Aztec update

I've been able to give my Aztecs a bit more time recently as I've taken a little break from ships in between commissions.

You may have seen in an earlier post that I'd painted this Gringos 40 Aztec Jaguar warrior Captain:

Well, I'm pleased to say that he is no longer alone! He has been joined by some Foundry Jaguar warriors to complete his unit. Like the Eagle warriors, warriors had to have taken 4 captives to qualify to wear the suit, although there is also a train of thought that they came from the nobles and were separate. Nobody can be sure! Like the Eagle warriors, the suit was made from feathers and the helmet carved wood.

I've given the front 'rank' spears ('tepoztopilli') imagining them to be throwing them before the macahuitl-armed warriors behind rushed forward.

 

Aztec sources, such as the Codex Mendoza, show Jaguar warriors in Jaguar suits but in a variety of colours. This is also reinforced in the various Osprey resource books available. This means IMHO they are a must for any Aztec army to bring colour and vibrancy to the table.

 

 



As such, I have gone with some colourful suits to go with the more 'natural' suit of the Captain. A joy is also the variety of patterns available for the shields. There were certain ranks, or types of warrior, which employed certain shields such as the plain yellow with the blue rim for novices, or the red shield with the black triangle for 2-captive warriors, but the Jaguar and Eagle warriors had more of a selection. Here are some close ups of the other 6 Jaguar warriors in the unit.

 

I'd also managed to complete a few other units over the spring/summer but had not, as yet, had a chance to share them. Here are a few quick pics of them, all of course to accompany the Eagle warrior stand.

 

First up, the warrior priests who had taken 4 captives and qualified to wear the 'starry sky' Huaxtec suit with the conical hat. They are very distinctive. The models are a mixture of Gringos 40 and The Assault Group.

 

 





I have also completed two groups of skirmishers - Tlematlatl slingers and 'Atlatl' javelin throwers.

The slingers are all Foundry models.

 

 

The Atlatl throwers are conversions - 2 Foundry and 2 Gringos 40 miniatures. Note the 'novice' yellow/blue shields.

 

 

And there we are! Still several bases to go - archers, standard 'peasant' infantry and Cuachicqueh warriors ('Shorn Ones'), who were the elite 'Special Forces' of the Aztecs, having taken seven captives and the final three being taken against 'harder' opponents.