Aztec Jaguar Knight Profile

The greatest extenct of the Aztec Empire. Will the Aztec's greatest warrior beat the tribesman of Africa?

Aztec Jaguar Knight Profile:

Aztec Jaguar. Picture is not mine.

The Aztec Empire was not really an empire. It was more of a confederation; it is officially the Aztec Triple Alliance of the cities of Texcoco, Tlacopan, and Tenochtitlan. It spread to an 'empire' status through conquest of Mesoamerican peoples. These were spearheaded by the elite warrior societies; the Eagles and the Jaguars. Both worshiped specific Aztec gods, (the Jaguars themselves worshipped Tezcatlpoca, the god of the night sky) both were built towards skilled noblemen (although they were more skill based than people of noble birth) and they were the most feared Aztec warriors to both Mesoamerican peoples and the feared Spanish Conquistadors. Children naturally learned about warfare and weapons by the sheer fact that warfare was all around them and then they attended military schools. Nobles started military school between the ages of 6 and 13. It was not brutal military training like Spartans, (they learned about other aspects of life, like poetry and astronomy) but it was hard. They were given rigorious duties that were meant to bully the students into becoming mentally and physically strong. Punishments were severe, and outright disobedience was punished by death. They were taught how to live in the Aztec society, but nobles destined to become warriors were taught how to become warriors. Further training was given in the military societies; the Eagles and Jaguars. While commoners formed the backbone of the Aztec army, the nobles would go into battle with the best equipment and under the best and most costly warriors. This later tutelage and care received on the battlefield allowed them to quickly progress through the ranks of the Aztec military. The best of the best became part of the Aztec military societies; the Eagles and Jaguars.


Long Range:
Atlatl & Tlecochtli

A dude throwing an atlatl. Picture is not mine.

The atlatl was a spear thrower. It added force and accuracy to the javelin, making it the primary long range weapon of the Aztecs. The atlatl was a stick with a hook or socket in it to propell the javelin much farther than by hand. It 'flips' the dart, so it it not hindered by human motion of releasing. While it may seem in accurate, darts thrown with atlatls are accurate. What it really give is power; the dart would probably not penetrate plate armor, it would indeed penetrate light chain mail, leather, or padded cotton. This made a shot from it pretty much lethal in their time no matter what you were wearing. Range is alright; one has a maximum range of 45 meters, while a 10 cm accuracy can be acheived at 37 meters! Range is not as good as the bow & arrow or sling, but its power and penetrating capabilities made it the arquebus of the ancient world. This weapon is used by the elite forces, while commeners would use the bow or sling. 




Mid Range:
Tepoztopilli

Tepoztopilli. Picture is not mine.

 The Tepoztolpilli was a spear used in the frontlines. It was really a spear/halbrid hybrid, that was equally useful for cutting and thrusting. It was a stick with an arrowhead shape on the end, but much large than an arrow. It was as long as a man and as thick as two hands by some sources.  Sharp obsidian blades peppered the end of the blade, and glued in by bitumen or plant resin. It was somewhat fragile, but it is not really easy to destory it. You must chop off theblade at a distance where the Jaguar cannot simply use it again; not exactly easy. The weapon is not weak at all; Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castello says that his plate armor was penetrated by an Aztec lance, and only his padding underneth saved his life. Truly a fine lance to work with.

Quahholilli card. Picture is not mine.

Close Range:
Cuauhololli
The Cuauholilli is a club. It is a wooden club with a ball at the end, for crushing only. Sometimes other clubs were use din Aztec warfare, but I will limit it to this, for the sake of convienence. Besides, other clubs are mentioned less freqeutnly than the Cuauholilli, and listing all clubs would just be too time-consuming and not as benefitial to the Aztecs. Balls could be made of wood or stone, although Wikipedia saying that copper was an option is not mentioned in other sources. It had a curved handle and was most useful at the range of around a nunchuck, but oddly sources are limited on the Cuauholilli. It is also spelled the Quauholilli.

Special Weapon:
Macuahuitl 

Macuahuitl. Picture is not mine.

 The most well known Aztec weapon. This weapon was a club of wood 3-4 feet long, and embedded with razor-sharp shards of obsidian. The weapon was extremly effective; it was sharp enough to decapitate a man, and from Bernal Diaz it could decapitate a horse. It cannot in one swing, but it can certainly kill a man by severe neck injuries or bleeding. It was 3 inches across. What makes this weapon so effecetive? The obsidian. Obsidian is a very, very sharp volcanic glass and well sharpened obsidian can be 4x as sharp as high-quality steel. Plus, the blades are lodged in very tight so when the blades meet something they cut the thing and do not shatter. Macuahuitls are very lethal to soft areas like the neck, groin, and limbs. Even if you do not die of bleeding or the wound itself, very small obsidian fragments can be lodged in your body, and that will seriously hinder your game with pieces of obsidian in your arm. Or, it could straight-out cut your arm off.

Chimalli. Picture is not mine.

Shields:
Chimalli
The chimalli is a round shield made from different materials, but most of the time it was wood. Most of the time nobles used the chimalli; it was used to signify rank that the commeners knew who was in charge. Often the shields were decorated fancily, and the designs also signified nobility. I cannot find how big these shields are, but it can be presumed they are around a foot in diameter.

Armor:
Cotton

Aztec Cotton Armor. Picture is not mine.

Now why would a professional warrior, a trained, elite warrior of an elite warrior society, wear cotton armor? Simple. Quilted cotton was the best armor in Aztec times, for a reason. The quilted cotton would be soaked in salty brine water, and let it sit in the sun. The salt would crystallize, forming a serious barrier an inch or two thick that would resist obsidian and atlatl darts, although it would not stop darts. They are too powerful. What is so good about this is the other factors; mobility and weight. Cotton armor would stop mobility as much as a light coat would today. It would allow for almost uninhibited movement, which combined with the armor's strength makes it a formidable piece of equipment.   

Variables:

Mobility: First of all, cotton armor restricts little movement. Second of all, training left them very agile to fight off attackers. Third of all, the forests of the Aztec Empire is a naturally hundering terrain and they were fast; when let loose they will be very fast on their feet.

Tactics: The Aztec strategy was to pepper the enemy with spears, arrows, and stones before chargin right into the opponent. While they will have undoubtaby changed their tactics for a small skirmish, they are trained for a single method of combat. I don't really see the Jaguars getting much in the way of tactics, although training helps with creative thinking.

Loyalty: When one is trained from childhood to fight for the Aztec Empire one becomes very loyal to the Aztec Empire. When Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire, elite warriors were serious problems for the Conquistador, although he had quite a bit of help. But that is a story for another time.

Experience: Aztecs were almost always at war. In the days of the Aztec Empire, warfare was everywhere. Rival tribes or confederations fought the Aztecs without provoction, and Jaguars and Eagles spearheaded this assualt.

Training: Aztec Jaguars were very well trained; after at a minimum 7 and maximum 13 years in military school from childhood, they got tutelage from veterans on the battlefield. Warrior societies gave even more training; Jaguars were professional warriors, a sharp contrast to their Zande opponents. 

Psychological Warfare: The jaguar skin helps, but really the Aztecs aren't that scary, unless you get a priest with a knife. Then you will have fear.