Aztec List

For Warhammer Ancient Battles

by Paul Kidd

By Paul Kidd (who actually did a degree in Aztec history! Gad - if you just hang on long enough, you can use just about anything!)

The army has been built using the Barbarian and Viking army lists as a rough guide. Aztec warrior societies make a colourful addition to the battlefield, and their armies combined staying power with ferocious charges.

Aztec generals made use of careful intelligence gathering, ambush, feigned flight, and double envelopment. There are even instances of troops hiding inside covered pits to ambush an enemy army as it pursued a feigned flight. Mexica armies were extremely solid, keeping ongoing pressure up against the enemy line while commanders looked for weak points or flanks against which elite shock troops could be sent. The troops were well drilled. The Peasant Soldier of the early empire had become practicaly a full time soldier by the empireÕs end.

Other Central American armies are easy to extrapolate using this list. Tlaxcallan armies relied upon archery firepower, with shield bearers protecting bow-armed experts. Mixtecs and Zapotecs favoured the use of the dart, and were experts in light infantry tactics. Mayan peoples far to the south used heavier throwing spears and could call on large masses of archers. All of these peoples maintained noble elites.

Characters: Up to 1/4 total points

Mexica warriors: At least 1/4 total points cost.

Elite warriors: Up to 1/2 points costs

Subjects and allies: No more than 1/4 points costs

Capture:

Aztecs are rewarded and prooted for seizng captives for the purposes of ritual sacrifice. Each enemy that falls in hand -to-hand combat vs Aztecs must roll a dice. On a score of 5 or 6, the figure is captured rather than killed - PROVIDED the Aztec unit managed to equal or excel the enemyÕs bonus point score.

Captured figures cause an upsurge of morale in the Aztec unit that captured them. Add +1 to the capturing unitÕs leadership score for the rest of the battle (to a max score of 11).

Peel off 1 man from the capturing unit and detail that figure as a guard for the prisoners. It is permitted to buy an ordinary warrior or two to tack onto units of knights for this purpose (representing apprentices following their betters into battle). One soldier can guard 2 prisoners.

Feigned flight

Aztec units operated by using feigned flights to draw the enemy on, leaving the enemy vulnerable to fanatical attack by cose combat troops. As per cavalry tactic of same name, Aztec infantry may change facing after performing a Ôfire and flee tactic.

Ambush and decoy

Aztec armies used their Pochteca traders to discover the lie of the land before a campaign began. Aztecs may therefore conceal one unit in terrain before a game begins.

Combined units

Aztec units may combine types in a singe unit. Typically, the front ranks are armed with 2HW, and the following rak is armed with long lances. This arrangement allows the second rank to fight with their long thrusting spears in combat. They are drilled to operate in this way, and so may fight both when charging into contact as well as in defence.

Obsidian weapons

Lethally sharp, these weapons are also quite brittle. The sheer force of a blow from an obsidian-edged sword is recorded as cleaving a Spanish horse in two. On the other hand, Spanish accounts reveal that Aztec darts and javelins were almost incapable of causing serious injury to armoured men.

Therefore, all Aztec bows, javelins and darts attack at strength 2 if their target is wearing armour of any kind. Aztec hand-to-hand weapons suffer no penalty. (However - note that a Spanish-style swordsman will have a higher initiative than most Aztecs, giving Spaniards the advantage in hand-to-hand combat)

Make the Aztecs slightly cheaper in thes games. We suggest weighting points valiues 25% in the favour of the Aztecs.

Textile armour

Some Aztec units are well equipped with extensive suites of non-metallic armour. Jackets of dense maguey cactus fiber were combined with wooden helmets, and cotton padding for the limbs. Officers offen added padded vambraces and greaves. Spanish found these armours to be good at holding off the AztecÕs own weapons.

These full suits of textile armour count as light armour EXCEPT in combat vs Spanish steel hand weapons, arquerbusses and crossbows.

(Please note that obsidian weapons cover all non-metallic weapons. Hunnic arrows were often tipped with bone. Many bronze age cultures used only fire-hardened wooden points on their arrows....)

Fear

Aztec units are feared by all enemy units who have a leadership of 7 or less. However, conquistadores and units that are within 6 of any conquistadores are immune to this effect.

Horses

All Aztec units have a terror of Conquistador wardogs and horses.

General: 149 points

Equipment: Shield, light armour, side arm, 2 handed weapon, darts

Standard Bearer: 59 points

Equipment: Shield, light armour, side arm, 2 handed weapon, darts

Hero : 79 points

Equipment: Shield, light armour, side arm, 2 handed weapon, darts

High Priest: 75 pts

Equipment: Obsidian dagger.

Special rules:  As per Barbarian Shaman. The High Priest causes FEAR, and is subject to HATRED of the enemy. Any unit he is attached to also HATES the enemy.

Warriors: :7 points

Aztec commoners provided the bulk of the infantry for their empire. These warrior/farmers were trained in weapons and drill from the age of 15. They served in the army on a rota system, cycling between their clans farming lands and military duties. By the end of the emoure, campaigns of conquest and the need to keep garissons in the field had turned these men into fulltime soldiers. Successful capture of enemies(either singly or in a group) won rewards, promotion, and more and more elaborate uniforms.

Equipment: Shield, side arm. Can have Thrusting spear or Maquahuital (2HW) for 2 points. Can have Darts for 2 points

Special rules: Drilled, Stubborn

All Aztec warriors are light infantry.

Quachic veterans :12 points

These men left the life of farmer/warrior behind, and became full time soldiers. Only proven warriors were allowed entry into their ranks.

Equipment: Shield, side arm, light armour. Can have Thrusting spear or Maquahuital (2HW) for 2 points. Can have Darts for 2 points

Special rules: Stubborn, drilled, light infantry.

There may only be 1 veteran on board for every 3 normal warriors

Warrior Priests: : 10 points

The huge Aztec temples always provided strong military contingents. Their ferocious, bloodthirsty reputation made them highly feared. The temples had a system of reward and promotion that used different uniforms to those granted to normal warriors.

Equipment: Shield, side arm, light armour. Can have Thrusting spear or Maquahuital (2HW) for 2 points. Can have Darts for 2 points

Special rules: Drilled, ferocious charge, light infantry.

There may only be 1 warrior priest on board for every 3 normal warriors

Warrior Knights : 14 points

These split into three different societies: Jaguar, Eagle and Arrow knights. The warrior knights were elite shock troops intended to breakthe enemy line at its critical point.

Equipment: Shield, side arm, light armour. Can have Thrusting spear or Maquahuital (2HW) for 2 points. Can have Darts for 2 points

Special rules: Ferocious charge, Drilled, Stubborn, light infantry.

Shaven headed Otomi : 15 points

Otomi were originally a savage barbarian tribe immensely respected for their fighting prowess. They were hired and kept as a permanent part of the military establishment much as the British army hired Ghurkas in the centuries to come. In later years some Aztec nationals may have joined the Otomi ranks, adopting their costime and mystique.

Equipment: Shield, side arm, light armour. Can have Thrusting spear or Maquahuital (2HW) for 2 points. Can have Darts for 2 points

Special rules: Frenzy, Warband, light infantry.

An aztec army may ony contain 1 unit of Otomi per 2000 points or part thereof.

Subjects, Mercinaries and Allies:

Many city states owed tribute to the triple alliance. This relationship forced them to provide warrior contingents to the Aztec army when it went upon campaign. Costumes varied from those of the Aztec, making them a nice addition to the colour of an army.

Oaxcalla, Jaltapec, etc :5 points

These cities fought in a similar fashion to the great armies of the triple alliance, although their regional weapons could differ from the Aztec norm (such as the cuauhulolli, a long handled halberd).

Equipment: Shield, halberd or 2WS. Can have dart for 2 points

Special rules: Warband, light infantry.

Mercenary infantry : 7 points

The bow and sling were not used by Aztec troops. These were instead used by highly trained specialists hired as mercinaries. Mixtec city states provided slingers as part of their tribute requirements. Archers came from Aztec-Chichimec tribes.

Chichimecs, Sons of dogs - were warriors from the arid lands to the north of the valley of Mexico. The Mexica themselves were originally a Chichimec tribe. Many of these groups had their own secret warrior societies, reputedly including dog and coyote warriors.

Equipment: Shield, bow or dart or javelin, side arms.

Special rules: Light infantry.

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