Best Conquistador Period "Large Skirmish" Rules

[MartinD]

I'm thinking of using the (fairly new) With Muskets, Pilkes & Drums by Partizan Press. I've been after the same 16th C Colonial themed rules/level for my Portuguese and Tupi in Brazil, and they seem to fit, imo.

It's a bit like Hail Caesar for smaller actions regarding the basing too - no set figure count, removal or base size but Small, Regular and Large. So any collection fits really. Also has emphasis on Aztecs and Conquistadors etc - it covers both Colonial and European conflicts in the 16th & 17th C. So there's specific rules for taking prisoners for sacrifice etc.

I was a bit peeved on discovering that both the new versions of Rampant and Billhooks would practically ignore early 16th Colonial, but WMP&D appears to be what I'm after.

[Metternich]

I’ve always gotten the impression that the Aztecs generally greatly outnumbered Cortez’s forces.  Maybe think about using colonial rules like The Sword and the Flame.  I believe there may actually be a published variant for Conquistadores.

The great majority of Cortez' force were Amerindian allies (Tlaxcaltecs, Tetzcocans, and Cempoala) who greatly resented the Aztecs (Mexica) and wanted to see them defeated.  At the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan there were 200,000 such native allied warriors.

[SJWi]

Martin, thanks for the info about "With Musket, Fifes and Drums".  Have you actually played them? I nearly bought the author's "Back of Beyond" rules, whihc some of my mates did, and having played them wasn't terribly impressed. High production values but lots of loose ends.   

[MartinD]

I haven't played them yet, they just clicked with me more than the other obvious contender of Pikeman's Lament.

I'm intending to base my Portuguese/Tupi etc 3 to a 40x40 base, so if I fancy I can expand the collection for Pike & Shotte - so was thinking of using 2 or 3 bases per unit. So if they're not to my taste when I play it wouldn't be a big deal. I'm resisting basing them in singles because I fancy some Diorama bases :-)

[Smokeyrone]

I’ve always gotten the impression that the Aztecs generally greatly outnumbered Cortez’s forces.  Maybe think about using colonial rules like The Sword and the Flame.  I believe there may actually be a published variant for Conquistadores.

The link to The Sword and  the Cross of Gold

https://www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamer/aztecs.htm

Very good for your  accurate mixed aztec units, every type has their own melee stats.  Same with Spanish.
This TSATF variation is especially good for large games (ten+ twenty figure aztec units vs 3-4 spanish 12 man units and 4+ indian allies units

[NickNascati]

I’m surprised it was available for free.  Or did you pay for it?

[Smokeyrone]

I’m surprised it was available for free.  Or did you pay for it?

Free

[vodkafan]

SJWi, I would go with Rebels and Patriots.

[SJWi]

Vodkafan, I thought these were firmly set in the 18th century and Black Powder?  If anything I would have expected a suggestion of "Pikemen's Lament" as an offering from the Osprey stable of rules. Indeed I seem to remember some home-brew Conquistador lists out there somewhere?

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Olivero]

The Chris Peers rules and the supplement " War in El Dorado" can be ordered here https://www.brigadegames.com/Chris-Peers-Rules--Sinister-Laboratories_c_593.html
For Mesoamerican warfare there is the "Civilizations Collide" free supplement for the skirmish system "Feudal Patrol". The supplement can be found here http://www.bucksurdu.com/feudalpatrol/free-supplements (with lots of infos here https://markamorin.com/aztec-conquistador-and-mesoamerican-hobby-projects-posts) and the rules themselves are available from onmilitarymatters.com. They seem to be out of stock at most other places (which is a small surprise as the rules and the necessary (I believe) card deck come at a hefty price (64$, and that's not OMM's idea).