Chinantec pikes used by Spanish and their auxiliaries

[rbodleyscott]

Mike attached the following note to the Aztec list.

I found in the scanned West American History “Considerable alarm was ... created by the appearance of long pikes, like those of the Chinantecs, directed particularly against the cavalry. Fortunately they were not numerous, nor were the pikemen sufficiently practised to be very dangerous.“ Later the Aztecs were more organized. The Spanish also relied on the spear/pikes, in ref to the army in Tlascala after Christmas, it says after Christima “The main reliance of the infantry was in the swords and pikes, the long Chinantec poles being largely introduced, even among the allies, and made effective by long drilling. The nucleus of the troops, whereon rested the highest hopes, was of course the horsemen, whose safety had been carefully looked to by providing the steeds with poitrels, and side and quarter coverings of stout bulls'- hide, reaching to the hocks. They were fringed with small pieces of iron which jingled like bells, and were supposed to add to the terror ever spread by these animals among the natives.® The riders were equally protected, some with helmet and body mail of steel, which covered even the limbs, leaving the wearer vulnerable only at the joints.' Others had less complete mail, while many possessed only the twisted cotton armor worn by the foot-sol-
diers, though this was sufficiently effective in native warfare.

I presume this is covered (for the Aztec list) by the Spearmen allowed from 1520, but how might it affect the Spanish list, and, in particular, Indian allied contingents in the Spanish list?