We're pleased to provide this sneak peek of a warrior from our upcoming 15mm Mapuche line.
The line will focus on the South Mapuche, called "Araucanians" by the Spanish (although this is now considered by the Mapuche to be a derisive term). The first models released will present the warriors in the period before significant contacts with the Spanish, so that they may be used with the DBMM and Field of Glory rules. The line will include spearmen in animal-hide armour and helmets, archers with bird- or animal-skin headdress with the formidable seven-foot hardwood warclub (which rather resembled a hockey stick!), skirmishing archers without the club, and, of course, a commander. The line should be available in late December or early January.
These remarkable warriors were an American people never conquered by the Conquistadores, being both bullishly fierce and extremely adaptable. They were also never conquered by the Inca, their main external enemy in the pre-Columbian era. (The Inca simply called them the "Enemy," the "Wild Enemy," or the "Warriors.") The Inca were defeated by them in several battles, and even the mighty Pachacuti just threw his hands up and built a line of forts to defend against the Mapuche.
In connection with the line, here's a call for information. Illustrations of the animal-hide armoured Mapuche (as shown in Heath's book for Foundry) make it clear that the armour being illustrated was heavily influenced by the appearance of Conquistador armour. However, my initial line will represent pre-Columbian Mapuche. Here is a link to an example of Mapuche animal-hide armour from the 19th century which looks quite different. If anyone has any information on what the Mapuche animal-hide armour looked like before the Spanish arrived, it's time to speak now! Please contact me at the email address on my website.
Feel free to pass this on to any groups or clubs that might have information.