Cricaré: The Indian Holocaust – Wargame in Brazilian Colonial Era

The Battle of Cricaré was one of the bloodiest massacres carried out by the Portuguese against Tupinambá - Tupinikín Indians. It happened on the São Mateus River, also known as Cricaré, in the until then Povoado do Cricaré, including on the Mariricu River (variation of the word Marerike, which means fortress of pau-a-pique), in the current state of Espírito Santo, at the beginning of the year 1558.

Fernão de Sá, son of Mem de Sá governor-general of Brazil at the time, when he arrived in Porto Seguro in Bahia, he received the information that there were many Indians in the region of the village of Cricaré. He set up a punitive expedition with about six caravels and 200 men. He disembarked on the banks of the Cricaré and began to slaughter the Gentiles, using their firearms against the ill-armed Indians.

By underestimating the bravery of the Indians and the carelessness of the soldiers, the governor’s son went a long way in the persecution and ran out of powder. The Indians realized and advanced on him that he was only with ten men. He was killed along with Manuel Álvares and Diogo Álvares, both son of Diogo Álvares Correia, The Caramuru - The man of fire - and three other soldiers.

Despite this victory by the Indians, a large number of Portuguese soldiers joined the Cricaré River region, killing thousands of Indians. However, two notable facts occurred: the first defeat of the Portuguese on the Brazilian coast and, in return, the greatest genocide committed against the Indians in Brazil.

The Bellum Brasilis series was originally produced by the extinct Riachuelo Games and was directed to games at the tactical level, covering several episodes in the history of Brazil. This wargame is the second in the Voxelhouse Old School Wargames series.

—description from the publisher