Still, My Beating Heart! -An Aztec Game

 

Regular Readers will know that I have been pursuing an Aztec Game. It has been a long and winding road with False Dawns and near fatal influences. The latter were from games systems that impressed me sufficient to try and stuff the Aztecs into them.  My fault, not that of the game originators. Mind you, useful things were learned.

Anyhow, we have arrived at our destination.

This post gives an initial flavour of the key concepts of Still, My Beating Heart an Aztec Game. Future posts will take us through, unit profiles, encounters and eventually to a complete game. If that works I will offer it for publication.

Unit Sizes

Spanish units are of 12, 6 or 3 figures.

Aztec units are of 18 or 24 figures

Tlaxcalla units are of 18 or 24 figures

Otomi units are of 12 or 18 figures

Figure Scale and Basing- Up to you.

Casualties- Figure removal or tracking is your choice.

Key Concepts

Who's Who? An allied Spanish/Tlaxcala  force should have a minimum of two Tlaxcala units for every one Spanish unit.

Steel swords and Copper Quarrels- Convey advantage.

Armour- Steel is best. Meso-American armour works against Meso-American weapons. That why they, including many Spanish soldiers, wore it.

Mixed Units- The Aztecs, Spanish and Tlaxcala mainly fought in units with mixed abilities. Those units could both melee and shoot. Aztec and Tlaxcala units contained both professional warriors and levies.

Wounds Accrue- Hits insufficient to cause a kill or in excess of that amount accumulate for Spanish units. This has consequences.

Prisoner Lost- A Spaniard taken prisoner has consequences for all of the combatants.

Horse Lost- The loss of a horse will impact on Spanish behaviour regardless of if the Caballero is saved.

Sancta Maria, Pedro Alvarado, Axayacatl – The presence of a Friar, Pedro Alvarado or a Warrior wearing the battle armour of the Emperor Axayactl will boost morale for that side.

You First- Spanish units in combat distance of Aztecs cannot hold back and let their Tlaxcala allies do the fighting.

Hopefully, I have captured your interest. Next time with the Mexica we will look at unit profiles.

Also coming up, Dr James O'Neill has produced the first of two volumes on the Nine Years War for Helion. I'll review volume 1 here. My verdict? Don't hesitate. Then an update on my Billhooks Crusades Game, it's good news. Last but not least hopefully more Maximillian soldiers.

In times like this a fun hobby helps.

The Maximillian Adventure in 15mm

 

Should you look at page 61 of Michael Leck and Dan Mersey’s Rebels and Patriots you will find suggested forces (Companies in R&P speak) for the Maximillian Adventure. These being the French Intervention Force, the Mexican Imperialists and those of the Mexican Republic.

This has always appealed to me as a potential gaming period. It also looks quite doable with R&P in terms of outlay.

The French need 36 figures equating to 3 units of Foreign Legionaries at 24 points.

The Mexican Imperialists require 12 cavalry, 36 infantry and 6 skirmishers.

The Mexican Republic has 48 infantry, 6 mounted Skirmishers and and 12 lancers.

These are merely suggestions but you get an idea of the size of forces required.  Now, it happens that I already have some suitable figures.  They are 15mm from QRF.  Let’s have a look.

The aim is to get to 24 points. The French first.  Six Chasseurs d Afrique here who enjoyed a fearsome reputation. 

That considered they will be a small unit of shock cavalry and cost 5 points.

Next La Legion 12  Shock Infantry at 6 points.

I had 12 Turco/Zouave figures. R&P allow for small units. I decided to do 6 Tirailieurs Algerian and 6 Zouaves.

The Tirailieurs are a small unit of 6 Light Infantry who are good shooters and cost 7 points.

The Zouaves are a small unit of 6 Shock Infantry who are aggressive and cost 6 points.

There is our 24 points for the French. It gives a fair range of tactical options.

Turning to the Mexican Republicans our first unit is of 6 green skirmishers who are sharp shooters and cost 5 points. 

The USA provided some repeating rifles to their fellow republicans. These are they. The idea being that they will keep their distance and blaze away.

A unit of 6 veteran light cavalry lancers who are poor shots cost 5 points.

That's it but it's not a bad start. I need 14 points more for the Mexican Republicans and the whole 24 for the Mexican Imperialists.  Part of the fun is selecting and rating the units.

You might notice that I have opted for multi figure bases. This is because I might expand this collection to 12 units a side or so.  That would provide for Field of Battle games. It also means I need more soldiers of the Mexican Republic because the Imperials and French can be combined.

Luckily for me a fellow gamer is going to sell me what I need.  For that reason what you see today has an unfinished look. They await reinforcements before units can be completed.

Let me draw your attention to how nice these 1980s designed figures are. Look at the detail.  Some of the ones your see here are that old. Most are from renewed moulds and use better metal.  Chas and Geoff at QRF ensured the survival of the range. Happy retirement boys.