Designing original factions

[Arbarad]

Just to add, the more centralized and/or socially stratified a society is, the more likely it is to have elite troops equipped with heavy armor and weapons; mainly, because good weapons and armor are ludicrously expensive, and the only way one can afford it is to have ten peasants for every fighting man and tax them until they squeal.  By the middle ages, the only nations, at least in Europe, that fielded heavy cavalry in somewhat large numbers were those that were at least somewhat influenced by feudalism and manorialism.  Being, in descending order, France, England, Germany, Spain, and, I suppose, Scandinavia by the later period. 

These same nations had almost completely given up the general levy by the 12th century except in limited defensive instances; it was better to keep the peasants in the fields, and wage war using one's personal retinue, vassals, and mercenaries.  By 1300, feudalism was pretty much dead, at least in the military sense; noblemen and captains raised retinues of volunteers, which were paid from the royal treasury.

There's a reason why clan and tribal societies (Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Baltic Tribes) had such a hard time fighting off their more centralized neighbors.  Five hundred half-naked tribesmen with spears and bravery vs. 150 iron-disciplined knights and sergeants is a losing proposition for the tribesmen.

 

[haresmasher]

unlike everyone i've been thinking of a faction which is based on the civilizations who lived in south and central america but with more technology.

For exapmple: Imagine an aztec jaguar warrior with better technology and heavy armor (or something)

 

[Mad Vader]

unlike everyone i've been thinking of a faction which is based on the civilizations who lived in south and central america but with more technology.

For exapmple: Imagine an aztec jaguar warrior with better technology and heavy armor (or something)

Good, but what will it look like in medieval times?

 

[Merlkir]

The book "Redemption of Christopher Columbus" by Orson Scott Card might be of use here. A part of it entertains the idea of an alternative past, where the native southern american kingdoms weren't prematurely destroyed by Europeans. Instead, one of the smaller tribes had time to develop bronze (and later iron) metallurgy. (which they apparently knew of, for reals, just in a very limited way) They joined with another tribe that managed to build large sea-faring ships.
Through a very interesting chain of events a rather grand American empire rose, which managed to easily repel the invasion of Europeans to America.

A very different culture, a power hungry and super quickly growing faction.

Could be similar to what you propose, only shifted even earlier.

 

[haresmasher]

The book "Redemption of Christopher Columbus" by Orson Scott Card might be of use here. A part of it entertains the idea of an alternative past, where the native southern american kingdoms weren't prematurely destroyed by Europeans. Instead, one of the smaller tribes had time to develop bronze (and later iron) metallurgy. (which they apparently knew of, for reals, just in a very limited way) They joined with another tribe that managed to build large sea-faring ships.
Through a very interesting chain of events a rather grand American empire rose, which managed to easily repel the invasion of Europeans to America.

A very different culture, a power hungry and super quickly growing faction.

Could be similar to what you propose, only shifted even earlier.

cool never head of that book before! ,and yep thats what im trying to say and its very original because none of the mods have it yet. Maybe it can be used as an invasion to the world you have created (like the invasion of black knights).

 

[FrisianDude]

I wonder, what would metal full-body armour look like for those advanced meso-Americans?

 

[haresmasher]

I wonder, what would metal full-body armour look like for those advanced meso-Americans?

Full armor with lots of gold trims and ornaments, feathers or animal skin. It would be exotic and epic. Animal shaped helmets.

 

[AWdeV]

I once had a similar idea too. Basically it was aztecs who survived the first Spanish attacks because the Tlaxcalans didn't help the Spaniards in quite the same numbers. The aztecs looted spanish stuff and tried to emulate it by learning metallurgy from the Tarascans up north who supposedly used copper and/or bronze.

Gold trim is more suited for the Inca. And the Inca could be really badass guerilla's springing natural traps and salvaging whatever suitable gear. And supposedly the Inca also knew copper and bronze, which won't help a damn against gunshots but combined with padding would help against swords and stuff. And bronze weapons could probably cleave through the padded cloth of the less rich conquistadors.

All in all, it seems like the conquistadors were damn lucky things worked out the way they did. The Inca welcomed them as gods and the Aztecs had plenty of enemies already who helped the Spaniards.