A MAORI WARS QUARTET

Maori Wars Quartet by Nick Stock (NZ)

The following four scenarios are all based on incidents in the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s. In these wars, the Colonial Government, sometimes assisted with varying degrees of enthusiasm by British Imperial Troops and friendly natives, engaged a variety of Maori opponents, ranging from the well organised King Movement of the Waikato to inspirational leaders such as Titokowaru and Te Kooti. The actions were usually small, and often confused by difficult terrain, recreating well on a one to one basis.

Representing the Maori

Finding suitable figures to represent the Maori could provide one of the most interesting challenges of the period. Maori could wear native or European dress or a combination. They were armed to personal choice. Shotguns (tupara) were particularly popular, otherwise warriors were well equipped with muzzle loading rifles and muskets. Close combat weapons include the traditional greenstone mere, and iron hatchets. For figures, raid collections of Apaches and other American Indians, rougher looking gunfighters, and consider some of the Darkest Africa figures (Ruga Ruga, Askaris etc) or even ragged confederates from the ACW. Maoris generally held the initiative at a tactical level, and count as "Indians" for the purposes of TRWNN. They may have "citizens" to represent non combatants (such as old people and women) who occasionally became caught up in the fighting.

Representing the Government Troops

Government troops included, at various stages, British Regulars, RN storming parties, various colonial militia with colourful titles (and histories) such as the Forest Rangers and the Colonial Defence Cavalry. In addition, Government forces were supplemented by friendly Maori, some uniformed and equipped as semi-regular kupapa. Armament was very variable for some of the militia forces at the start. Revolvers were a favoured weapon for storming parties, whilst the muzzle loading Enfield Rifle was the main firearm. The Forest Rangers acquired bowie knives and the Terry & Callisher breechloading carbine as more suitable for "close terrain". For figures, Crimean War, Indian Mutiny and ACW, together with civilians from the Old West or Franco Prussian era, should offer plenty of choice. Most regulars and uniformed troops fought in blue serge field uniforms with a pillbox hat (or bareheaded). Shirt sleeves were common in warm weather. Officers, as in other periods, wore what they wanted. Some units trended towards Maori dress (eg flax skirts), and dress tended to disintegrate after a few weeks in rough terrain.

Representing New Zealand

Much of New Zealand was covered by dense bush (Woods in TRWNN). Almost all the vegetation is evergreen. If you have a few palm trees, mix these in to represent tree ferns, nikau palms and cabbage trees. European buildings should be of the normal colonial type (ie wooden weatherboard), often whitewashed. Sod cottages and raupo huts (a type of reed thatching) were also common as quick shelter. Maori buildings "whares" were generally quite low to the ground, with thick rooves of raupo and flax. Maori earthworks (pa) were often quite well developed (ACW or WWI trench lines would do) although instead of barbed wire they used high barriers - pekerangi - of wooden stakes, planted quite close together (but with gaps wide enough to fire or even push through).

The Scenarios

The Camerontown Raid, 7th September 1863

Escape from Orakau Pa, 2nd April 1864

Gate Pa, 29th April 1864

Fight in the Fog - Tapapa - 25th January 1870

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