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Some Interesting stuff on shields:
I believe that shields used by Roman Army was primarily a shove and push "tool" than anything else. The usual roman Battle tactics is for the units to draw up in deep lines and basically walk into the oppoents line and try to basically push and shove until the other guy's line broke and panics. The shield uses in hand to hand combat was a "knocking tool" to knock the other guy head and upper torsol and then slash and thrust with the Gladius.
Ok so what does this have to do with japanese history???
Well I was always tempted by the thought of pitting a Roman Army around 50 BC against the Japanese samuri Army of a Senkuko Jidi warlord...Totally different tactical concept and weaponary....who will win???? The mystery of history
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hmmm..well, I'm no expert, but all things being equal, the Romans. Granted, we don;t have enough info, but a (different periods, really) standard, game-style "balanced" army comprising of some some archers, ashi, yari-spear, etc. with a few elites (one or two units of monks or heavy cav) vs. a similar of Roman (a few archers, some spear, some cav, maybe a few chariot) and the Romans with their "wall of steel" would handle anything but lots of teppo/muskets.
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And it's likely that the Romans would've come up with tactics against the musket, given the chance
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And as you go further back in history, armies tend to get more ruthless and stronger on a man to man basis. Less technology = harder work.
Actually I would rather see the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great pitted against any Japanese army of the 16th century. Alexander seemed to find a way to always outwit his opponents and would not accept defeat.
