Okay, having studied this period of history in depth, I personally think that Han China would easily be able to win a defensive war against the Romans. The Romans would also be quite able to defend The Italian penninsula from Hans. The distances involved would make resupply very hard, so for a moment let's just pick up Roman Empire and plant it next to china.
Roman leginaries were trained to fight as a disciplined cohesive group. They were trained to throw javelins at enemy, then stab with short gladius swords. Each soldier was equipped with heavy armor, a woven wood sheild with a steel cover, two javelins, and a short sword. When under missile attack, they could easily form a wall of sheilds that would protect themselves. Roman generals were never extremely bright, often relying on their excellently trained troops to make up for their incompetence. Scipio, Pompey, and Julius Caesar were nothing compared to Zhuge Liang, Sun Tzu.
Hans, on the other hand, used cavalry extensively. Generals and other officers fought on horseback and resorted to trickery, unlike Roman centurions. Scholars were at the top of the Chinese social ladder, not generals. This meant that Chinese generals were usually smart. (though there were some dumb ones)
However, Han military thought assumed that in a war, the generals would fight each other first before letting their infantry fight. Han infantry were mostly equipped with spears and dao (one sided cutting swords). Cavalry and officers used the jian (two-edged sword used for both slashing and stabs) as well as spears, halberds, and other weapons. Sheilds were usually not given to infantry and did not become a common sight until Warring States. Han infantry armor was quite primitive compared to the overlapping steel plates favord by romans.
In a large battle on open terrain, Mr. Han General would probably go out, expecting to be able to fight Roman centurion. Obviously, Roman centurion doesn't come out to play. Roman infantry probably attack the general, since he's so close. The general, with superior martial arts training and weaponry, would be able to hold Romans off until help arrived. One both sides' infantry got in a mix, Roman legionaries would be able to kill many of the Hans.
Han dynasty armor for the frontline soldier consisted of little more than an apron of bamboo or leather armor. The first row of experienced Han soldiers would be cut down by javelins as a result, leaving the less experienced ranks behind them exposed. Of course, Han infantry don't have shields, so no problem with pilums weighing them down. They're either out of the battle or perfectly fine. The Han infantry would have a distance advantage because of their long spears. However, Roman legionarres would be able to block spear attack with sheilds.
It would be quite hard for the Romans to send their light recon cavalry to attack the Han supply chain. Han troops are armed with spears, which are historically the best anti-cavalry weapon besides ranged weaponry. By aiming spears at the horse, all the Roman cavalry suddenly becomes very light infantry.
Han generals would have probably sent cavalry forces to ravage the Roman camps with fire arrows, cutting supply lines. Roman camps, made of wood, become huge bonfires. Any reserve the Romans might have kept would be ravaged. cavalry would then appear in the Roman rear, cutting down the Roman commanders, who have stayed back until this point.
At this point, the Romans would start becoming outnumbered. Short stabbing swords are useless against the wall of spears. Leginarries are too heavy to duck beneath spears and get in close. Against Gauls weilding three-foot swords, it would have worked. However, spears are long enough that the only way to avoid them is to duck. But, Romain sheild is big and clunky, making it hard to move quickly. All the Han spearmen would have to do would be to back up and angle their spears down.
Cavalry waiting for a breakthrough are then suprised from behind and annihilated. Since Han generals were promoted through military acheivement rather than for political reasons like the Romans, they would be far more adept at cavalry vs cavalry warfare. Meanawhile, Crossbow archers in Han ranks shoot bolts right through steel armor. Gaps start appearing in Roman lines. Having wasted their javelins, Roman infantry would be hit hard. They would eventually be surrounded.
At this point, Han archers begin to fire. Romans use testudo formation to block arrows. Fire arrows start falling, and suddenly, lots of roman sheilds start catching fire. Mass panic. (Jupiter must be angry) Eventual surrender. Hans, not knowing of Roman hospitality, 'accidentally' excecute everybody. Chinese victory, albeit with heavy losses.
Depending on the particular style of the Han genreal, there could be a great deal of outcomes. The hans could use a Parthian retreat, firing arrows as they fall back. When regular arrows don't work, they switch to fire arrows. Han general could confront Romans with a small force and allow it to be defeated, lulling the roman general into thinking he has won. A sudden ambush then kills all Romans. Hans might fortify a city. The city would actually be able to hold, since fire arrows and spears would negate seige towers and Roman battering rams and catapults. The only way the Romans could conceiviably win is if they fought defensively, using fortifications, archers, and high ground to destroy Han cavalry. A couple of trenches filled with stakes would end a cavalry charge real soon.
With a tactical, technological, strategical, theological (our emperor is son of god), and numerical advantage, there is no doubt that Han dynasty would win in MOST situations.
Roman leginaries were trained to fight as a disciplined cohesive group. They were trained to throw javelins at enemy, then stab with short gladius swords. Each soldier was equipped with heavy armor, a woven wood sheild with a steel cover, two javelins, and a short sword. When under missile attack, they could easily form a wall of sheilds that would protect themselves. Roman generals were never extremely bright, often relying on their excellently trained troops to make up for their incompetence. Scipio, Pompey, and Julius Caesar were nothing compared to Zhuge Liang, Sun Tzu.
Hans, on the other hand, used cavalry extensively. Generals and other officers fought on horseback and resorted to trickery, unlike Roman centurions. Scholars were at the top of the Chinese social ladder, not generals. This meant that Chinese generals were usually smart. (though there were some dumb ones)
However, Han military thought assumed that in a war, the generals would fight each other first before letting their infantry fight. Han infantry were mostly equipped with spears and dao (one sided cutting swords). Cavalry and officers used the jian (two-edged sword used for both slashing and stabs) as well as spears, halberds, and other weapons. Sheilds were usually not given to infantry and did not become a common sight until Warring States. Han infantry armor was quite primitive compared to the overlapping steel plates favord by romans.
In a large battle on open terrain, Mr. Han General would probably go out, expecting to be able to fight Roman centurion. Obviously, Roman centurion doesn't come out to play. Roman infantry probably attack the general, since he's so close. The general, with superior martial arts training and weaponry, would be able to hold Romans off until help arrived. One both sides' infantry got in a mix, Roman legionaries would be able to kill many of the Hans.
Han dynasty armor for the frontline soldier consisted of little more than an apron of bamboo or leather armor. The first row of experienced Han soldiers would be cut down by javelins as a result, leaving the less experienced ranks behind them exposed. Of course, Han infantry don't have shields, so no problem with pilums weighing them down. They're either out of the battle or perfectly fine. The Han infantry would have a distance advantage because of their long spears. However, Roman legionarres would be able to block spear attack with sheilds.
It would be quite hard for the Romans to send their light recon cavalry to attack the Han supply chain. Han troops are armed with spears, which are historically the best anti-cavalry weapon besides ranged weaponry. By aiming spears at the horse, all the Roman cavalry suddenly becomes very light infantry.
Han generals would have probably sent cavalry forces to ravage the Roman camps with fire arrows, cutting supply lines. Roman camps, made of wood, become huge bonfires. Any reserve the Romans might have kept would be ravaged. cavalry would then appear in the Roman rear, cutting down the Roman commanders, who have stayed back until this point.
At this point, the Romans would start becoming outnumbered. Short stabbing swords are useless against the wall of spears. Leginarries are too heavy to duck beneath spears and get in close. Against Gauls weilding three-foot swords, it would have worked. However, spears are long enough that the only way to avoid them is to duck. But, Romain sheild is big and clunky, making it hard to move quickly. All the Han spearmen would have to do would be to back up and angle their spears down.
Cavalry waiting for a breakthrough are then suprised from behind and annihilated. Since Han generals were promoted through military acheivement rather than for political reasons like the Romans, they would be far more adept at cavalry vs cavalry warfare. Meanawhile, Crossbow archers in Han ranks shoot bolts right through steel armor. Gaps start appearing in Roman lines. Having wasted their javelins, Roman infantry would be hit hard. They would eventually be surrounded.
At this point, Han archers begin to fire. Romans use testudo formation to block arrows. Fire arrows start falling, and suddenly, lots of roman sheilds start catching fire. Mass panic. (Jupiter must be angry) Eventual surrender. Hans, not knowing of Roman hospitality, 'accidentally' excecute everybody. Chinese victory, albeit with heavy losses.
Depending on the particular style of the Han genreal, there could be a great deal of outcomes. The hans could use a Parthian retreat, firing arrows as they fall back. When regular arrows don't work, they switch to fire arrows. Han general could confront Romans with a small force and allow it to be defeated, lulling the roman general into thinking he has won. A sudden ambush then kills all Romans. Hans might fortify a city. The city would actually be able to hold, since fire arrows and spears would negate seige towers and Roman battering rams and catapults. The only way the Romans could conceiviably win is if they fought defensively, using fortifications, archers, and high ground to destroy Han cavalry. A couple of trenches filled with stakes would end a cavalry charge real soon.
With a tactical, technological, strategical, theological (our emperor is son of god), and numerical advantage, there is no doubt that Han dynasty would win in MOST situations.
