Matoran Universe vs Composite Roman Empire

[Alexander123]

A series of portals open in the southern islands, sending out a composite Roman Empire bent on conquest of the Matoran Universe.

• The Romans start out on a decent sized uninhabited island in the southern islands, they get Constantinople circa 1453 (and its population and armies) as a home base.
• The Roman army consists of the army and navy of Rome at the time of Caesar Augustus and the Byzantine army and navy at the time of the first crusade.
• The Romans are led by Emperor Justinian, the military commanders are Scipio Africanus and Belisarius.
• Roman victory is achieved if they conquer Metru Nui.
• Matoran universe victory is achieved if they stop the Romans from conquering Metru Nui. However, the Matoran Universe is not united and some (such as the Vortixx and Teridax) may seek to use this to their advantage.
• The time is after the Mata Nui Matoran return to Metru Nui.

Feel free to discuss why you think your choice would win.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Alexander123

[The 1st Shadow]

Literally any Toa of Water causes a maelstrom or tsunami and crushes the Roman navy.

Or

Any Makuta that sees them as a threat engages immediately and uses one of their vision powers to decimate the ships, gravity to pull them under, weather control to create a storm, magnetism to repel any metal weapons thrown at them (not likely to cause them harm, regardless), or Sleep or Confusion to incapacitate them.

Don't forget the dozens of Order of Mata Nui members with a wide selection of abilities, most of which could decimate an entire naval fleet.

Starting the Romans off on the southern islands forces them to travel through all the biggest and most powerful denizens of the MU before they reach the relatively weak and mostly defenseless population of Metru Nui. Depending on when this occurs (pre- or post-GC), the Matoran would handle it differently. Pre-GC, the Matoran would have been more work-oriented and less militarized, having relied on Toa to defend them for so long, and would probably not put up much of a fight. Post-GC Matoran had to survive for centuries on a tropical island with nothing but their wit and their will to keep them alive, and had developed military units that would more than likely be utilized during such an invasion. Military mixed with their technology from Metru Nui as well as the more functional city would give the Matoran a vast advantage. Plus, when you consider that the Matoran do not need sleep or food the same way humans do, the Romans would tire quickly and be overrun by the Matoran, even if they had superior numbers to start out with.

Assuming all's fair, lets say the Romans start out with 20 ships. Makuta and the Order take out all but three, for some reason. Why the Makuta would allow aliens to roam free and possibly threaten their chance at world domination, I have no idea. But assuming any Roman ships get through, their numbers and resources would likely have dwindled so low that they might as well give up before they even reach the city.

Interesting thought, but I don't see any way the Romans survive past the Southern Continent., superior tactics or not. 

[Aderia]

  

2 hours ago, Alexander123 said:

A series of portals open in the southern islands, sending out a composite Roman Empire bent on conquest of the Matoran Universe.

• The Romans start out on a decent sized uninhabited island in the southern islands, they get Constantinople circa 1453 (and its population and armies) as a home base.
• The Roman army consists of the army and navy of Rome at the time of Caesar Augustus and the Byzantine army and navy at the time of the first crusade.
• The Romans are led by Emperor Justinian, the military commanders are Scipio Africanus and Belisarius.
• Roman victory is achieved if they conquer Metru Nui.
• Matoran universe victory is achieved if they stop the Romans from reaching Metru Nui.
• The time is after the Mata Nui Matoran return to Metru Nui.

Feel free to discuss why you think your choice would win.

Great thought exercise! Disclaimer, know sadly nothing about Roman armies, but I picture the red frilly mohawk helmets and giant catapults, and Gerard Butler. Am I close? 

That admittance aside, I'd say they're at a significant disadvantage. Not just because they lack elemental or mask powers, or superpowers of any kind, not because I'm not sure if they'd be able to find enough to feed a population, let along power an army and a navy, but because I'm not sure if the two sides' respective terms of victory are fair. 

Traversing an entire unknown world, having to keep troops fed, sheltered, and not freaked out by all the new creatures they're encountering, and then, from the water, launching a conquering campaign against biomechanically enhanced sapient society with unknown technology and powers, that is seated on a very defensible island-city seems a bit ... foolhardy. 

The Matoran Universe - are we assuming the entire Matoran universe trying to stop them (lack of specification) Based on the powers Teridax displayed when he was in charge of the GSR, couldn't whomever is in charge of the GSR eject the Romans into space, and game over for the humans? Then we're also talking Toa, Rahi, Skakdi, Dark Hunters, Brotherhood, OoMN, etc. which would also comprise an army. Do they have to stop all the Romans from reaching Metru Nui to win? Or prevent a bare minimum two Romans, to meet the plural requirement stated above, from sneaking in and 'reaching' the city, as stated? If it's just the Mata Nui Matoran + Toa Nuva + Takanuva + Turaga + Rahaga + Keetongu in Metru Nui, having to defend it, then that seems like more of a matchup. Maybe sending a battalion from the MU to take out Rome?

Anyways, Rome has one difficult way to win, whereas it seems the MU inhabitants have many feasible ways to prevent Rome winning, which, according to your wording, may or may not grant the MU an automatic victory. 

26 minutes ago, The 1st Shadow said:

Military mixed with their technology from Metru Nui as well as the more functional city would give the Matoran a vast advantage. Plus, when you consider that the Matoran do not need sleep or food the same way humans do, the Romans would tire quickly and be overrun by the Matoran, even if they had superior numbers to start out with.

Agreed. Also, can we take into account the insane lifespan of biomechanical beings compared to humans?  Trapping the humans on an island and waiting them out to die off of old age - the only thing I can think of why that wouldn't work is because humans can make more humans, but at the cost of needing more resources and stability to raise those other humans before they're army-ready. Resources on the isolation island would probably be depleted long before a suitable conquering force could be amassed, assuming consumable resources for humans exist. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Aderia
formatting is hard

[Xboxtravis]

Its possible the MU might be hostile to human life. We do know at least the MU's inhabitants are oxygen breathers so the soldiers should be able to breath. Madu and Vuata Maca are the only fruit trees I know off the top of my head that exist in the MU, and we don't know if those are edible to humans. I doubt a Rahi or other creature in the MU has enough biomass to form a suitable meat source for humans. 
 

Probably most concerning, is the fact the MU is mostly full of liquid protodermis and not true water. We know liquid protodermis is similar enough to water that its basically interchangeable for a Toa of Water... but we don't know if its safe to drink and use for humans. Now if liquid protodermis was safe to drink, and could even be used to cultivate crops maybe the Romans could establish farms on their first islands and slowly build up their resources before moving 'up north' to greater conquest. But if liquid protodermis is poisonous to humans... it could end any attempt at conquest right there. 

[Alexander123]

On 1/17/2020 at 4:42 PM, Aderia said:

The Matoran Universe - are we assuming the entire Matoran universe trying to stop them (lack of specification) Based on the powers Teridax displayed when he was in charge of the GSR, couldn't whomever is in charge of the GSR eject the Romans into space, and game over for the humans? Then we're also talking Toa, Rahi, Skakdi, Dark Hunters, Brotherhood, OoMN, etc. which would also comprise an army. Do they have to stop all the Romans from reaching Metru Nui to win? Or prevent a bare minimum two Romans, to meet the plural requirement stated above, from sneaking in and 'reaching' the city, as stated? If it's just the Mata Nui Matoran + Toa Nuva + Takanuva + Turaga + Rahaga + Keetongu in Metru Nui, having to defend it, then that seems like more of a matchup. Maybe sending a battalion from the MU to take out Rome?

Anyways, Rome has one difficult way to win, whereas it seems the MU inhabitants have many feasible ways to prevent Rome winning, which, according to your wording, may or may not grant the MU an automatic victory. 

I fixed the general vagueness of the Matoran Universe, the Universe isn't initially aware of the Romans; also they are not united some people might also seek to exploit this situation to their advantage. I shudder at the thought of Romans dealing with Stelt.

 

On 1/17/2020 at 4:42 PM, Aderia said:

, know sadly nothing about Roman armies, but I picture the red frilly mohawk helmets and giant catapults,

They also get the Eastern Roman empire or Byzantine empire which lasted until 1453, and had canons and Greek fire (aka ancient napalm).

[The Master of Energy]

5 hours ago, Alexander123 said:

They also get the Eastern Roman empire or Byzantine empire which lasted until 1453, and had canons and Greek fire (aka ancient napalm).

 

On 1/17/2020 at 1:42 PM, Aderia said:

couldn't whomever is in charge of the GSR eject the Romans into space

Even with their large numbers and weapons, humans are still much weaker than your average Toa. Toa aren't even the most powerful beings in the MU. Whoever is in control of the robot at that time would probably object to such a large invasion force, and as Aderia said, teleport them into space.

[Alexander123]

24 minutes ago, Laval- Master of Energy said:

Even with their large numbers and weapons, humans are still much weaker than your average Toa. Toa aren't even the most powerful beings in the MU. Whoever is in control of the robot at that time would probably object to such a large invasion force, and as Aderia said, teleport them into space.

This is during the Voya Nui year, Mata nui is asleep and dying at this time.

[The Master of Energy]

Hmm. I don't believe you were that specific about it in the initial post.

On 1/17/2020 at 10:44 AM, Alexander123 said:

The time is after the Mata Nui Matoran return to Metru Nui.

That could mean Teridax's Reign just as much as it could mean the "Mata Nui is dying" year.

[Gzstg]

well as much as the Romans were powerful they are still humans with swords and spears fighting against cyborgs that can manipulate everything around the soldiers. the romans might very well flee back through the portal rather than fight from their perspective what are essentially elemental demons. not to mention all the rahi that would very likley scare them back through the portal. everything in the MU would potentially be hostile to humans. I don't think the Romans can win.  also when did we become space battles?  

Edited January 24, 2020 by Gzstg

[Lenny7092]

MU, tops. The people from there are physically much stronger than humans. So, the Romans wouldn’t have a chance to defeat them. Lol. Even the environments in the MU can be unhealthy for the Romans because it is made of Protodermis, and I am not sure if the Romans could consume it, as I look at it as hazardous substance that was used to make robots, so the Romans wouldn’t survive eating the substance.