| Ming Warrior | |
|---|---|
| |
| Weapons | Dao, 3-Barrel Pole Cannon, Nest of Bees, Mechanical Landmine |
| Origin | China |
| Activities | Building empire |
| Service | 1368-1644 |
| Battle Status | Lost vs. Musketeer |
| Experts | Jonathan Wang (Kung Fu World Champion) Phillip Dang (Combative Wushu Champion) |
"At the peak of the Ming Dynasty, they controlled territory twelve times the size of France" Wushu Champion
Ming Warriors, the merciless 14th Century weapons innovators who launched China's greatest dynasty;
vs. the Musketeers, the king's ruthless personal guard and fierce defenders of France's borders.
Stats
- 1368 - 1644
- Height - 5' 7"
- Weight - 150 lbs
- Armor - Leather Lamellar
- Symbol - Chinese Character for the Ming word
History
Gunpowder was invented in the late Song Dynasty and gunpowder weapons at that time did not consist of muskets but instead flamethrowers, grenades and cannons. However since these technologies were still very new, they could not stop the Mongol Empire from conquering China. The Mongolians would use and advance gunpowder weapons throughout their reign and bring the technology westward in their conquests.
The Ming Dynasty was founded in 1368, when the Chinese overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, when China was ruled by the Mongols. This revolt, led by the peasant Zhu Yuanzhang, was in response to currency inflation, rampant poverty, famine, and a series of earthquakes that devastated China and weakened the Yuan's stability.
The Ming focused on building up a powerful standing army that could drive off enemy invasions. Beginning in the 14th Century, Ming Warriors expanded China's territories to include Yunnan, Mongolia, Tibet, and much of Xinjiang and Vietnam. They also incorporated gunpowder weapons into their military forces, speeding up a development that had been prevalent since the Song Dynasty.
The success of the Ming Dynasty was a result of its many military institutions. The early Ming's military was split up into numerous "Wei" or commands throughout the Ming frontier. Each wei was to be self-sufficient in agriculture, with troops stationed there farming as well as training.
While the Ming was a culture and technological golden age for China, the Ming did begin the policy of Chinese isolationism; which still influences China somewhat to this day.
The Ming Dynasty was eventually replaced in 1644 by the Qing Dynasty: who combined ambush tactics with heavy cavalry to overwhelm Ming infantry; who were slowed down by their heavy cannons and handcannons. On 22 April 1644; Ming general Wu Sangui surrendered to the Qing and opened the Great Wall of China's gates to the invaders.
The Qing maintained Chinese isolationism, which restricted the Qing from interacting with the Industrial Revolution. The Opium Wars forced previously illegal opium onto the Chinese when the British raided China with their superior Industrial fleets. Other empires would also exploit the Qing's vulnerabilities in technology and military; beginning the 'Century of Humiliation'. The Republic of China (1912–1949) and People's Republic of China (1949-) dissolved the Chinese Monarchy and replaced it with a modern republic.
Weapons
Ming Warrior Weapon Close Range: Dao 71 Mid Range: 3-Barrel Pole Cannon 41 Long Range: Nest of Bees (Rocket Battery) 15 Explosive Weapons: Mechanical Landmine 199
Simulated battle
RedRedRedRedRed Ming Warriors
BlueBlueBlueBlueBlue Musketeers
The battle starts with a band of five Musketeers making their way through a forest. Up ahead, four Ming Warriors emerge from a cave on a cliff, waiting for the Musketeers. A fifth is down below, setting up a Mechanically Triggered Land Mine and sticking a sword on top of it as bait. One of the Ming Soldiers opens up the Nest of Bees and launches a barrage of arrows at the Musketeers. One of the Musketeers alerts his teammates, forcing them all to run back to avoid the arrows. One, however, doesn't make it and is struck in the leg. He yanks the arrow from his leg and angrily throws it at the ground. Another Musketeer aims his Flintlock Musket at the head Ming Warrior. Just as the Ming Warrior makes his battle cry, the Musketeer shoots and kills him.Reddead The Musketeers then advance towards their enemy, with the one struck in the leg struggling to keep up. One of the Ming Warriors readies his 3-Barrel Pole Gun and fires at the Musketeers. One gets hit and knocked to the ground, but survives due to his armor stopping the projectile. The Ming Warrior prepares to fire another shot, but a Musketeer shoots him with the musket before he gets a chance. He falls over and rolls down the hill. The Musketeer shot by the Pole Gun is assisted in getting back onto his feet, only to be shot in the head by another Ming Warrior's Pole Gun.Bluedead The Ming Warrior then retreats further back. A Musketeer sticks a bayonet onto his Flintlock Musket and walks up to the injured Ming Soldier. The Musketeer steps on him and jams the bayonet into him, killing him.Reddead The Musketeers regroup and continue to run after the three remaining Ming Warriors. The Ming Warrior that killed the first Muskeeter desperately tries to escape, passing by the sword stuck in the ground. As the Musketeers chase him down, the injured one takes notice of the sword. Thinking that it would be of use later, he hobbles up to the sword and pulls it out. The land mine goes off and kills the Musketeer.Bluedead The others see his bloody body and briefly mourn him before advancing toward the Ming Warriors. The Ming Warrior running from the Musketeers fires his Pole Gun again and kills a Musketeer.Bluedead Another tries to shoot him with his Musket, but misses. The Ming Warrior hides behind a rock and desperately tries to reload his weapon. The two remaining Musketeers hear him as they approach the rock. One pulls out his Grenade while the other lights it with his match. The Musketeer hurls the Grenade over the rock, which blows up and kills the Ming Warrior.Reddead As the Musketeers look at his dead body while passing by, another Ming Warrior jumps out with his Dao sword and kills one of them with a strike to the neck.Bluedead The last Musketeer tries to fire his Wheellock Pistol, but it winds up jamming. He throws it aside and pulls out his Rapier. The Ming Warrior tries to attack the Musketeer, but is shoved aside. The Ming Warrior tries again, but the Musketeer parries and stabs him in the stomach. The Ming Warrior falls to the ground and dies.Reddead The Musketeer hears a yell and turns around, only to find the last Ming Warrior standing on a cliff above him and also armed with a Dao. The Musketeer climbs up and engages the Ming Warrior in a sword fight. Eventually, the two fighters lock swords. The Musketeer uses this moment of opportunity to pull out his Main Gauche. He closes in and stabs the Ming Warrior in the stomach with the Main Gauche. He pulls it out and allows the Ming Warrior to fall off the cliff, breaking his spine.Reddead The Musketeer raises his sword and yells out "Vive le Roi!" (Long live the king).
Expert's opinion
According to the experts, the most decisive factor in the Musketeers' victory was their armor, as it prevented their opponents from harming their vital spots. Since this fight focused more in long-range gunsmanship, the fact that the Ming armor offered little to no protection against the Musketeers' guns while the Musketeers' armor was almost impervious to the Ming weaponry ultimately decided the battle.
Trivia
- Ming Warriors trained in two schools of Kung Fu speedy and powerful Shaolin (which they learned from the Shalion Monk) and flowing and agile Wudang.
- The Samurai fought the Ming Warriors in the Imjin War when they assisted Korean forces in fighting off the Japanese.
- The Ming Warrior mission to gather ears of their fallen enemies is nothing new. Before 200BC the first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang allowed peasant warriors to rise up in ranks if they collected the skulls or heads of their enemies.
- In one of their sample videos, the Ming warriors fought against a group of charging mongols.
- The Ming warrior is the first warrior of season 2 to only have one weapon with triple digit kills.
Gallery
