I'm currently working on creating additional tokens and house rules to add flavour to my New Zealand Wars games.
DESIGN NOTES
- Māori rules = tempo, concealment, shock
- British rules = preparation, discipline, friction
- Bad European habits are allowed, but punished
- Good adaptation is slower, safer, and less glorious
The Maori
I’ll go through them each as:
- What it represents
- When you can use it
- Simple tabletop effect
- Why it feels right for Māori warfare
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| Version one! |
AMBUSH
Represents:
Prepared killing grounds, concealed firing pits, and deliberate baiting of British advances.
When:
At scenario start, a Māori unit is deployed Hidden.
Rule:
- Place an AMBUSH token next to a Hidden Māori unit.
- When that unit first reveals itself, it may:
- Shoot before the enemy activates, or
- Shoot with +1 die / +1 to hit, or
- Force the target to test Resolve immediately after the attack, even if no casualties are caused.
- AND count as rifle pits. Hard cover. (a single Shoot Test penalty of +1 applies, and Hard Cover also provides a -1 Shoot Save bonus.)
- Remove the token if the unit moves.
Why it works:
Māori combat doctrine often relied on timing and shock, not sustained firefights. This gives them one decisive moment — not a permanent bonus.
Possible mechanicm
I may place up to three Maori Ambush markers, with only one of these being the actual ambush.
HIDDEN PATH
Represents:
Bush tracks, fern gullies, creek beds, and local knowledge that simply doesn’t appear on European maps.
When:
Once per game per Māori force, during movement.
Rule:
- Spend a HIDDEN PATH token to:
- Move one Māori unit through Difficult Terrain without penalty, or
- Enter the table from any jungle/bush edge (not the enemy baseline), or
- Withdraw from combat and immediately become Hidden if in cover.
Restrictions:
- Cannot be used while Shaken.
- Unit may not Shoot in the same activation unless it has Run to Ground.
Why it works:
British columns repeatedly lost contact with Māori forces who seemed to vanish into the bush. This makes terrain feel asymmetric, not just difficult.
CALL THE WHĀNAU
Represents:
Kinship, mana, and rapid mustering when the fighting turns serious.
When:
Triggered by loss or crisis.
Rule:
- When a Māori unit is:
- Reduced to half strength, or
- A Leader is wounded or killed,
- Place a CALL THE WHĀNAU token on the table edge or a terrain feature.
On the Māori player’s next activation:
- Replace the token with:
- A small reinforcement unit, or
- Restore 1 removed model to up to two nearby units, or
- Remove Shaken from all Māori units within 6”.
Campaign variant:
- Costs 1 Glory / Mana point.
- If overused, future calls arrive Delayed.
Why it works:
This models community response rather than drilled reserves. It’s not infinite manpower — it’s social resilience.
HOW THEY INTERACT WITH EXISTING TOKENS
These slot neatly into what I already have:
- Run to Ground + Hidden Path = classic bush skirmish withdrawal
- Ambush + Wet Powder (British) = historically brutal matchup
- Call the Whānau counters British Sentry / Activated tempo play
Nothing replaces core mechanics — they add decision points, not bookkeeping.
OPTIONAL BALANCE LEVER (VERY IMPORTANT)
To keep things fair and historically grounded:
Māori forces may only have two of these tokens in play at once.
This forces choice:
- Do you ambush now?
- Or save strength for a call later?
For the British answers to Māori asymmetry, with the right amount of friction. I went with the same Blood & Steel “token + decision” language.
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| I went a little too "shako" heavy there. |
FORM SQUARE
Represents:
European drill instinct kicking in at exactly the wrong moment, in terrain and at troop densities it was never designed for.
When:
Declared at the start of a British unit’s activation.
Rule:
- Place a FORM SQUARE token.
- Unit:
- May not move
- May not enter Skirmish Order
- May only fire at Short range
- Unit gains:
- +1 Resolve against melee only
Critical Downside (the important bit):
- All Māori shooting against a unit in Form Square gains:
- +1 die, or
- Re-roll 1 failed hit
- If the unit suffers any casualties from shooting:
- It must immediately test Resolve
- On failure, it becomes Shaken and the Square collapses (remove token)
Scaling Clause (key for NZ Wars):
A British unit may never gain full Square benefits unless at full strength.
Reduced units gain no melee bonus at all — they just clump up.
Why this works historically:
- Squares require numbers, open ground, and cavalry threats — none of which apply.
- Māori skirmishers loved dense, static targets.
- It becomes a panic button, not a tactic.
Table Effect:
Players can do it… but quickly learn they shouldn’t.
FIX BAYONETS
Represents:
Preparation, drill, and psychological hardening before close combat. Required for Bayonet drill.
When:
Declared at the start of an activation. Not an action, a state.
Rule:
- Place a FIX BAYONETS token.
- Unit:
- May move at full speed
- May not Shoot this activation
- Remove Shaken if already in cover.
- The next time this unit charges or is charged:
- It gains Bayonet Drill automatically.
Restrictions:
- Cannot Fix Bayonets if already Shaken in the open.
- Token remains until used or the unit fires.
Why it matters:
This prevents Bayonet Drill from being an “always on” buff and makes the British player telegraph intent.
I know shooting could occur with bayonets fixed, but this is the prelude to a charge or defence so shooting at half effect seems reasonable. You may still volley, fix bayonets then charge in an activation.
BAYONET DRILL
Represents:
Controlled aggression, volley discipline, and willingness to close.
When:
Triggered after Fix Bayonets, during a charge or melee.
Rule:
- Unit gains:
- +1 Melee die,
- If the enemy breaks or withdraws:
- British unit may immediately advance D6 inches.
Risk Clause (important):
- If Bayonet Drill fails to break the enemy:
- British unit falls back 6"
Why this works:
Bayonets were effective — but only when conditions were right. In bush fighting, failure was often punished brutally.
BRING UP THE GUNS
A Scenario Tool
Represents:
Naval guns, mountain howitzers, or dragged field pieces.
When:
Once per scenario, when conditions allow.
Rule:
- Place a BRING UP THE GUNS token on a road, track, or table edge clearing.
- After 1 full turn, replace it with:
- A gun model with crew.
Bombardment effect:
- Pick a terrain feature or fortification.
- All units within test Resolve.
- Cover in that feature is reduced by one level for the rest of the game.
Why this works:
Guns shape the battlefield — they don’t dominate it.
Option B: Risky Field Deployment
- While the token is in play:
- British units within 6” suffer –1 Move (they’re guarding, hauling, arguing).
- If Māori reach the gun:
- Remove it and gain Glory / Mana.
SKIRMISH ORDER
This one is essential for NZ Wars.
Represents:
Adaptation — files opening out, men taking trees, junior NCO initiative.
When:
Declared at start of activation.
Rule:
- Place SKIRMISH ORDER token.
- Unit:
- Forms a loose line on table
- Moves at half speed
- May simultaneously Shoot with –1 die
- Gains:
- Improved Cover in bush or broken ground
- May ignore first point of movement penalty from terrain
Trade-off:
- Skirmishing units:
- Cannot Form Square
- Cannot use Bayonet Drill unless re-formed first
Re-forming:
- Spend an activation to remove Skirmish Order and return to close order.
Why it’s good design:
This becomes the British answer to Māori Run to Ground — not superior, just survivable.
HOW THESE TOKENS INTERACT (IMPORTANT)
| Situation | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Form Square vs Ambush | Square gets mauled |
| Skirmish Order vs Hidden Path | Cat-and-mouse |
| Fix Bayonets + Bayonet Drill | Decisive but risky |
| Bring Up the Guns | Shapes objectives |
| Call the Whānau vs Bayonet Drill | Momentum vs resilience |
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