Tom Jensen initially developed the Ukraine 2022 Tabletop Wargame in 2022 while living in Dunedin.
The game has since gained attention from Ukrainian soldiers and school teachers, leading to its incorporation into the country’s educational programme for high school students.
Mr Jensen left Dunedin last year to work in Auckland as a director and lead composer for a video game music company, while also handling inventory for a uniform company.
His passion for game design began in childhood when limited "computer time" led him to recreate games using paper and dice.
In 2016, he started publishing historically accurate wargames online, gaining a large following.
His most popular game, Missile Threat, depicting modern air combat, was played worldwide.
He published about 14 wargames on Wargame Vault, with profits donated to the Odessa Way Home Foundation, supporting those affected by war.
Mr Jensen’s interest in 20th-century conflicts and his close following of the Ukraine invasion inspired him to create the game.
Initial feedback on the game was mixed, he said.
Some appreciated the ability to simulate an ongoing conflict, while others found it distasteful.
"There is always an argument that playing a game based on a war is totally wrong, and I understand ... that.
"I don’t condone violence and would love if all countries could get along and we never have a war again but, unfortunately, it seems to be part of human nature," he said.
Concerns over "profiting off someone else’s tragedy" led Mr Jensen to take the game down.
Despite these concerns, the game found new life when Ukrainian soldiers contacted Mr Jensen, asking for permission to translate the game.
Mr Jensen provided the necessary materials for free, and the Militarnyi group completed the translation, allowing him to republish it online.
Later, a high school teacher from Kyiv reached out to Mr Jensen about using the game for educational purposes.
This interest led to the game being implemented in Ukraine’s "Defence of Ukraine" education initiative for students aged 15-17 in grades 10-11.
Mr Jensen had mixed feelings about his game’s new role.
"It’s great to see young people getting involved in wargames and amazing to see something I wrote on my living room floor become part of a country’s school system," he said.
However, he also recognised the ethical complexities of the situation.
"It’s concerning to see teenagers indoctrinated into warfare as part of their school system, but Ukraine is in a pretty dire situation.
"Any help they can get to be prepared to defend themselves is probably a good thing."
