "I think I'll shred it."
The team stepped back while Olivier took up a fighter stance, pointing the sword at the dummy like an accusing finger.
"Armstrong, you ready?" Steel called.
"Ready." She replied with a cold smirk.
"Three! Two! One! CUT IT!"
Olivier stepped forward and thrust the sword's tip into the dummy's shoulder region a little past the neck. She pulled it back out, then stepped forward again to slash it across the throat, dyeing its front red with blood from severed arteries. Another slash found its way to the dummy's gut, shortly followed by another and another. She stabbed the torso again, this time in the gut, then stepped back and gave a satisfactory nod.
"You said you'd shred him and you delivered." Ray said, looking over the torso.
"His stomach looks like chopped salad." Lunatic said in slight shock.
"The first stab was in his shoulder muscle. This has the potential to be lethal because there's an important vessel in the shoulder that is fatal if severed." Ray said, then gestured to the cut across the throat, "Then she followed up with a cut to the throat. That'll sever his windpipe AND his carotid arteries in one fell swoop.
"Finally, you ripped his stomach open and proceeded to spill his guts across the floor. And as a finishing blow, you put the sword into his chest and it emerged from his back." Ray said, finishing up quickly, "You killed this guy five times before he hit the ground. That requires strength, stamina, and speed to deliver such powerful wounds in so short a span of time."
"This sword CAN get through plate armor." Olivier reminded, then added, "Makes it a lot easier when it's out of the way."
The sword sheds blood, but Team Captain America isn't packing it in.
"Do you really think that Cap will just stand there and let Bradley butcher him?" Wolverine asked in disbelief.
"Do YOU think that Captain America will want to get within three feet of Bradley?" Olivier countered.
"If you want to get to Captain America, you'll have to get past his best weapon." Wolverine pointed out, then held up a circular shield emblazoned with red and white stripes, a blue center, and a white star at its center.
Captain America's calling card is his Shield: a two-and-a-half-foot disc that is light, durable, and virtually indestructible.
Shield
Size: 2.5' diameter
Weight: 4lbs
Substance: Steel-Vibranium alloy
"This shield has kept Cap safe in every battle he's ever been in." Fury said as Wolverine strapped the shield onto his arm, "And if Bradley comes in, he'll have to get past this shield to kill Cap. Not an easy task because if he gets that close, Cap will do one of two things. He'll either hit him with the front of the shield and knock him on his pants or hit him with the rim and break his neck."
To test the impact of the shield on a human body, Wolverine will take a shot at a ballistics gel torso to simulate the effect on a human body.
Wolverine, with Captain America's shield strapped to his arm, faced a gel torso with the look of a feral beast in his eye.
"You're obviously ready. Three! Two! One! SMASH IT!"
Wolverine roared, then slammed the shield's front into the torso's face with a resounding mix of a "thud" and a "crunch". He then pulled the shield back, turned it slightly, then slammed it, rim-first, into the torso's head with a resounding "clang".
"Okay, the first strike was NOT a kill shot." Ray said, looking over footage of the strike, "But if both of you were moving and you hit this guy with your shield, you'd probably break a rib, break his nose, and leave him disoriented.
"The frontal strike was not the kill shot, though. When you hit the head with the rim of the shield, you would do a multitude of things with just that one strike." Ray said, watching as the dummy's head twisted at an odd angle on impact with the shield's rim, "You're going to compress or fracture the skull and, with the force provided, you can easily break his neck."
"I'm still not buying it." Rebecca stated, "You have to get THAT close to Bradley if you want to hit him with that shield. If you're that close to him, you'll drown in your own blood."
"Bradley will have to get past this shield if he wants to kill Captain America. I'd like to see him try." Wolverine challenged.
Feeling confident, Team America sets Team Bradley up with a challenge: Bradley's sword and handgun vs. Captain America's Shield.
Olivier stood in front of Captain America's shield, sword at the ready and a handgun holstered on her belt.
"GO!"
Olivier stepped forward, swiftly, then swung the sword in a diagonal slash. The sword struck, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. On seeing that it didn't hurt the shield, Olivier pulled the sword back and thrust it at the shield's center.
She was least expecting the sword to bend on impact and actually snap off six inches off its tip.
Groaning in disdain, Olivier stepped back, took out the handgun, and emptied it on the shield.
Not one penetrated.
"Wow." Steel said, in astonishment, "Aside from some chipped pain on this shield, it's…completely untouched. Not even the bullets left a scratch."
"That's because this shield is a one-of-a-kind metal." Nick Fury explained, "It's a mixture of steel and vibranium. The vibranium absorbs vibrations and impacts very easily. In other words, striking that shield is WORSE than disastrous."
"I hate to break it to you, Bradley Experts, but Fury is right. If that sword hits the shield, it's a disaster just waiting to happen." Lunatic explained, "Because, in a straight-up, drawn out battle, that sword will not last as long as the shield. Edge to Captain America."
In Special Weapons, Captain America's shield gives him the edge.
After a long week of testing, we're finally ready to see who is the deadliest super soldier: Captain America or Fuhrer King Bradley?
We tested four weapons used by Bradley to slaughter his enemies: the Gewehr rifle, MP18 submachine gun, Steyr pistol, and Infantry Saber.
We also tested four weapons in the arsenal of Captain America: the M1 Garand rifle, M3 submachine gun, Colt pistol, and Shield.
In long-range weapons, the Gewehr 98 butted heads with the M1 Garand.
"The Gewehr has range on its side, but when it comes to putting rounds downwind and stamina, the M1 is the more advanced and more reliable gun."
Edge: Captain America
In mid-range combat, both teams duked it out with the MP18 and the M3 "Grease Gun".
"The Grease Gun is more compact and has better stopping power, but the range and rate of fire of the MP18 made the difference here. Twenty yards is more than enough distance to make a difference."
Edge: King Bradley
In close-range weapons, the Steyr 1912 was pitted against the Colt 1911.
"Both have similar magazine capacities and similar range, but I have to give the edge to the Colt pistol. Reason being that it has greater stopping power and an easier method of reloading. The reload of the Steyr is uncomfortable and time-consuming while the Colt is easier and takes a lot less time."
Edge: Captain America
Finally, in special weapons, Captain America's shield stood its ground against King Bradley's infantry saber.
"Bradley's saber broke when it tried penetrating the shield, and bullets will do about as good a job as the sword: nothing at all. Edge to the shield."
Edge: Captain America
With all the test data in hand, Lunatic will run the data into a computer simulation that will ultimately decide the victor. To prevent a lucky bullet from snaring defeat, Lunatic sets the battle to run a thousand times.
Captain America…Fuhrer King Bradley…WHO IS DEADLIEST?
"Well, it's time to find out who lives and who dies. So, let's fire it up." Lunatic said, then pressed the "enter" key.
-the fight-
It was a peaceful day in Central city, the capital of Amestris. Inside a massive, ivory-colored building, a number of soldiers from the Elite Amestris army went on with their day. Two were on patrol just outside while the Fuhrer himself, King Bradley, sat at his desk, looking over paperwork.
But something was amiss today, and this building would soon become a battleground with the emergence of five soldiers.
A group of American soldiers silently crept through the city, taking whatever cover they could find, guns in hand and at the ready for any enemy fire. Their leader was clad in a uniform decorated with red, white, and blue. On this man's back was a disc-shaped shield with similar colors. It was none other than the Super Soldier himself: Captain America.
Bradley: 5
America: 5
Captain America's team silently made their way towards the grand building, but had the stairway in sight when one of the Amestris soldiers took notice. He took up his Gewehr rifle, aimed, then fired.
Immediately, one of the invading soldiers fell with a bullet hole through his neck.
Bradley: 5
America: 4
One of the GI's saw his comrade fall, then shouted, "CAP!"
Captain America looked ahead, then saw two of the Amestris soldiers pointing their rifles at them. He ordered all to take cover and they did, finding cover behind alleyway corners, out of harm's way.
Cap took a mirror from his pocket, then used it to help him peer around the corner. He could see them now. He looked to a soldier hiding with him, then nodded. Mentioned soldier nodded back, then took his M1 Garand and signaled to a soldier in an alleyway across the street.
After receiving a confirming nod from the soldier, the first one emerged, aimed his M1 and fired. He moved quickly, avoiding a shot from both. When he turned around to aim again, he saw them working a bolt mechanism and fired again.
The Amestris soldier fell with a pained grunt, then lay motionless with a bullet wound through his chest.
Bradley: 4
America: 4
The second Amestris soldier saw his dead comrade, then turned tail and ran for cover. He had to alert everyone else in the building.
Captain America saw him retreat, then shouted, "Take him down!"
The soldiers nodded, then aimed their M1s and their Grease Guns and opened fire. However, the Amestris soldier was running in a zigzag pattern and taking cover behind the many pillars that decorated the vast yard.
He finally saw a soldier on duty and made a mad dash for him, shouting, "We're under attack! We're under attack!"
A split-second later and the screaming soldier went down from a hail of bullets from a Grease Gun.
Bradley: 3
America: 4
The Amestris soldier was shocked at what he had seen, then spotted the approaching soldiers. He made for the entryway to the grand building. He turned, briefly, then aimed his MP18 and rained a hail of bullets on them.
While many avoided getting hit, one unfortunate soldier was nailed through the chest and fell backward to land with a "thud".
Bradley: 3
America: 3
The soldier burst through the door, then saw an emergency switch and pulled it with all his strength. Almost immediately, a loud, echoing ring was coursing through the building.
Bradley and a bodyguard in his quarters perked up at the sound, then got out as fast as they could, taking weapons in hand.
The Amestris soldier sprinted up the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him and, soon, he had backup. Bradley and his bodyguard had showed up, each packing Steyr pistols. Captain America quickly took out his shield and a bullet ricocheted off its surface.
Captain America's two remaining soldiers continued to fire back at the Amestris soldiers, one with an M1 and one with a Colt 1911.
After hitting nothing with a few shots, Bradley's bodyguard ran out of rounds. As he stepped back to, awkwardly, try and reload his gun, one of Cap's soldiers fired his own gun and struck the guard down with a clean shot to the neck.
Bradley: 2
America: 3
Bradley's pistol also ran dry, but the one remaining soldier used his MP18 to hail down on the pistol-bearing ally of Captain America. The man fell to his knees as bullets pelted him in the chest and gut, then slumped, lifelessly to the ground.
Bradley: 2
America: 2
The Amestris soldier's submachine gun clicked empty. He removed the empty clip, but as he was about to take out a new one, Captain America removed his shield from his arm, took it in his other hand, then lobbed it like a discus. The shield whistled through the air, cut clean through the wooden railing, and struck the solder full in the head. The man's neck twisted sharply, breaking on impact with the shield, and he slumped to the ground, lifelessly.
Bradley: 1
America: 2
Bradley sprang down from the balcony, landed on his feet with the grace of a cat, then drew his sword and charged the two. He was aiming for Captain America, but it came as no surprise to him that the remaining soldier took his M1 Garand and tried to smash it into his face.
Bradley ducked under the strike, then turned to face him. He stepped back to evade another swipe, then brought his sword down and cleaved the rifle in two. A split-second later, the soldier had a gash in his throat that began dyeing his clothes crimson.
He fell, drowning in his own blood.
Bradley: 1
America: 1
Bradley turned with a fierce gleam in his eye to face Captain America. The super soldier's shield whistled back to him, which he caught and fastened back to his arm. Thanks to an angle he had thrown his shield, it would come back like a boomerang.
Bradley took his sword while Captain America took up a defensive position and then, in a split-second, both moved.
Bradley swung his saber at Cap's legs, which Captain America backed away from. Bradley swung again only to meet Captain America's shield. The sword struck, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake as it slid off the shield's surface.
Captain America lashed out with his shield only to see Bradley spring clean into the air and land behind him. Captain America turned fast, raising his shield again and deflecting another sword strike from Bradley.
Bradley saw that his slashes did nothing, then got an idea. He feigned a slash at Cap's legs and it worked. The super soldier blocked low, then saw that he had been suckered. He avoided a slash to his face so narrowly that Bradley's sword nicked him across the cheek.
Captain America charged forward with his shield, slamming right into Bradley's front and knocking him back. Bradley staggered, regaining his balance quickly, then thrust with his sword…big mistake.
The sword bent as it hit Captain America's raised shield. Combined with Captain America's forward-going momentum and the sword itself just couldn't take any more.
It snapped.
Bradley glanced at the stump of his sword for one split-second before the remnant of the blade was smacked out of his hand by Captain America's shield.
Cap followed up fast with a solid right hook to Bradley's face, stunning the Fuhrer and disorienting him. And, too fast for Bradley to react to, Cap used his shield arm and smashed it into his head, rim-first. Bradley tumbled to the ground, the right side of his head emitting a steady trickle of blood.
Captain America nudged his downed enemy with his foot. No response.
Bradley: 0
America: 1
Captain America stood back, then raised his shield-arm into the air and emitted a roar in victory.
-end fight-
Winner: Captain America
"After a thousand battles, Captain America emerged victorious with fifty-five-point-eight percent," Lunatic explained, "comparised to Bradley's forty-four-point-two. This was mostly due to the weapon advancement in thirty years. Cap's weapons were able to kill effectively at all distances while Bradley's only potent weapon was the MP18."
Captain America Kills:
M1 Garand: 301
Grease Gun: 213
Colt Pistol: 27
Shield: 11
Total Kills: 552
King Bradley Kills:
Gewehr 98: 176
MP18: 247
Steyr Pistol: 16
Saber: 9
Total Kills 448
"If this episode shows anything, it shows that the advancement in technology CAN make a difference if it's done well enough." Ray expressed, "I feel that Bradley put up a valiant fight, but WWI and WWII weapons were for different styles of war. Cap got the better battle weapons."
"Hmph." Olivier huffed, "While I lost my bet, I'm glad Bradley went down."
"Cap won't give up on his team." Fury said, voice brimming with confidence, "He won't stop fighting until his enemy is down and, if you combine that with his abilities as a super soldier, it makes him the Deadliest Warrior."
(Captain America saluted in front of an American flag, his shield planted, firmly, in the ground in front of him.)
With apologies to FMA fans…