Polynesians

The **Polynesians** are a culture group in *Wars of Liberty*. This islander culture debuted with the addition of the Maori civilization in the "Meri Kirihimete" update (1.0.13) in July of 2020. Polynesians, the collective name for the indigenous peoples that inhabit the thousands of islands in the Oceania region of the Pacific called Polynesia, are known for their strong navigation skills which let them explore and voyage to even the most remote islands of the Pacific.

## Overview

The ancient ancestors of the Polynesian peoples ventured out across the largest ocean in the world, using the sea, wind and stars to guide them. They explored and settled distant islands, scattered a third of the way around the planet. Over the centuries, these diverse islands evolved their own unique cultures, tribes and kingdoms.

*Wars of Liberty* is set at a critical time for the people of the Pacific: Strange ships, carrying people from the other side of the world, are arriving on the shores of once-isolated islands. They bring with them new crops, weapons, religions and diseases. The arrival of Europeans is both a threat and an opportunity to the rulers of the Polynesian nations. Will your civ grow strong from trade with the newcomers? Form an armed resistance and repel the invaders? Or be swept away in the rising tide of colonization?

The Polynesians' design feels similar to the Native Americans but with unique twists to emphasize their islander culture.  As with the Natives, their military forces have units armed with archaic weaponry like clubs and spears as well as some modern technology like muskets and cannons. The Polynesians have access to some of the buildings found across most civilizations (like the Livestock Pen, Trading Post, Temple, and Safehouse), as well as unique ones such as the Sandalwood Grove (grows trees to harvest for coin), Training Ground (a Barracks-type building that trains military and offers options to specialize and upgrade each unit). and the Free Port (offers Mercenaries and the ability to use shipments to get a limited amount of European ships and units).

## Features

* **Voyagers**: Seafaring is a major theme for the Polynesian civilizations. They age up by sending their Explorer-type unit on a Voyage. The further the voyage, the better the loot your explorer will bring back. Polynesians also do not require conventional docks: their villagers can train boats at any shoreline. In the late game they can construct a Free Port, where foreign warships and mercenaries can be hired. Additionally, Polynesians have special Home City cards which send extra units or resources at the cost of two shipments.

* **Manaism religion**: Each Polynesian civilization can choose Manaism for their religion and it offers a unique priest unit. For example, the Māori unique priest is called a Tohunga and is armed with a traditional Māori weapon for melee combat.

* **Unique Town Centers**: Each Polynesian civilization has a unique building (or buildings) which replaces the conventional Town Center. These may or may not perform the duties of a normal TC as well as provide unique abilities. For the Māori, these are their fortified villages, the Pā. For the upcoming Polynesians - wait and see.

* **Evolving Units**: The Polynesians have small but highly flexible unit rosters, upgrading via a “decision tree”. They share three basic infantry units (there is no cavalry! Horses and long sea-voyages don't mix) at Age II. At Age III, for each of these units, players must choose between one of two possible unique units for them to be upgraded to. In the next two ages, players must choose one of two possible upgrades for each of these units. The same shared unit could evolve into an anti-cavalry unit with high hitpoints in one game and a swift-moving raider with a high attack in the next.

* **Unique Food sources**: Each Polynesian civilization has a unique way of gathering Food in the late game. While they all share the same Coin building, the Sandalwood Grove, they each have a different building and/or additional method for securing a Food supply.

* **Big Button Techs**: Most Polynesian buildings may include a unique Big Button Technology (which provides powerful improvements, group of units, or resources) since the Māori have access to them.

* **Aging-up**: The Polynesians can Age-up by embarking on Voyages with their Explorer, which offer thematic destination choices with varying resource costs, completion times, and rewards. The rewards from Voyages are similar to those of other cultures' Age-ups, though in addition to crates and units the Polynesians can also get things like shipments, trees, mines, huntable animals, and pets like a dingo or orcas. This unique system does have a drawback, if your Explorer is taken down you won't be able to Age until you rescue him, and in the case of the Māori you lose out on their Explorer's special benefit (population space) for the duration of the voyage.

## Shared Units

* **Stone Thrower** - An archaic, slow moving and slow attacking ranged artillery unit.
* **Grapnel Ram** - An archaic, melee artillery unit. Need to deploy before attack.

## Gallery

The Polynesians are a culture of seafaring Voyagers and all their villagers can trait their naval unitsSince they have no traditional Dock, Fishing improvements can be found at their MarketPolynesians Age-up by choosing from a selection of Voyages

## Portals

* Civilizations
* Minor Allies
* Religions