Mapuche vs Mixtec

In our club there is a growing number of players that own a precolumbian american army, thanks also to the themed tournament "Apocalipto" that we dedicate each year to these armies.

A friend of mine has just completed a Mixtec army, so we met to test it in a 400AP game. I used Mapuche.

Mapuche defended, and tried to set up as many hills as possible to gain a combat advantage against the fearsome mixtec AxS and use the ambush stratagem, that I selected to help in the deployment, having the mapuche very few troops to deploy on the outer sector.

I had two ambushes, each of 8 IBwO, hidden behind the hills on the flanks, and a small flank marching corps from the right.

Mixtec was aggressive and tried to infiltrate columns of IAxO arounf my flanks, while the AxS, massed in the center, waited in front of mapuche spearmen in a strong uphill position

On the left Mapuche advanced to contact the Mixtec still in marching formation in the gap between the woods. Better to not give the Mixtec enough time to properly deploy

Also on the right I tried the same tactic. My plan was to engage the enemy in a slugfest with the PkF, avoiding if possible massed assault against my archers

Mixtec on the left were taken in a bad tactical position. I was confident I could prevail there

After some turns jousting for position and rearranging the formation, Mapuche left the hill and advanced towards Mixtec

Mixtec were waiting just for that, and charged everywhere they could contact enemy

Same on the left wing, with IAxS spearheding the main corps, and a flying column of IAxO trying to force a passage on the flank

The arrive of the flank march and the Mapuche troops from ambush were miscalculated and too early. Mixtec were able to pull back and avoid the trap.

Mixtec troops fought very well and resisted for several turns in the center. Eight combay phases were necessary to reach a decision there

On the left Mapuche gained the upper hand, pushing the front line troops against the mass of the warrior behind them

Finally in the center Mapuche won, but having suffered a lot of casualties

The right wing saw much less combat, but also there a Mixtec infiltration through the wood was barely repulsed by the weakened Mapuche

The battle was going to be decided on the left, were the mapuche spearmen were unstoppable. Even with an exposed flank they kept attacking and mauling the Mixtec to their front

The battle ended when the Mixtec commander was slain and its army run for the hills. 23-2 for Mapuche.

A nice game with some unique features, if compared to other periods played. The armies were huge and much more time was needed to reach a decision. There were many more combats that I'm used to see, and a main role for troops, like IAxO, that usually are just used to support.

Mixtec after the game thought to have set up a wrong terrain, choosing the woods that in the end hampered him.