#MakeThisBattle Feedback - Dec 20th 2022

Well good day to you, dear reader! It's Nice Peter here. It feels like it’s been too long since I did some MTB feedback, or maybe it’s just right. Either way, welcome to another hot, sizzling edition of… Make This Battle! I’m ready for it, let’s dive in.

Oliver Cromwell vs Robert E. Lee [submitted by Pedro Wagner]

Robert E Lee can suck a bag of dirty turtle dicks, we might as well get that out of the way. He killed American soldiers, while leading a treasonous rebellion, to protect the institution of chattel slavery. I don’t care how cool his namesake car looked in Dukes of Hazzard when I was a kid, now that I’m grown up and educated, I say fuck General Lee with a hot sauce covered fork. Oliver Cromwell I know much less about, but from what I understand he’s a general seen to be a murderous prick for bad reasons too, so I think it’s an amazing match and we should do it right away. ;) These could be truly worthwhile foes, there’s tons to say, Robert E Lee had an awesome look, Cromwell had a funny one, it’s a feasible Pete vs Lloyd battle, there’s a lot going for it. I can’t wait to savage Lee. A+ suggestion.

Maximilian Robespierre vs Mao Zedong [submitted by Swan]

This list is already awesome. I love this, it’s got huge vicious weight behind every swing. These two can trade some serious blows man, I can see it now! There is so much negative to say, so much richness to the characters and the stories, man I love this more and more. This is my favorite pairing for either of these two right now. Bravo on this suggestion. A+  

Miyamoto Mushashi vs Annie Oakley [submitted by The Bird Connection, MarblePipes & Violet]

I know Annie, I’ve gotta google Mr Mushashi. Wow. That guy’s bio sure ramps up in intensity. Japanese philosopher, writer, and deadly swordsman who won 61 duels. Damn. I like it, the matchup is fun, Oakley is a hoot, Mr Mushashi has got some nice details and stories. I’d love to see the back and forth of such contrasting weapon styles, but both quick and deadly accurate, it’s fun. It’s like Clint Eastwood vs Bruce Lee transposed on two different figures. B+

Benedict Arnold vs Judas [submitted by Taylor16]

But we already spoke about Benedict Arnold in the other matchup… oh wait sorry that was Robert E Lee, my bad. I like this, battle of the snitches get stitches? But I don’t love it. Judas carries some weird vibes, I can’t quite put my finger on it, maybe it’s a “there’s just a few too many active Nazis in society right now” kind of feeling, makes me want to stay away from that whole story. Benedict Arnold just seems like a wimp. I googled him to see what he looked like, and they sell a children’s costume version of his uniform over at Heritage Costumes.  Who puts their kid in that getup? “What are you dressed as Billy?” ... “A traitor!”. B-

Alfred Nobel vs Samuel Colt [submitted by fishbulb]

Interesting. This is deep. I don’t have to Google to find out who these two are, but I don’t quite understand the connection. Oh weird, Nobel invented Dynamite, I don’t think I knew that. It's certainly an interesting pairing, lots to learn, lots to talk about, maybe not the funniest situation I can think of, but both definitely have merit. I don’t think I would want to make this, but I would enjoy watching it if someone else made it well. B+

Archimedes vs Isambard Kingdom Brunel [submitted by FoxDoc]

Okay, you have stumped me, dear reader. I have never heard that second name before and it sounds like a Belgian beer. Wow, is that not what I expected him to be.   First, I thought it was a woman, then I thought she was from Turkey. Turns out she is a British dude, considered by some to be the 2nd greatest person in British history.  (first is Churchill, third is Princess Diana, in case you were wondering. And yes, David Bowie is on the list) Well, I am sold on this battle if only to seize the opportunity to educate about England’s greatest civil engineer. :) Sounds like a hoot!  A-

George S. Patton vs Oda Nobunaga [submitted by PaddyAnarchy]

It's always worth googling about Nobunaga cos you're reminded of the potential of that sweet sweet armor. I’ve always been a Patton fan in ERB, I think he’s a fun character, I think Lloyd could knock the role out of the park. But I’m not convinced about this matchup. One concern is how Patton would think and talk about Japanese people. Understandably, in his day, feelings were not so keen on the Japanese warrior types. I don’t see how writing could get around the truth about the tone and angle of things Patton would say. That aside, it’s a cool pairing, I like the idea of bringing a different general type from a different period to go up against Patton. But I still think I would prefer Patton vs Hannibal, or Attila the Hun. But I give this an A for educAtional.  

Well, that just about does it for me, these beats aren’t going to listen to themselves.  On behalf of myself, this chapstick on my left, and this red sweater which I am still uncertain about wearing in public, have a wonderful day, and talk to you soon -np

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Some extra thoughts from ERB manager HeadMonk...

If Oliver Cromwell was American I am sure he would be suggested more in YouTube suggestions. I personally think it would be fascinating to see him in an ERB. But I am English myself so maybe I would say that. He also fought and won a fierce and bloody battle in my home town of Preston, that some argue was the pivotal moment in the civil war prior to the execution of King Charles I. I do think if Peter wants to savage Robert E. Lee, I think Cromwell could be the perfect man for the job.

My gut has always said Oda Nobunaga in an ERB is a great fit. I always keep meaning to do a deep dive in researching him. So, maybe I should do that in January. Pairing him with Patton makes logical sense and adds some name value to the pairing for those who might not have heard of Nobunaga. It works. Its neat. There would be natural beef. What not to like about it? 

On face value Alfred Nobel doesn't exactly ooze fun. But I recall patron Fishbulb messaging me to say how "Nobel established the Nobel Peace Prize foundation before his death, but prior to that was the wealthiest arms merchant in the history of mankind". Which is an interesting juxtaposition. Nobel probably deserves more consideration than we give him. Still not really sold on Colt as an opponent though.

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Rather than open a new round of MTB right now, we are gonna pause for Xmas and we will launch a new round of MakeThisBattle in a couple of weeks. 

Thank you to everyone who has submitted match-ups across 2022 and voted on all the polls. It's always fascinating to see so many great ideas and combinations. 

Please do go and vote for your favourite idea from this selection of seven match-ups. You can find the poll here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/76171864

BTW Peter has just finished up hosting a writers chat session over on the ERB Discord server. I'll post up a recap tomorrow of what was discussed.

Have a very merry or messy festive period everybody - HM