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.