Warmatrix

The army of the Asante alias Ashanti confederation was one of the strongest in west Africa. It was one of the few that was able to put up significant resistance against European colonial powers.
Akan people migrated into coastal west Africa somewhere between the 10th and 14th centuries CE. For a long time they were organized a loose collection of small city-states. In the mid 17th century CE agriculture, population growth, slavery and the discovery of gold all changed this setup. The states started gathering into a confederation, to fight the rival Denkyira. This confederacy was more centralized under Osei Tutu with the introduction of the "Sika dwa", the golden stool. His government became the head of the warlike Asante confederate kingdom. "Asa-nti" literally translates as 'war-because of'. Hungry for economic resources, it quickly became expansionist and grew in size and power throughout the 18th and into the 19th century CE.
Osei Tutu topped the traditional militia with a class of professional warriors. These were supplemented by levies, allies and conscripts from tributary regions when necessary. At its height, the Asante may have been able to raise an army of 100,000 - 200,000 warriors, though field armies were much smaller.
In battle, deeds of bravery were encouraged. Cowardice on the other hand was repressed by 'sword-bearers', who drove faltering soldiers forward with their large swords. The Asante were unique in using a medical corps, the "esumankwaf", to take care of the wounded and the dead. They also used drums to communicate over long distances, the drum sounds matching spoken words from their Twi language quite accurately.
In Asante territory, forest terrain and tsetse flies prohibited the use of horses, so Asante armies were pure infantry forces. At first warriors were equipped with swords, spears, bows and arrows. During the 18th century CE they increasingly adopted European muskets, until half the army was equipped with them. Yet they did not produce these themselves; the Europeans sold them obsolete models and cheap guns of inferior quality. Against African rivals who did not adopt firearms these sufficed, but not against the British whom they later fought with.
An Asante army typically marched and fought in units, which could act independently: "akwansrafo", scouts; "twafo", advance guard; "adonten", main body; "gyase", general's bodyguard; "kyidom", rear guard; "benkum", left wing; "nifa", right wing. This was useful when fighting in the dense forest that covered much of the Asante area and prevented the concentration of large forces. The units worked together, often marching in columns over narrow forest paths and converging together when the enemy was met. They also used feints, ambushes and attacks over wide fronts. Against superior forces they used a 'hammer and anvil' tactic by luring the enemy into their territory up to a strong fortified position and then trying to encircle and defeat them.
In the 19th century CE the Asante conquered the Fanteto their south and soon after clashed with British forces. They put up stout resistance and were some of the few Africans who won several battles against Europeans. But eventually, in the late 19th century CE, they were overcome by the superior British muskets. They were reduced to a colony, though regained their independence in 1935 CE.