Maori Wars: The New Zealand Land Wars, 1845-1872

About this board game

Maori Wars: The New Zealand Land Wars, 1845-1872 is a two-player historical simulation with a listed play time of 120 minutes. It recreates the principal uprisings caused by British colonial incursions into Maori lands on New Zealand’s North Island.

Players experience a conflict shaped by fortified pas, ambushes, difficult terrain, and changing tribal loyalties. British regulars, Australian troops, and New Zealand militia face Maori forces whose knowledge of the land and unconventional tactics can surprise and frustrate their opponents.

Historical scenarios have low counter density and are designed for quick play, with scenarios progressing as the conflict expands. The British player must contend with Maori resistance tied to village support: as fortified villages fall under British control, resistance gradually melts away.

• Bush-raiding: Maori units can temporarily leave the map and return at a location of their choice, while British forces learn to track and engage them.
• Shifting alliances: Tribes may change sides, including those supporting the British, who became known as Queenites.
• Historical events: Random battle dispatches and events such as SEEK PEACE, NEW RELIGION, and CONCERNED TRIBES create developing crises.
• Movement and support: Canoes and gunboats enable rapid transport, with gunboats also providing waterborne artillery support.

British forces may build forts, but fort construction can provoke local uprisings, reflecting its historical consequences. Artillery and cavalry are available as supporting forces, while terrain remains a key Maori advantage.

With a scale of 10 miles per hex, battalion- and strength-point-sized units, and three months per turn, Maori Wars presents the possibility of historical outcomes without matching the conflict’s overwhelming real-world imbalance in men and firepower.