>>5815013Let's talk about Tactics!
-Aztec battles would be planned to start at dawn, but sometimes could occur in the middle of the day, as the clear day skies would be used to send smoke signals to different divisions of the army to show the battle was starting and to coordinate attacks, then by signaling the attack to start by the playing of drums and conch shell trumpets. Battles would begin by hurling projectiles of bows and slings, before going into melee combat. The first to enter combat would be the elite and distinguished to the commoners and young, untrained soldiers. During this, the Aztecs would move to surround or outflank, and once melee began they would engage in individual hand-to-hand combat, while youths would not be allowed into combat; instead, they would be sent off to capture fleeing enemies for sacrifice. Aztec warriors would try to subdue and capture their opponents for sacrifice rather than kill them, but historical sources show they would kill if necessary, as they did against the Spanish conquistadors, and adapt to new enemies. Other tactics included feigned retreats and ambushes to lure the enemy to a trap filled with more warriors waiting for them
