Aztecs vs Champa

In 1440AD, Izcoatl, the Obsidian Serpent, first speaker of the Mexica triple alliance (who we know as the Aztecs) invades the Champa Kingdom, which we know today as Vietnam. All a fantasy of course, though the two states did exist at the time, but an excuse to get two pretty armies on the table. I painted the Aztecs, Paul Crozier the Champa.

I played this through solo using Field of Glory (3^rd edition) – about 1050 points per side. For those who have played earlier versions of the rules, particularly version 1, note that the elephants have been considerably beefed up in the latest version.

 

The armies (in march order)

 

The Aztecs are an entirely foot army. They are a professional army, so have drilled battle troops using a wooden sword with an edge of razor sharp volcanic glass. They also have the atlatl dart throwers and are known for their fierce charges in loose order. Hence all the combat foot in the army are medium foot, drilled, protected, impact foot, swordsmen, javelins. The Aztecs had a highly structured military, with the basic troops, the calpolli, being raised by individual town wards. Experienced warriors would then be able to join military societies. The most senior warriors joined the cauchiqueh (literally 'the shorn ones' - their heads were entirely shaved except for one braid)

 

CiC, Inspired: Speaker Izcoatl, “The Obsidian Serpent”

Field Commander “The Cutter of Men”

Troop Commanders: “The Lord Serpent-Woman” and “The Master of the House of Darts”

3 x 6 bases Calpolli (town ward) Medium Foot, average

6 light foot, sling, average

6 bases and 8 bases of Calpolli MF, average

2x 6 bases LF Bow, average

3 x 6 bases Military Societies (Eagles, Caymans and mixed smaller orders), MF, superior

8 bases Military Societies (Ocelots), MF, Superior

2 x 6 bases Cauchiqueh, MF, elite – the most senior warriors in the army.

8 base widths of stone walls (field fortifications)

 

The Champa are an army where the best troops are elephants. The even mount their artillery on elephants. There are also a lot of foot of various types in the army, in loose order, plus some skirmishers. For good measure they’ve brought along a Khmer ally, with more elephants and some foot of their own. While their foot are generally weaker than the Aztecs, the elephants are potent and they have a larger army.

 

CiC, Inspired, King Indravarman VI

Troop Commander, the Crown Prince Nauk Gluan

Troop Commander, Prince Maha

Khmer Allied Troop Commander, King Ponhea Yat

Note: the whole army is average quality

 

8 bases of skirmisher Light Foot, unprotected, light spear, javelins

4 bases of Cavalry unprotected, drilled, light spear, javelins

10 bases of conscript Medium Foot, undrilled, unprotected, light spear

6 bases of drilled protected MF, light spear

6 bases of drilled protected MF, light spear

8 drilled, protected MF, Bow

2 x 8 Wild Hill tribes: MF undrilled, unprotected, impact foot, swordsmen

2 x 2 light artillery undrilled (modelled as mounted on elephants but they just count as artillery

6 LF Crossbow

4 “fierce fire oil throwers” LF, firearm

8 Allied Khmer Spearmen. MF, drilled, protected, light spear, swordsmen

4 x 3 Elephants

2 x 2 Khmer Allied elephants

 

 

The Aztecs invaded in jungle terrain and selected lots of difficult going, which the Champa elephants would want to avoid. All 5 pieces of that ended up in the Aztec half of the table, and they built their fortifications in the one significant gap. The Champa side of the table only had a couple of small pieces of rough going and was otherwise open. These types of awkward terrains tend to mean lots of manoeuvre and there were a good few turns of that.

The Champa massed their elephants and those of the Khmer on the right of their army. To their left were artillery and archers, thinking to shoot down the Calpolli if they stayed behind the walls. Then came the hill tribes and finally a weak left of the cavalry and skirmishers. Behind was a second line of the weaker Khmer foot to keep everyone’s spirits up.

The Aztecs put their weakest foot in the centre behind the stone walls. Their right flank was solid with three society and two calpolli units, facing the weak left flank of the Champa. The immediate Aztec left was one unit of societies and a couple of skirmishers, but on the extreme flank there were two units of elite troops – they were deployed opposite the Khmer ally which was a potential weak point. 

The Champa right

Champa Centre

Champa Left

Lord Ganesh surveys the Champa line

Aztec Right

Aztec Centre

Aztec left

Turn 1. The Champa get to move first. Sending the Khmer in against the Aztec elite infantry is asking for trouble as units of two elephants are dodgy against expert javelin shooting so they decide to redeploy.

The earth shakes as thousands of Champa elephants head towards the enemy. The king takes half of them towards the elite Aztecs to drive them off while the others just wander forwards.

 

 

The javelinmen and archers move forwards but there’s a delay getting the artillery forwards (they need a complex move test to move, which they failed)

 

 

The hill tribes move forward complete with dragon banners, fighting dogs and the murderous two-handed ph’kak - a military version of an agricultural tool.

 

 

The cavalry move forwards. The only have a flimsy little shield and no armour. But the are in dragon costumes, so they are feeling fairly chipper.

 

 

The Aztecs advance at full speed on the flanks, but hold in the centre.

 

The Obsidian Serpent drives the Eagle society forwards

 

The Cutter of Men brings up the calpolli

Lord Serpent-Woman stands with the ocelot society

The Master of the House of Darts and the elite cuachiqueh with their star banners

Turn 2 The Champa elephants press forward on the right, with the Khmer ally redeploying still. The Aztec bow shooting is ineffective.

 

 

The Champa elephant artillery wake up and join the archers

 

The Champa skirmishers have persuaded the Aztec slingers to withdraw but are not enjoying the attentions of the Aztec main line and their darts, with one unit disrupting.

 

 

The Champa cavalry don’t like the look of three times their number of good troops led by Izcoatl himself, but they are at least stopping him from moving elsewhere on the battlefield

 

 

Lord Serpent-Woman holds in the centre with the Ocelot society and the massed Calpolli.

 

 

The Master of the House of Darts was happy to take on the Khmer, but with King Indravarman bearing down with massed elephants and infantry support he turns his troops around and moves away.

 

 

Turn 3 Champa elephants wheel towards the centre. In the distance the cauchiqueh race round the bad going to join up with the centre.

 

 

The Khmer ally is also redeploying since the Champa centre looks like it’ll need hep.

 

 

The Champa king drives back the Aztec skirmishers with elephants. Top left of shot some javelin skirmishers arriving to help.

 

 

On the Champa left, the dragon cavalry and skirmishers fall back as the Aztecs clear the bad going. Prince Maha rallies the crossbow skirmishers. In the distance, The Obsidian Serpent feels he can now be of more use in the centre, leaving the right for the Cutter of Men to manage.

 

 

Turn 4. The Champa elephants continue to slowly push back the enemy skirmishers. In the background the cauchiqueh continue their march and the Lord Serpent-Woman redeploys the Ocelot society.

 

 

The Khmer move at full speed behind the elephant artillery.

 

 

Two units of calpolli leave their fortifications and come forward to support the right wing.

 

 

Five units continue to press forward on the Aztec right. The dragon cavalry are retiring to the rear. The Champa skirmishers are trying to tempt the Aztecs into rash charges to break up their line, but the well trained troops resist temptation under the stern gaze of the Cutter of Men.

 

 

Turn 5. The Champa elephants have driven the enemy skirmishers into the forest and marsh, and have infantry of their own coming up to go in after them. Faced with massed elephants, the Aztec battle troops fall back.

 

The Khmer elephants have reached the centre and will support the hill tribes now that the Champa foot archers have got out of their way. The conscript foot at the rear are liking the fact that there are now even more friends between them and the enemy.

 

 

The disciplined mass of the Aztec right wing bears down upon the Champa hill tribes

 

 

Turn 6. Elephants moving towards the centre. The plan is the to move between their own artillery and the enemy, so that the artillery can get some shots off. The Aztec Ocelot society and cauchiqueh are matching them.

 

 

Success for the Champa shooting, the archers and elephant artillery combine and disrupt one of the calpolli units

 

 

Things are on the brink of kicking off in the centre as the Aztec line is now in charge distance of the hill tribes

 

 

The hill tribes have some flank support in the shape of a not very good infantry unit (average, protected light spear, swordsmen) and some decidedly weak unprotected cavalry.

 

 

Turn 7 The cauchiqueh units roll on. One has deployed in front of the Champa javelin skirmishers to keep them honest, while the other quick marches past the porter corps (the Aztec baggage camp).

 

 

The Ocelot society emerges from the woods to protect the calpolli from a mass of elephants that are bearing down.

 

 

The archers and artillery gain more success, taking a base off of the injured Calpolli unit and dropping it to fragmented. Never good when you’re in charge range of elephants (the Khmer have arrived). But the Aztecs are drilled troops and some fancy footwork gets them out of the line. Even better, Lord Obsidian Serpent is there and he rallies them back to disrupted. However, that has meant another calpolli unit is too close to the Khmer elephantry for comfort.

 

 

Aerial shot of the rescue of the calpolli

 

 

The two hill tribe units have both passed two tests not to charge. Surely this can’t last? They’ve wheeled a bit to the left to line up with the Khmer elephants to their right and to give their left flank some protection. Talking of which the eagle society is bearing down on some rather nervous looking Khmer foot.

 

 

And there’s more pain incoming with another unit coming in, the mixed minor societies, while the cayman society brings up the rear.

 

 

Turn 8. And suddenly everything goes haywire. The Champa infantry on the right have the mundane job of pushing back some skirmishing archers, who are only ever going to shoot with two dice so they’re feeling safe. Two hits followed by another two and the Champa foot are fragmented.

 

 

Massed elephants are putting pressure on the ocelot society, but they find that the seasoned warrior’s atlatl launched darts are potent; the left hand elephant unit disrupts.

 

 

The elephant artillery and archers are churning out impressive numbers of shooting dice but the lone calpolli unit facing has shrugged that off and got into charge range.

 

 

The calpolli unit that so bravely came forwards to shelter it’s compatriots pays the price. Charged by all the Khmer elephants it’s really quite lucky not to have broken yet. It won’t be long, but the unit it saved has now rallied.

 

 

One of the hill tribes couldn’t resist and charged through it’s own skirmishers to get at the enemy. It’s done some damage, but is now two bases down and fragmented. Lack of any protective armour is it’s undoing.

 

 

The cayman society likes the look of that flank…and the weak Champa infantry didn’t like fighting twice it’s number of military societies one little bit. They did feel that the Champa cavalry might have evened up the numbers.

 

 

The cavalry didn’t want to throw good troops after bad and wandered off to the far left. It's the end of their battle.

 

 

Turn 9 The Champa right flank infantry, abandoned by their generals, scarper.

 

 

Champa elephants get stuck into the ocelot society, taking a base off and dropping them down to fragmented. To try to keep them in the battle, the Master of the House of Darts leads from the front. Behind, the cauchiqueh arrive through the woods. If the ocelots can hold on, they might get some help.

 

 

The Lord Serpent-Woman helps out a rather isolated and tattered calpolli unit – one base down and disrupted with elephants incoming.

 

 

The Khmer elephants have destroyed their first opponents and are into the second line of Calpolli. The Khmer foot follow up behind. To their left, the fresh hill tribe unit have charged into another calpolli unit. They’ve done some damage, and the calpolli are one base from breaking, but the lack of armour doesn’t help and the tribesmen have disrupted, despite Prince Maha fighting and his uncle the King shouting encouragement from the back.

 

 

 Seeing Prince Maha come to the fore, the Cutter of Men advances to meet him. He just needs to hold up the hillmen for another combat and the cayman society will be in the flank. To the right of shot, a large calpolli unit, having destroyed the first unit of hillmen, homes in on the Champa conscripts, who are suddenly much closer to the action than they wanted to be..

 

 

Having cut through the weak Champa foot, the military societies power on, with the eagles getting in reach of the Lord Ganesh (the Champa baggage camp). At this point the Champa have lost 6 attrition points (out of 18) and the Aztecs 3 (out of 13)

 

 

Turn 10. The Master of the House of Darts emboldens the ocelot society; they hold the elephants and even disrupt them. The Cuaciqueh are entering the fray but suffering a bit.

 

 

The Lord Serpent-Woman cannot persuade the calpolli to hold and the elephants break through, pursuing off at the top of the shot. The Khmer elephants have destroyed another calpolli unit and charged forward in pursuit. Just in time as the last hill tribe units has been scattered in rout with the Cutter of Men taking Prince Maha captive for sacrifice later. The Khmer foot are not so lucky having been caught in the flank by the Aztec pursuit

 

 

King Indravarman VI joins the lowly conscript foot to receive the charge of the Aztecs. Inspired, they beat the Aztecs at impact, disrupting them

 

 

The eagle society assaults the Lord Ganesh, having fled some Champa LF off table. Champa has lost 11/16 points, Aztecs 6/13.

 

 

Turn 11. Elephant mayhem on the Champa right. The Master of the House of Darts has inspired the ocelot society to rout the elephants facing them. But to their left though the Cauchiqueh have been routed, and seeing that the ocelots fragment, so don’t pursue.

 

 

Which is quite lucky for the Champa artillery, as one unit was close enough to see the rout and disrupt, and then the routing elephants stormed through them making a right mess.

 

 

Another elephant unit comes up as the remaining cauchiqueh clear the forest.

 

 

The Cutter of Men takes out another general! King Ponhea Yat of Khmer will be the last of his line. Seeing him fall the Khmer infantry tremble on the brink of defeat!

 

 

The Champa army is nearly broken – 15/16 while the Aztecs are on 9/13. Furthermore, the Champa conscript infantry have an exposed flank with the mixed military orders in charge range. So really they need four attrition points right now. There are some targets. The fragmented ocelot order for one. Also, the Champa foot archers have sneaked through a gap and can charge the flank of the Calpolli unit fighting the Khmer foot that’s only a base from breaking. That leaves another attrition point to find; they’ll need to get lucky somewhere.

 

 

Turn 12. In go the Champa elephants. The ocelots manage to hold for the charge and at impact their field fortifications help them hold the elephants. The Cauchiqueh couldn’t quite get to the wall, so they take the charge in the open led by Lord Serpent-Woman. Crown Prince Nuak Gluan leads the charge personally. The Cauchiqueh disrupt but in the melee phase the Aztecs take no more damage so a good result for them considering,

 

 

The Champa archers charge the flank of the damaged calpolli unit, winning the impact and fragmenting it. In the melee phase the Champa conscripts, who had performed so well before, felt their lack of armour and dropped to disrupted, meaning that the army would definitely break if we got to the Aztec impact phase because of the flank charge. Lord Izcoatl, the Obsidian Serpent had joined the cayman society in the JAP as if the calpolli break he needs the caymans to pass the cohesion test for seeing the rout. In the melee the calpolli lost 3-0 and break on base losses. Disaster for the Aztecs! The cayman order, seeing the rout rolled double 2 and so disrupted despite the inspired commander. The Calpolli burst through through the caymans – fragmented!. In the pursuit, the Champa archers pursue far enough to hit the cayman flank, routing them. That’s the four points which were needed. Game to the Champa!

 

The last of the Aztecs