A question for Fierce Kitty

[fsn]

Dear Fierce Kitty,

I have a question for you about the upcoming Aztec range. It is a question born of idle curiosity, though spawned by a comment Friend Sunray made on the Korean War thread.

I should also be clear that I have the same viewpoint of the Aztecs as I do on Techno's sock drawer. I know it's there, don't really care, but would be interested in having a quick peep. I also think that both would be gaudy, dominated by animal skins and feathers, and not been globally relevant for several hundred years.   

I am quite happy to expose my ignorance, because it is by questioning and listening to those who know, that we learn and grow.

My question to you then, Fierce Kitty, is "when you have an army of Pendraken Aztecs, what will be on the other side of the table?"

The first answer that comes to mind is "Weetabix". This is because I forgot to have breakfast again, so the second answer that comes to mind is "Spaniards". Morions and breastplates - all that sort of thing. However, my meager knowledge of the period suggests there were 27 Spaniards and a horse named Edgar, which wouldn't be a great table force against 2000 disco dancers with stone bats. The only other thing I know about the whole Aztec thing is that the Spaniards were supported by rebelling tribes.

Would the Aztec range also be suitable for these tribespeople? Were the Aztecs prone to civil war?

Though framed somewhat flippantly, this is a genuine question. 

[Techno]

I'll take a picture of my sock drawer, and email it to you, a little later, Nobby.

You'll find it terribly boring. (I think I only have black or navy socks.....unless there's something buried deep at the back.  )

Cheers - Phil

[FierceKitty]

Their most important allies are the Tlaxcalans; there were very large numbers of them working off the grudge of two centuries against the Mexicans. The Aztec archers, given a red and white headband, should be acceptable proxies, supported by some of the less ornate melee troops.
Not actually rebels. The Mexicans seem to have avoided conquering them so as to be able to go on raiding for captives and loot.

[Matt J]

I'm planning on getting some of these to paint up as they'll be fun to do.

Also maybe to use for skirmish size games. Sort of 100 aztec against 10-20 spaniards. Might be fun

[FierceKitty]

I'm planning to get a few myself.   

[fsn]

Ah! It all becomes a little clearer.

Must get very confusing if the only difference is a headband. I know Techno is working on banners - would these be used to diffentiate tribes?

[Wulf]

As someone once said to me long ago when I was painting 6mm WWII troops, why not paint one lot blue and the other lot red...

Or, at least, contrasting basic colours. It's the only way I can tell Napoleonic troops apart!

[FierceKitty]

There were hundreds of types of banners; I think the Techno has been concentrating on the Mexican ones. The celebrated Tlaxcalan ones are a stork, a crane, and a feathered serpent. Perhaps if the whole meso-American caper takes off there may be more types available.
There were a few shield designs which the Tlaxcalans used but the Mexicans possibly didn't. Most distinctively, the Tlaxcalans used LOTS of close-order archers, whereas the Mexicans had only a handful.

[d_Guy]

While not specifically invited to comment... 
As a kid I all but memorized the Classics Illustrated, "The Conquest of Mexico"
(Based on Diaz del Castillo I think) which imbedded the idea of Aztecs ("feathered Americans" they have been called else where  ) in my mind.

I have started a blog ( https://signaetportenta.com ) to document The War of the Orbs (1456), the Aztec invasion - by ballon - of Cornwall. The opposition force is my converted War of the Roses army (heavy on levies).

Tired of waiting for the Aztecs I switched to using Pendraken goblins but in the end my heart wasn't in it. I'll wait for the feathered fellows and put a hold on the blog. The few goblins I have done I may put in the painting completion (still hoping for a participation award!)

I know next to nothing about Aztecs - I'll defer completely to Kitty - but I do like them so!

[Ithoriel]

Other Mesoamerican peoples (Tarascan, Tlaxcalan, Mixtec or Zapotec) provided plenty of opposition to the Aztecs before the conquistadors arrived. Plenty of scope for Saga/ Dux Bellorum/ Dux Britanniarum style games I'd have thought.

[Nick the Lemming]

Hopefully we'll get some more Spanish too, that we can also use in Italian Wars (Ginetes and more sword and bucklermen in particular).

Reading the Spanish primary sources is always fun - Cortes etc talk about how 20 Spaniards almost single-handedly fought off 2000 Aztecs without a single casualty over here, 12 Spaniards fought off another 3000 Aztecs over here with only one casualty, etc. Then right at the end you'll also see a brief note about how they also lost about 5000 Tlaxcalan allies. Not quite so single-handedly after all then.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

The Tlaxcalans had a fairly major grudge!

[fsn]

Yes, yes. All very interesting, but I found pictures of Techno's socks!

[Techno]

 

That's the last time I send you any pictures of my socks, Nobby. 

Cheers - Phil

[Matt J]

@ d guy

Just read your battle of the orbs blog. What a delightfully bonkers idea