The Dothraki vs. the Ironborn: Who wins the cage match?

[Fanless Mace]

This isn't intended to be crackpot, because we may yet see a battle between a victorious Ironborn fleet and a Dany- led Dothraki army. And at any rate, it's an interesting mind exercise perhaps.

First, the similarities that make this compelling to me: Both the Ironborn and the Dothraki are marauders who produce little of their own sustenance and who depend on the wealth of others to increase their own wealth. They are pirates and thieves, to at least some great extent. They have great experience bending others to their will through force.

Also, they are both deeply tied to their environments, the Ironborn to the sea and the Dothraki to the prairie. Both cultures are indelibly tied to the lands from which they spring. Neither culture is particularly welcome anywhere else, due to their well-earned reputation for reaving and raping.

Both are described as fierce and strong warrior peoples, with ample battle experience, significant strength, and an intense will to win. Both are led by warriors who would rather fight and die than turn and run, any day. They both remind me of Klingons a bit: "Today is a good day to die." (Or is that native Americans who say that?)

So...assuming perhaps someday they come face to face in battle...who wins?

My money is on the Dothraki and their horses. I wouldn't rule out the Ironborn, who have strong wills and heavy hammers. But it's hard to beat a mounted force from the ground, and harder still from the sea.

BTW, I don't intend this discussion to be about WHETHER this will happen, but WHAT IF?

[Tommen Beetsbane]

well it depends on where and how the battle happens. If its on boats the ironborn. if on land but w/ horses the dotharki, but w/o horses its the iron born(assuming its the same # of soldiers on each side). the ironborn is an army. they know discpline,they have battle plans. dothraki are like the wildings w/o horses. a shout, a slash, and a clean brave death

[Arthur Dayne's Honor]

well it depends on where and how the battle happens. If its on boats the ironborn. if on land but w/ horses the dotharki, but w/o horses its the iron born(assuming its the same # of soldiers on each side). the ironborn is an army. they know discpline,they have battle plans. dothraki are like the wildings w/o horses. a shout, a slash, and a clean brave death

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkmQiIBd12s

[Tommen Beetsbane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkmQiIBd12s

guess you should me

[Tommen Beetsbane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkmQiIBd12s

JESUS CHRIST! stannis has to end every fucking story with,"their time will come" i LOVE the history and lore of westeros but stannis ruined it

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Ironborn, clear and simple. While they are not on the same level as the mainland Westerosi as an army instead of a fleet, they can still go toe to toe with them, something the Dothraki never could.

[Red Tiger]

They're both undisciplined armies, so im picking the army that's more ferocious and the one that would rather fight to the death than flee (such determination is extremely dangerous). The Dothraki.

[E-Ro]

Ironborn, clear and simple. While they are not on the same level as the mainland Westerosi as an army instead of a fleet, they can still go toe to toe with them, something the Dothraki never could.

This.

[Sansa_Stark]

I still am under the belief that in open battle, the Dothraki are superior to Westerosi armies.

[Erkan12]

Without horse, Dothraki worser than wildlings. My vote for Ironborn.

[Jon of the Dead]

Ironborn :commie:

[Fanless Mace]

On land, with horses, Dothraki would destroy the Ironborn. Sans steeds, it's an Ironborn rout.

[Dorian Martell]

The fighter with the armor wins in the cage match

[DaveSnow House Stark]

Ok, I will try to answer from a different POV.

Compare this to some of the American revolution. The "rebels" saw great success using American Indian tactics vs the British army because of the difference in styles. The British wanted to fight in lines and everything in order, needing to hear commands to do anything. The Am Indians fought in chaos style. To me if it was open field, yeah maybe the Iron Born win. If it is not clear open spaces I would lean to the Dothraki.

Another example would be U.S. vs N Vietnam. One seems like a clear winner due to discipline etc...

[Raven in Winter]

In an actual arena situation or full blown battle?

[ckal]

I still am under the belief that in open battle, the Dothraki are superior to Westerosi armies.

I couldn't disagree more with this.

[Dorian Martell]

This post is about a cage match. No horses or asw tactics. A guy with armor, a sword or axe and possibly a shield vs a guy in hair fiber pants and a leather vest and a curved sword., in a cage. With all skill levels equal, guy with armor wins. No argument needed.

[FaSome]

On a battlefield with each side having their choice of weapon and equipment. The Dothraki wipe the floor with the ironborn with VERY little difficulty. The Dothraki and their superb horsemanship give them the win in almost any "open" battlefield encounter, especially if you deny the opposition prep.

[Fanless Mace]

This post is about a cage match. No horses or asw tactics. A guy with armor, a sword or axe and possibly a shield vs a guy in hair fiber pants and a leather vest and a curved sword., in a cage. With all skill levels equal, guy with armor wins. No argument needed.

I did write "cage match," but I meant army vs. army, not one on one. My bad for leading y'all down a false path.

[Light a wight tonight]

In a battle between an Ironborn fleet and a horde of Dothraki screamers the Ironborn would win, because the Dothraki and their horses would drown. OP specifies a fleet, and those don't operate on land. Give the screamers a fleet of their own and the squids would own them, because the Dothraki wouldn't know what to do with ships.

Even on land the Ironborn would clobber an equal number of unmounted Dothraki. It's only as cavalry that the Dothraki are formidable.