An army needs a leader! My Aztecs troops will be used in skirmish warfare games of Feudal Patrol
(check out these two links on the game here and here).
Feudal Patrol will launch very soon (very exciting!).
In the game, the basic unit is an Element of 5 figures, including a front-line leader. Up to four Elements will constitute a Warband, and up to four Warbands will make up a Battle Group. Similarly, up to four Battle Groups will constitute an Army. Most games will never be composed of an Army as the system is designed for skirmish level war gaming. Still, it could be used for big battles effectively.
At the highest level of course was the “huey tlatoani” or “Great Speaker” – the emperor of the Aztecs. Under him as the head of the War Council and the supreme field commander was the Cihuacoatl, also called the Snake Woman”. This was not a woman – but always a man – despite the name. Cihuacoatl was also a goddess of fertility and childbirth in Aztec mythology. Yes, it’s a bit confusing, and I’ll leave that right there.
As I previously posted, Badger Games was kind enough to offer me an Outpost Wargames Services baggie of OWS AZG001 – General as Snake Woman priestess w/drummer. It consisted of an Aztec/Mexica General replete with back ornament and a standard of Quetzalteopamitl (serpent of precious feathers). Back in the day, both were adorned with lots of gold and quetzal feathers. A wonderful image is found on plate A of Pohl’s Aztec, Mixtec, and Zapotec Armies. It was a nice chance to work on two figures at a time instead of 21!
The model was fairly straightforward, though I needed to make a rig of clothespins, poster tack, and specimen bottles (seen below) to paint the back ornament and the banner. Mold lines were easy to deal with on these, and the details were nice.
As received in baggie… Hmmm, how to handle for painting?
The challenges here necessitated using slightly larger washers as bases – and 1.25″ washers along with some smaller ones and some plastic card were needed (a list of materials is at the end of this post for those who are interested). As far as painting, care had to be taken with the components so as to not damage them during the build as well as to protect their paint jobs. A little varnish along the way helped here. The other major challenge was on the generals face painting. The details (such as the white markings on the lower blackened part of the face) here were the smallest I have ever attempted on 28mm figures.
Back ornament Quetzalteopamitl banner Drum Drummer – the matte varnish would take care of the shiny flesh wash I wanted the warpaint to look as if it was over flesh – so I painted the face first, then painted the warpaint designs (including the tiny white circles and dots).
Aztec Snake Woman Drummer
I hope that you found this interesting. I am moving on to working on other troops – and A GAME (remotely run) next week with players in 3 US states and the UK – more to follow soon!
Until next time – take care and stay safe all!
Miscellaneous details and references for those interested:
Posts on Units for my 16th Century Spanish Conquest Supplement for Feudal Patrol – “Civilizations Collide”
- Aztec Snake Woman and Drummer (this post) – 1 Aztec General and 1 drummer
- A June and July Jaguar Warrior Frenzy (plus some Aztec Veterans and a Warrior Priest to Boot) – 3 Aztec Veteran Warriors, 17 Jaguar Warriors, 1 Aztec Warrior Priest
- Doubling Down – Aztec Veteran Warriors – 24 Aztec Veteran Warriors
- Aztec Arrow Knights, Ral Partha circa 1988 – 6 Aztec Arrow Knights
- Aztec Eagle Warriors from Tin Soldier UK – 6 Aztec Eagle Knights
- Aztec Novice Warriors and a few Frinx – 12 Novice Warriors
Total figures to date for this project: 71 Aztecs
PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THE AZTEC SNAKEWOMAN AND DRUMMER:
- Gorilla Glue
- 1/8″ x 1.25″ Everbilt ABJ Fender Washers
- ½” stainless steel fender washers
- #8 Everbilt Fender Washers
- Plastic card
- E6000 Epoxy
- Poster tack, plastic plates, and clothes pins
- Vallejo “Surface Primer – White Primer”
- Vallejo “Flow Improver”
- Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
- Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Warp Lightning”
- Vallejo Model Color “Mahogany”
- Vallejo Model Air “Weiss” (off-white)
- Vallejo Game Air “Black”
- Vallejo Model Color “Sunny Skin Tone”
- Citadel “Steel Legion Drab”
- Citadel “Agrax Earthshade” (shade)
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Apothecary White”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Contrast Medium”
- Citadel Air “Evil Sunz Scarlet”
- Citadel “Tallarn Sand”
- Citadel “Karak Stone”
- Vallejo Model Air Color “Gold”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Blood Angels Red”
- Citadel “Balor Brown”
- Vallejo Model Air Color “Silver”
- Vallejo Model Color “Basic Skin Tone”
- Vallejo Model Color “Light Flesh”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Wyldwood”
- Battlefront “Wool Brown”
- Citadel “Auric Armour Gold”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Volupus Pink”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Darkoath Flesh”
- Army Painter “Flesh Wash” (wash)
- Citadel “Praxeti White”
- Vallejo Game Air “Dead White”
- Battlefront “Panther Yellow”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Basilicanum Grey”
- Battlefront “Chocolate Brown”
- Army Painter “Red Tone” (shade)
- Americana “Desert Sand”
- Elmer’s PVA Glue
- Army Painter “Brown Battlefields” (flocking)
- Vallejo “Dark Yellow Ochre” (pigment)
- Vallejo “Burnt Umber” (pigment)
- Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”
- Army Painter “Grass Green” (flocking)
Thanks for looking – I am entering this project into Azazel’s extended July/August community painting challenge in the “hero” category. Please feel free to comment below – always appreciated.
