I can’t believe you’re making clover’s two husbands fight, Yang. For shame.
This is such a good match up, though. Both of them have the experience and the training, though Ironwood would have a few years in my opinion since I have him as nearing his fifties compared to Qrow’s early forties, but regardless they both have around the same amount of time fighting and training, on top of both being formally educated and graduating from Huntsmen Academies.
Besides from that, they’re both two distinctly different fighters with pros and cons to each side.
Ironwood has Qrow outclassed in the strength department. Wielding a scythe as big as Harbinger takes some upper body strength, and Qrow is by no means lacking, but Ironwood is in a whole ‘nother league with not only his physical strength due to his large frame and muscles, but by his metal prosthetics. If Ironwood can get hold of Qrow, he’s going to feel it.
On the other hand, Qrow is going to be difficult to catch if he fights smart. He has a wider range of arsenal than Ironwood. Due Process may have gravity dust to help Ironwood move around, but they’re lacking in versatility. Meanwhile, Harbinger has three different modes; scythe, shotgun, and big ass sword. Each of them have their own perks and flaws, but Qrow shows efficiency in wielding all of them, he did train Ruby in it after all, and even though the story seems to have forgotten, fighting with a scythe is considered one of the hardest fighting styles by Ozpin, to the point that he only knows one other person to fight with it; Qrow.
Qrow also has superior speed. He’s been shown to keep up with Tyrian, another known speedster, and held on long enough that, despite having his own Aura broken, he broke Tyrian’s as well. The same Tyrian that took one four people at once, even if they were still students at the time. The only downfall with his speed is that, unlike the lighter and slender weapons that speedsters use like Neo with her parasol, Tyrian with his mounted wrist blades, and Weiss with her rapier, Qrow uses Harbinger. The giant sword/scythe that’s bigger than him also weighs a lot more than the other weapons mentioned above, and if crwby remembered this and stopped having everyone flinging their weapons like they’re made of paper, he would be slowed down by that weight.
Regardless, just like Raven, Qrow has the ability to turn into a bird. This ability is magic and isn’t bound by Aura like Semblances are, so Qrow wouldn’t have to worry about weakening his Aura by spamming it. He can use it to evade heavy attacks and put himself in a better position to strike back, like he did on the train in V6. While Ironwood can use gravity dust to quickly catch up with Qrow, Qrow can just turn into a bird and slip away. I don’t know if you tried shooting a bird with a pistol, but it’s really hard.
Finally, the Semblances themselves. Ironwood hasn’t shown his yet, so I don’t know what it is and can’t add it here. Maybe when it gets revealed, or if it does, I can look back on this and think differently, but right now poor Ironwood is on his own.
Qrow’s is Bad Luck. I don’t know how it exactly works if his enemy’s bad luck is his good luck, but regardless he’s a walking Bad Luck Charm(TM). That alone can put things in his favour, or in Ironwood’s. Guns can jam, platforms they’re standing on can give way, it all depends on where they’re fighting. Honestly? It depends on luck in the end. Either the bad luck affects Ironwood and Qrow gets the advantage, or the bad luck affects Qrow and Ironwood gets the advantage, I don’t know exactly how Qrow’s Semblance works and I’m not sure even crwby knows.
Quick addition but also environment plays a part. Open ares given Ironwood and Qrow the space to move, but less obstacles that Qrow’s Semblance can be used on and for Qrow to retreat to if he needs the space, especially since Ironwood can move through obstacles easily since he’s the Army Dad(TM). More closed in spaces means that Qrow and Ironwood would have to fight closer, and without the space to swing Harbinger properly, on top of Ironwood able to use his superior strength, Qrow’s in trouble.
So, really, it’s a really hard choice. Out of most situations, I’d have to give it to Qrow just because of his versatility, his unpredictable Semblance, his unorthodox methods like straight up decking someone in the face, and the fact that he has magic that isn’t tied to dust or Aura, something that Ironwood doesn’t have. If the situation was perfect for Ironwood, I’d see him having a chance to win.
But as they say, versatility isn’t overrated.