Battles are bloody affairs - particularly when you face the Mesoamericans. Hugh armies, high attack values combined with low armour values make for high casualties. I found the Chichimecs, with their huge stacks of heavy infantry very hard initially. You usually hadn't done enough damage with your missile troops before they get to your line.

Until you get Kotisenkos (sp?) and Onde's men, the priests are probably your best bet. Don't rely on your general's body guard - they are lightly armoured and vulnerable - only commit them in rear charges - not attrition as they will lose against mesoamericans or Europeans who are tougher with higher attack values. Lost track of the number of general's I've lost.

Money is not an issue. As one of the other posters said - your armies have a low maintenance cost - so go large! Elite armies are hard to build, so just build lots. I made one of the Mesoamericans my vassals (after taking two of their cities, then threatening them and offering them 15000). Next turn I'm in a war with the Aztecs and I have 500 000 florins in the kitty!

Until you get Onde's Men you really don't have a line of battle infantryman that can go toe to toe with jaguar, eagle or other heavy infantry. Even with Onde's men, I'm finding it hard fighting the hordes of Aztecs that I'm now facing. I'm losing more than I'm winning - if it weren't for the continual streams of reinforcements coming from the north I'd be cactus and my frontier of former Chichimec territory would have long been swallowed up.

Try using your mounted thunder braves to snipe and harry flanks. Thunder braves are great at shooting, but crap in combat - they won't last. Target your opponent's general, as you can guarantee he'll be doing the same (I've watched as I moved my general down the line - the opposing Aztecs followed him from the left to the right flank!). One tactic which is long but worthwhile is having only mounted troops - stay ahead of him, snipe his flanks and rear and don't let him get into combat until a large proportion of his army is gone or broken.

Remember that thunder braves have long range and cause fear against your native opponents. The Europeans seem to have been limited and/or stamped out by their more numerous native american opponents. The aztecs, apachean and mayans are rampant. Now if I can only get the Mayans to declare war against the Aztecs...