The People Ancient – Native Americans in Raise the Black
A depiction of a North American woodland tribesman, by artist George Catlin
By Tyler Stone
Firelock’s, Kickstarter has almost unlocked the ‘Native American Warriors’ box. What better time than now, to preview the new Native Factions coming to ?
Firelock first introduced us to the various 17th century Native Factions in . They summarized the Native’s position as “the beginning of the end.” The end of freedom, the end of self-governance, and for many, the end of existence.
With Raise the Black bringing us into the 18th century, this end is upon them. As the European colonial powers tighten their grip on the New World, they choke the life from the ancient world of the Native Americans.
The tribes who stand against this onslaught do so by allying themselves with fickle colonial governments, or forming into confederations. They will not all go gently, and proud warriors rage against the dying of the light with the warclub and bow, tomahawk and musket.
North American Braves – one of the newest units added to the line of miniatures by Firelock Games
We have already seen the new Native American units. Firelock added the ‘Later North American Tribes’ to the online with the release of the . Representing the tribal conflicts between 1676 and 1821, these tribes have ubiquitous access to gunpowder, and are no longer afraid of the Sound of Thunder. As with all Native tribes, this faction may not include large ships or artillery, but vessels Size 2 and smaller gain the Paddles trait. Additionally, when attacking, they can launch an ambush by deploying half of their troops with Lay In Wait. Finally, the Later Tribes also gain the ability to spend a Fatigue to go Prone when fired at.
The units are straightforward. On the whole, they units have a superb Shoot Skill and Save, but are even better in melee. The Pnieses boast the best Fight Skill in the game. In fact, the Fight Skill and Training are the major differences across the three units, from the Inexperienced Young Braves, to Trained Braves and Veteran Pnieses.
Each of them share the special rules Hard Chargers, Hidden, and Scouts. The Young Braves have Bows, while the Braves and elite Pnieses carry Firelock Muskets and also gain Ball & Shot. The Braves may also have bows, or exchange their muskets for bows. The units may upgrade to carry sidearm pistols, or braces of pistols for the Braves and Pnieses. They may also carry Thrown Weapons, and can always upgrade to the next experience level.
Commanders for this new faction follow the convention for all the new ‘Raise the Black’ commanders, choosing from a list of possible rules. Currently, the standout choices look like Inspiring and Great Warrior or Guerilla Commander. Giving these units Skirmish when they’re already difficult to shoot will cause your opponent no end of headaches. The thought of applying Great Warrior to Pnieses with pistols is enough to make my scalp tingle.
‘Raise the Black’ will also add a few named commanders and some new Fighting Men. The Expert Scout provides your unit with Scouts. It’s a bit redundant in the North American lists, but also brings 1 Command Point to spend on Move Actions. This could allow your elite units to reposition at the drop of a hat. Natives also pick up the Canoe Assault Specialist for their nautical games.
This character increases their Paddles trait to move an extra +1 inch. The eagle-eyed will notice that this lets you move at your regular Sweeps value, without assigning a unit. This bonus is only active within your Commander’s range. The Specialist also gives Grapple and Assignment actions with a Command Point and has the Sailor rule.
The final character is the Foreign Advisor. This character is interesting, because adding him to your unit does not have a guaranteed effect. At the start of the game, you roll to see what kind of assistance he provides. You have a 40% chance of gaining some kind of firearm (pistols or muskets). But there is a 10% chance that your troops do not trust the outsider. This distrust applies a version of the Poor Leadership special rule to the unit, making them less likely to respond to Command Points.
Firelock has stated that the Natives Box will look more like the Carib Natives than the Braves. However, nose piercings, feathered decoration and loin cloths are a fairly standard uniform for North American natives in warm weather.
Our preview only contained details for the Later North American Tribes. It does allude to a few more factions beside. The Later Tribes include several sub-factions which each give an extra special rule. Rather than present these tribes at once, I’d like to give a bit of history and context to each of them. Before we continue we need to address an issue that is often overlooked in the history of Native Americans, but plays a large role in the interactions between the various tribes and their new, colonial neighbors: the “Indian Slave Trade.”
Like many cultures, Native Americans participated in slavery before European contact. Slaves were taken from among prisoners of war, or as spoils after a successful battle or raid. Different tribes had different practices in handling slaves. Some treated their slaves as hostages or prisoners that could be exchanged later. Others would allow slaves to be adopted into the tribe, with varying degrees of rights and integration.
These practices were more in line with indenture or penal servitude, rather than chattel slavery. Chattel slavery is the existence of a slave ‘class,’ a perpetual, generational state of slavery that was practiced on a wide scale in the Americas. As they did in Africa, the Europeans exploited the groundwork laid by the Native American practice of slave-taking. This led to an increase in slave-raids, sometimes to the point of outright wars between tribes. Europeans used this trade to pit tribes against one another, to divide and conquer. This was to be the fate of many of the tribes, and even some of the characters outlined below.
‘Creek Ball Players’ by George Catlin. The French called this game ‘LaCrosse’, because the sticks reminded them of a bishop’s staff. Native tribes from Canada to the Carolinas used the sport to prove themselves as warriors.
Creek
All units in the force gain Rain of Arrows
The Muscogee was a loose alliance of tribes from the Southeastern Woodlands; present-day Alabama, western Georgia, northern Florida, and southern Tennessee. In 1544, the natives of this region met the Spanish under conquistador Hernando de Soto, and fought him at the battle of Mabilia. Spanish cavalry and gunpowder defeated the Natives, and 5000 died or burned alive in their villages. However, the ferocity of the battle took the hearts of de Soto’s soldiers, and halted his expansion into Muscogee territory. Unfortunately, it did not stop the advance of European diseases, which ravaged the tribes. The survivors banded together and formed the Creek Confederacy.
The Spanish turned from violence to religious conversion. Many Southern Creek adopted Christianity and became “Mission Indians.” In the north, the Creek traded deer skins and slaves with English settlers in Carolina and Barbados. The Creek would eventually join the Yamassee to wage war against the Europeans and their erstwhile enemies, the Cherokee. The revolt failed, and the French began to move into Louisiana. Fearing that the Creek would ally with the French, the English reopened trade. It was only through the careful diplomacy of Emperor Brim that the Creek avoided further conflict with the Europeans. Trade flourished, and over time the Creek merged with other tribes to become the Seminole.
Emperor Brim is the playable leader for this faction. He brings 3 command points, Expert Ambushers, Savvy, Tactician, and Very Inspiring. His 30 point cost is steep. Savvy and Expert Ambushers are of little use, but Very Inspiring and Tactician are excellent abilities that may make him relevant in large games. His 16″ Command Range is also nothing to scoff at.
Yamassee
Units in this force gain the Ruthless special rule
The Yamassee originated along the coast of Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Their name in Catawban translates to “People, Ancient.” Like the Creek, they formed themselves from depleted tribes after de Soto’s expedition. The Yamassee were best known as raiders – taking slaves and exerting dominance over local tribes. This fierce independence made them resistant to Spanish attempts at conversion. When the Spanish tried to deport them as slaves to the West Indies, the Yamassee turned on the Spanish.
‘Trading’ by Gilbert Shaw, depicting Eastern Natives exchanging trinkets and firearms with a French buccaneer.
They next headed north to settle around Charles Town in the Carolinas. There, they traded furs and slaves with the English. When the Florida slaves ran dry, the English targeted the Yamassee for slaves. The English claimed slaves as payment for “debts” resulting from unfair trade practices. The Yamassee rose up against the English in what became known as ‘The Yamassee War.’ Despite initial success, the tribes ran out of gunpowder and were defeated by the Carolina Militia.
After the defeat, the Yamassee retreated south, resettling in Florida and reingratiating themselves to the Spanish. Over time, the battered tribe dwindled until they were absorbed by their Creek brothers to form the Seminoles.
The Yamassee have access to chief Matamaha from ‘No Peace Beyond the Line‘ as their named character.
Iroquois
Units in this force gain the Cunning special rule
The Haudenosaunee are a confederacy of five tribes – Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca – who spoke the Iroquoian language. To the French, they were the Iroquois League; to the British, the Five Nations. If the names didn’t tip you off (or you aren’t American or Canadian) the Iroquois resided around the Great Lakes and lower St. Lawrence River.
Four Iroquois ambassadors, who traveled to London to meet with Queen Anne and negotiate the terms of their alliance with England. These works are thought to be the earliest portraits of Native Americans ever painted from life.
The Iroquois rivalled any European power on the continent at the time. Their complex system of democracy prepared them for the intricate politics of the Europeans. The Iroquois weathered smallpox epidemics, famine, rival tribes, and colonial wars. While other tribes vanished or relocated, the Iroquois flourished. They even made a profit pitting the English and French against each other. They also controlled the fur trade between the Dutch and surrounding tribes.
The Iroquois allied themselves with the English. During Queen Anne’s War they raided Southern Canada alongside English troops. They even sent ambassadors to London to meet with Queen Anne and solidify the alliance. Still, the Iroquois often raided Maryland and Northern Virginia. They moved entire armies along a trail East of the Blue Ridge Mountains known as ‘The Great Warpath.’ It was not until after the period of ‘Raise the Black’ that the English forced the Iroquois West.
Wabanaki
All units in the force gain the Fast Reload special rule
The Wabanaki are another confederacy, comprised of the Penobscot, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Abenaki (for whom they’re named). The culture is located in Main, Nova Scotia, and the small chain of islands at the mouth of the St Lawrence River.
Daubed in fearsome warpaint, the Wabanaki raided settlements across New England.
Although not as powerful as the Iroquois, the Wabanaki were strong enough to fend off Iroquois and European expansion. As rivals of the Iroquois, the Wabanaki enjoyed a better relationship with the French. When France and England came to blows over the border of New England and Acadia in 1722, the Wabanaki joined with the French. A young colonial officer named George Washington would eventually cut his teeth commanding troops in battle against the French and their Wabanaki allies, but that is beyond the timeline of ‘Raise the Black.’
I imagine that universal Fast Reload will make this a very popular faction. Their history, too, puts them in major conflicts with English during every period of ‘Blood & Plunder,’ not only Raise the Black. The constituent tribes of the Wabanaki feature prominently in King Phillip’s War as well as Queen Anne’s War – and steered the course of European settlement in New England.
Spanish Mission Militia
Although nominally Spanish, this faction is almost completely Native units. It represents what the British called “Praying Indians,” or Native Americans converted by Spain. This force represents any of the myriad smaller tribes who settled around the Spanish missions in Flordia, exchanging their culture for the protection afforded by a Spanish alliance.
A unit of Milicianos Indios, the types of Christianized Natives who allied themselves to Spain
The Core units of this list are Carib units; Warrior Archers, Young Warriors, and Milicianos Indios. For support, they have Spanish Soldadoes and Hostigadores. They also have the new Milicianos Negros and Milicianos Reformados units. All units in this force gain the Rain of Arrows special rule but can also discard their bows for 1 point each. Additionally, the commander must join a Spanish unit if one is present, and has the Poor Command rule when giving Command Points to the Natives. Unless we get the rumored ‘Indios Mierdo’ unit, (NOT the official name, but they’re very cheap, very poor Natives) then it looks like the faction is only flavorful.
Other Factions
In addition to these factions, many other new factions make use of Native troops. English and French Raider factions represent the fighting along the borders of New England and in the Carolinas. Firelock has also teased several more Native factions, like the Chiapas Resistance.
Also, for those of you looking to build a Black Carib force, this sprue will include a few distinctly “African” heads. There will also be some more on the Sailor and Militia sprues. These heads are optional, so you can set them aside to use on these minis for a good looking force of maroons. Once unlocked, the Natives kit is sure to provide a wealth of conversion options, as well as a robust selection of new poses to add to your existing units or to form new ones.
Will you be picking up any of the Native American kits? Are you a new or returning player, and what faction are you thinking of jumping in to? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.