DBA Armies

The Tawantinsuyu state in Peru now named for its ruler, the Inca, was founded in the 13th century AD, but until the Chanca invasion of 1438 it had been only one of several Quechua tribes. Pachacutic, the 9th Inca, unified these into a single state with his tribesmen as the aristocracy, subjugated the Chanca, and then launched an aggressive expansion culminating with conquest of the coastal Chimu empire in 1473. Civil war 1527-1532 between Huascar and Atahualpa ended with the defeat and execution (ordered while Atahualpa was a prisoner of the Spanish adventurer Pizarro but before his murder) of Huascar. Atahualpa’s murder left the state leaderless and a potentially easy prey to Spaniards combined with Huascar’s successors. The list ends before the introduction of horses, pikes and firearms during Manco’s rebellion. Inca regulars were depicted armed with a short spear often decorated along its shaft with feathers, sling and small square shield with a cloth skirt, or with a copper-headed halberd; and dressed in alpaca or llama wool tunics of regimental colour and geometric pattern, sometimes padded with cotton, and a crested cane helmet. The favourite tactic was a wild downhill partial charge aimed at the enemy general, preceded by a dense barrage of sling-stones. Skirmishers and militia wore plain brown tunics with various head-dresses, fought with sling, shield and stone-headed mace and were described by Spaniards as “hordes adding little to the strength of the army”. Even today, tribesmen are described as always moving “at a light shuffling trot”, walking only when drunk! References: Armies of the 16th Century Vol 2 1. Heath, The Incas: Lords of the Four Quarters A. Hagen & C. Morris.