Fantasy Rules! in South America!

Introduction
This page gives some ideas for South American fantasy armies using Chipco's Fantasy Rules! 2^nd edition. Each army will have notes on the units that it can have, and a sample 1000 pt list. Click on the active links below;

Inca
Amazonian
Coastal civilisations

Inca or the army of Tahuantinsuyu (The four corners of the earth)

This is an updated version of an Inca list that was published in the armies section of Fantasy Rules! 2^nd edition. I have some made some considered changes and have fixed some errors. Of course, in any tournament setting the list as published stands.

The Inca were the major civilisation of the Andes at the time of the conquest. Their armies had conquered a vast area of South America from Ecuador in the north to the Maule River in Chile to the south, from the western coast to the jungles of the Amazon.

The leader of the Inca, and the General of the army, was the Sapa Inca. He was believed to be a direct descendant from Inti, the sun god. He was carried into battle on the pillco rampa or scarlet litter. The litter was surrounded by his close relatives and bravest troops, which could be represented as the Bodyguard character.

The pillco rampa made a very good platform for sling shooting. Chipco have graded a similar litter in their Hawaiian Mythical army as an Elite Battlewagon and the pillco rampa should be graded similarly. While the Battlewagon in the Hawaiian list has no shooting ability, it would be appropriate for the pillco rampa to have this ability to simulate slingshot. However, the speed of the Battlewagon should be restricted to that of a Handweapon unit since it was carried on the shoulders of men.

Sometimes the army was commanded by a trusted noble. He should be represented as being carried in a hammock litter. The army cannot have a Battlewagon if the Sapa Inca is not the General, . Further more, the Sapa Inca and his Bodyguard are the only characters allowed to attach to the pillco rampa.

The Inca worshiped Inti, the god of the Sun. The Inti cult was quite organised, with priests, "mamaconas" (nuns), divination, etc. Cleric would be the best classification for magic users in this army. Sacrifice was a significant practice, however it would most likely be of costly items such as gold or silver artefacts, richly worked clothing, llamas, chicha (maize beer) and the like. Human sacrifice was practised, but it was rare and usually in times of desperation or of extreme importance (#1).

The Inca overlaid their Cult of Inti over the religions of their subjects. Most of the Andean peoples had an animist religion with sprits in waterfalls, mountains, piles of rocks, oddly shaped rocks, etc. (huaca or holy things). This is interpreted as an underlying Amerindian "shamanic" tradition. Therefore I have allowed a Shaman as an alternative magic user, usually Water, but he could also be Earth or Air.

Huaca were integral to the Inca army. Oddly shaped stones wrapped in rich weavings, ancient wooden posts and mummies of ancestors (panaca) were carried on litters. They were venerated by the army and inspired them. Huaca would be paraded before the enemy to show that they had brought their "power" with them. This was sometimes enough to frighten the enemy into submission! For the Inca this was the Huanacauri, a curiously shaped stone, the symbol of Inca indomitability. They are included in the army as an Army Standard. There are some good models of Inca mummies around to use for this.

The Auquiconna was the elite of the four Cuzco regiments. It was composed of the Inca nobles and their relatives.They were armed with sling, javelin, mace and a peculiar bronze halberd/axe. This regiment is an Elite Handweapon unit. The other three regiments (Mancopchincuzcos, Ayllucuzcos and Cacacuzco) are considered normal Handweapons.

The Highland tribal levy was normally from the area around Cuzco and further south to Lake Titicaca. They are deserving of Mob status, the Spanish having a very low opinion of them. However, in a large group they could be tough, especially with their Huaca.

The sling was the main weapon of the Andes. A Spaniard described it as having the equivalent force of arquebus shot. While this may not be true, this IS fantasy! One Historian has claimed that the same level of personal firepower was only achieved in Europe in the 18th Century. Because of this, all Cuzco regiments and the Highland levy are allowed Throwing Weapons (T) at no cost (thanks Chipco!). The +1 this gives for the charge is quite appropriate since the usual practice was a barrage of slingshot, followed by an impetuous charge!

There were a number of colourful groups in the Inca army from the far flung reaches of the Empire. The Sapa Inca used Amazon Indians as guards. They are classed as Skirmishers and their arrows and blowpipe darts were tipped with deadly poisons. Only they are allowed the Poison ability. The peoples of the coast, such as the Chimu, were known for their ferocity. They are represented as one or two units of Fanatics. Colla tribesmen fought using their bolas which entangled the enemy. These are quite nicely interpreted as Traps in the army.

While wardogs were most likely brought by the Spanish,some nice models exist for them and they give the army character. They are classed as a Small Monster.

The Aucakpussak, or leader of soldiers were the veteran troops who were the mainstay of the army. They led by example. They are represented by Hero characters. One character could be given Taunt since it was usual practice to hurl insults at each other before battle while the Huaca were paraded. This simulates a particularly good practitioner.

Another alternative would be to mount nobles or Aucakpussak on giant condors as flying Light Cavalry. This would allow some flexibility for the army. Since the condor is the largest flying bird, it is at least a better candidate for a flying mount than eagles! It is also very appropriate since the Inca thought of themselves as "Hawks of the Sun".

A Major Spirit is possible for the army. While Inti was the official Inca God, many local gods also existed. Illapa (or Chuquiilla) is the God of Storms and when angry would throw thunderbolts. It would be more appropriate for such a God to provide an Avatar, rather than the more organised and less personified Inti. Other Spirits and Elementals are possible, representing huaca spirits or other gods. They may be better represented by Elementals raised by a Shaman, if one is present.

List:

Alternative approach for slings:
This would be to give the Auqiconna, other Cuzco regiments and the highland levy bowfire for an extra 10 points per unit instead of throwing weapons. This would make them 50, 40 and 20 points respectively. More slingers could be used graded as Skirmishers (20 points). Again, only the Amazonians can use Poison. This approach is particularly recommended if using FR! for historical games, such as the Inca civil wars.

Amazonian

This is based on Chipco's Aboriginal list. It has all the abilities of this list except that I have disallowed Light Cavalry, Mobs and Beastmen, but have included a Leviathan.

The General of this army is a great warrior chieftain. He is backed up by a core of veteran warriors represented as Heroes. These warriors would boast of their prowess before battle, so one of them may have the Taunt ability.

The magic user for this army is a Shaman. Because of the close association of these people with the jungle in which they live, this must be Druid type. As detailed in the Chipco list, they are allowed to cast any Druid spell for one point less than normally required from their personal magic pool. This army is also allowed a healer with an intimate knowledge of the pharmacopoeia of the Amazon jungle.

The bulk of the army are bowmen and women as Skirmishers. The best hunters are depicted as Rangers, one of whom can be elite. Both these troop types are allowed the Poison ability due to the deadly poison that their arrows and blowpipe darts were tipped with.

The Amazonian army should have lots of colour with bright feathers and face paint. The army should also have a lot of animals! These could be packs of jaguars or other jungle animals fighting as Small Monsters, swarms of biting insects as Flying Swarms, or hordes of army ants as ordinary swarms. Swarms can have the Poison ability. Relic megafauna could still exist in the deep jungle and one possibility is a giant tree sloth (Mylodon) as a Large Monster! While dinosaurs could be considered for this army, I feel they would be more at home in a Saurian or Lizardman list. These could be enemies of the Amazonians in true "West of Eden" (Harry Harrison) fashion.

All these units may move though any terrain except built-up-areas at no extra movement cost, and monsters may move without regard to the status of the moral clock is the Shaman is present, as specified in the generic Aboriginal list.

Traps are an important part of this army. These could be anacondas or large tropical spiders. Enemy crossing rivers must always beware of the deadly Piranha. Consequently this army may have one free Elite Trap, that can only be deployed against enemy in a river. Also, the piranhas can only be deployed if they score 8+! If the army is fighting on home turf, there must be a river present on the board.

Finally this army should have a sacred site. This should be represented as a particularly biodiverse patch of jungle, the essence of the Amazon!

List:

Coastal civilisations

To be completed

Notes:

#1: It is a disturbing fact that the Inca usually sacrificed children. These were given by their parents for that purpose, and had to be beautiful and without blemish. Their parents received rewards for this gift. I believe that the Spanish chroniclers have greatly inflated the numbers sacrificed, since the tops of the sacred mountains would be knee deep in bones if thousands, or even hundreds, were killed on each occasion. That it was rare is indicated that the local populace knew who had been sacrificed, and made pilgrimages to the peaks to give offerings to individual children. However, it is hard in this day and age not to make value judgements about such practices. I have read in popular books and articles that the Inca also sacrificed captured nobles, but I have yet to find primary evidence.

Written: 04/07/1999
Last revised: 20/06/2000

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