New World DBA: Army Lists for Mexico

These are Army Lists for my revised New World DBA.  

Check out the section on Mexico including  Figures to Use, Painting guides (Spanish, Aztecs, Shields, Aztec Enemies), Rulers, Glossary, and New Mexico

Maya 600-1697 (DBM III/22; DBR I/34)

Ag: 0. 
Tropical Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: Woods. 2-3 Optional: River, Marsh, Rough, BUA, and/or Road. 
Camp/Stronghold: Step Pyramid 

This list covers a variety of fairly turbulent periods in the the riverless forests of the Yucatan peninsula : 

The typical Maya warrior carried a short thrusting spear, a club and a light rectangular shield that could be rolled up like a window blind.   In contrast, Toltec, Itza and Ah Camul were equipped in Mexican style with maquahuitl, atlatl, round shield and cotton armour.  

Chichimec 800 - 1521 (DBM III/41; DBR I/32) 

Ag: 3.  
Dry Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: Rough. 2-3 Optional: Gentle Hills, Steep Hills, Woods, and/or BUA 
Camp/Stronghold: Adobe village on a cliff face, group of simple huts or tents, or a cave 

The Aztecs called all nomad invaders Chichimec (however the term actually covered a variety of peoples including the Aztecs themselves (Davis, 1973; DBR). The term Chichimec is commonly rendered as 'Dog Peoples' but more likely suggesting 'New People'.  This list covers all waves of migrants and those who remained nomads in the north of Mexico; it does not cover these peoples once settled (see Toltecs, Aztecs and Settled Chichimecs).  

The various Chichimec nations had different cultural levels and backgrounds, ranging from completely nomadic through to semi-civilised.  The semi-civilised peoples are most likely to have been settled groups on the fringe of the Mexican civilisation who began migrating south into Mexico when their home was struck by a natural disaster, and either acquiring desert survival skills on the journey or mixed with true nomads who already had these skills.  

All Chichimec peoples are assumed to have been organised as the Pueblo Culture Indians, with some of whom they shared a linguistic affinity (DBR).   Their Warrior Societies were prototypes for the Eagle and Jaguar knights of the nations they encountered in Mexico.  Most Chichimec are assumed to use bows as they gave rise to nations favouring this weapon, however some, the Toltec-Chichimecs and Toltecized peoples (Tepanecs, Acolhua, Mexica), used slings (for skirmisher) and atlatl dart-thrower (for tribesmen).   As it happens the type of weapon does not affect the classification of the troops.  

An army must be one of the named waves or general Chichimec representing an unknown nomad people.  

Toltec 930 - 1168 (DBM III/58) 

Ag: 2. 
Dry Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: Rough. 2-3 Optional: Gentle Hills, Steep Hills, Woods, and/or BUA 
Camp/Stronghold: Step Pyramid 

Although the Toltec started as an early wave of Chichimec migrants they went on to create a large settled empire in central Mexico (Davis, 1973).  Mixcoatl ("Cloud Serpent") founded the first city, Culhuacan, in 930.  His son Quetzalcoatl ("Plumed Serpent") founded Tollan (now called Tula) in 968, and it was this city which became the capital of the emerging empire.  A rival, Tezcatlipoca, forced Quetzalcoatl out of Tollan, and although legend has it that he sailed east across the Atlantic, it is more likely that he invaded Yucatan in 987 as the Toltec invader of that time was also called "Plumed Serpent" (Kukulcan in Mayan).   Internal dissention led to the destruction of Tollan in 1156 or 1168 and the empire subsequently fell to a new wave of Chichimec although the invaders then mixed with the Toltec remnant to form new Settled Chichimec societies.  Toltecs warriors were equipped  with pillbox hats, maquahuitl, atlatl dart-throwers, and small shields.  Their classification as Blade, not Shooters, is based on the assumption that their emphasis, like that of the later Aztecs, was the maquahuitl not the atlatl.  

Purempecha or Settled Chichimec 1168-1521 (DBM IV/19; DBR I/30)

Ag: 1. 
Hilly Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: Steep Hills. 2-3 Optional: River, Woods, BUA, and/or Road 
Camp/Stronghold: Step Pyramid 

This list covers those peoples of central Mexico the emphasized the bow over other weapons.   Their battlefield tactics involved massed archers backed up with shock troops such as Eagle and Jaguar knights.  

The Purempecha lived in Michoacan ('Land of Fish') to the west of the Aztec Triple Alliance and were known to the Spanish by the Nahautl word Tarascan ('distant relatives') (DBR).  They are of unknown origin but possibly spoke a language related to Quechua of Peru. Their metallurgy was more advanced than other Mesoamerican peoples and hence their weapons were often edged with copper rather than obsidian.  They fought the Aztecs to a bloody stand off.  

'Settled Chichimec' covers both the Chichimec Empire in the Valley of Mexico (1168-1280) and the later Toltec-Chichimec cities to the east of the Triple Alliance (1328-1521).  The Chichimec Empire was formed from a fusion of remnants of the Toltec empire and nomadic Chichimec new comers.  The new comers, under their warlord Xólotl ('Monster'), defeated the Toltecs (Tollan fell in 1156 or 1168) and founded Tenayuca as their capital.  Like other nomad immigrants they began mixing with the Toltec remnants. Their empire peaked around 1200-1250.  

At some point after 1246 the Acolhua drove out the Chichimec on the eastern side of the lagoon.  After a period of wandering the refugees relocated to Culhuacan, Huexotzingo, Cholula and Texcala (1328). As time progressed these cities found themselves isolated within an expanding Aztec empire.  Culhuacan was the oldest and most cultured, being a Toltec city before the arrival of the Chichimec, but it was also the first to fall to the Aztecs.  Huexotzingo, Cholula and Texcala fought against each other but more often together against the Aztecs.  Texcala survived long enough to aid the Spanish in defeating their old Mexica enemies.  Unfortunately the Spanish mistook the name Texcala ("the crags") for  Tlaxcala ("tortilla").  

(The term Toltec-Chichimec is sometimes used to describe what I've called the Settled Chichimec.  However, this term equally applies to those peoples who formed the Aztec Triple Alliance - the main difference militarily is that the Aztecs favoured shock tactics over the bow.  The term Toltec-Chichimec also applies to the specific tribe of Chichimec who formed the Toltec empire.  I've avoided the term to circumvent this ambiguity.)  

Mixtec and/or Zapotec 1280-1521 (DBM IV/53; DBR I/31)

Ag: 1.
Hilly Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: Steep Hills. 2-3 Optional: River, Woods, BUA, and/or Road
Camp/Stronghold: Step Pyramid 

The term Mixtec is actually a Nahua-Aztec word (John Pohl's MesoAmerica). The Mixtecs called themselves Ñuudzahui or "People of the Rain" in their own language.  The primary weapon of the Mixtec and Zapotec warriors was the atlatl dart-thrower, which they used to maintain a distant combat, rather than to precede a charge like the Aztecs (Pohl, 1991).  Their usual side arm was a short copper axe or a stone-headed or obsidian-studded mace.  

Aztec 1260-1521 (DBM IV/63; DBR I/29) 

Ag: 3. 
Arable Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: BUA or Road. 2-3 Optional: Rivers, Steep Hills, Gentle Hills, Woods, Road, and/or Waterway.
Camp/Stronghold: Step Pyramid 

The term 'Aztec' is problematic as when the Spanish arrived the people concerned did not seem to use the term (Davis, 1973).  Although the terms Azteca or Aztlaneca - derived from Aztlan, their legendary place of origin - did exist, they had passed out of use and the peoples actually used other names for themselves.  In modern parlance the term Aztec most closely applies to the people of the Triple Alliance, i.e. the Mexica (pronounced 'Mesheeka') of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco,  Acolhua of Texcoco, and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan (now Tacuba).  All three peoples started as Chichimec nomad migrants but when combined founded an empire that rivalled that of the earlier Toltecs for size, power, and grandeur.  The Mexica were always the senior partner and formed the backbone of the Empire and army.  

The Army List starts with approximate dates the Tepanec (1000), Acolhua (1260), and Mexica (1345) settled in the Valley of Mexico and began integrating with the local population; the earlier dates are uncertain but both peoples were already firmly established in 1345 when the Mexica founded their capital of Tenochtitlan on an island in Lake Texcoco (Davis, 1973).  Although Cuachic and Otontin would be present at any Aztec battle they might not be present in sufficient numbers to warrant having a complete element.  Warrior Priests are unlikely to have formed separate units.   Although the Aztecs used the atlatl dark-thrower they used it merely to precede a charge not for a prolonged exchange of missiles.  

The military orders were formed from warriors who had captured a certain number of enemy.  None of the orders are distinguished in capability in the game.  The Cuachicqueh and Otontin may not have had supporting noble youths, but the other types of military order are best represented by a rank of suit wearers and a rank of lesser equipped youths eager to learn from their more experienced companions.  

Following Jim Esler, Otomi tribesmen are merged into the Clan Warriors:  

It appears that the [DBM] list confuses the Otomí, one of the ethnic groups who were settled in Central Mexico before the arrival of the Mexica, the dominant ethnic group of the Aztecs, with the otontin warrior society. Although the Otomí did provide troops for the Aztecs, I cannot find anything that suggests they performed any differently than any other ethnic group within an Aztec army. At the battle of Otumba (also Otompan), fought on July 7, 1520, a substantial proportion of the Aztec army consisted of Otomí from the surrounding area.  (from Meet the Aztecs) 

Spanish Conquistador in Mexico 1518-1524 (DBM IV/19; DBR I/30)  

Ag: 4. 
Arable Terrain. 1-2 Compulsory: BUA or Road. 2-3 Optional: Rivers, Steep Hills, Gentle Hills, Woods, Road, and/or Waterway.
Camp/Stronghold: Captured Indian Palace or Stockade  

Cortez and his lot.  Half-pikes, although initially carried by some men, were soon abandoned for sword and buckler.  

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