Memoir '44 Base Game

This review is for the MEMOIR '44 base game also known as the core game. MEMOIR '44 is my favorite game of all time. Now let's find out why. MEMOIR '44 is a historically accurate World War II game that features the award-winning Command and Colors Card system. For those readers out of the loop, the Command and Colors system is a wargaming engine that is very practical, easy to understand and easy to teach to new players. The basic elements to the mechanics or engine of this game is a deck of COMMAND Cards (think military orders), which can be classified into SECTION Cards and TACTICS cards, and a set of special dice known as BATTLE DICE. In the Command and Colors System the battlefield is divided into a CENTER section, LEFT flank, and RIGHT flank. Section cards are used to allow the ordering of military unit(s) occupying one or more sections. For example, a LEFT section card will allow you to issue orders (move, battle) to units that find themselves on the LEFT section of the battlefield (the game board) and so on. On the other hand, TACTICS cards are not limited to any section of the battlefield and in general are treated and feel like special cards. Examples of the TACTICS cards include the coveted BEHIND ENEMY LINES card, the AIR POWER card, ARMOR ASSAULT card etc... the latter allows you to issue orders to up to four (4) tank units anywhere on the battlefield and if attacking in Close Assault, the tank units roll with an extra battle die. I would say that is pretty powerful right there... I can hear the revving of the diesel and gasoline engines and the tank tracks rolling over the French countryside in 1944. With the mechanics of the game explained, the MEMOIR '44 base game here provides you with a very clear set of instructions and SEVENTEEN (17) different scenarios to try out your Arm-Chair General skills. SIXTEEN (16) of said scenarios are standard and require what you have in the box. The SEVENTEENTH (17th) scenario is called OMAHA BEACH - OVERLORD VERSION. Overlord here simply means you will require a second copy of the base game to be able to set up and properly play this scenario. What's in the box? 1 double-sided Battlefield board map 144 Axis and Allies Army Pieces including INFANTRY, ARMOR (TANKS), ARTILLERY 36 Obstacles including BARBED WIRE, CZECH HEDGEHOGS (ANTI TANK OBSTACLE), SANDBAGS 44 Terrain Tiles including FORESTS, HEDGEROWS, RIVERS, HILLS, VILLAGES, ETC... 60 Command Cards (MILITARY ORDERS) 9 Summary Cards (CHEAT SHEETS) 8 Battle Dice (SPECIAL DICE) 2 Card Holders 1 Rules & Scenario Booklet After becoming addicted to MEMOIR '44, you can expand your gaming experience with the following expansions to the MEMOIR '44 base game: 1) BREAKTHROUGH: This expansion offers deeper maps and a more in-depth experience of MEMOIR '44 2) WINTER WARS: This expansion brings the BREAKTHROUGH deck to the battlefield. This is what I call the third-generation set of COMMAND cards. 3) The Army packs: These expansions include EASTERN FRONT, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER, PACIFIC THEATER 4) SPECIAL OPERATIONS expansion packs: These really do bring MEMOIR '44 to a new level. You can lay a minefield to stop a column of enemy tanks from overrunning your position, drop your paratroopers deep beyond the front line for a surprise attack, request close air support before sending in your tanks and infantry into heavily defended territory, and send field medics to evacuate weakened units from the battlefield. To conclude, I highly recommend purchasing this game. For the price, what you get inside this box is worth its weight in gold. This is an amazing game focusing on the Second World War and using a fantastic and brilliant game system. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Title says it all. This is a good bridge of tactical play laying somewhere between Axis and Allies and Tide of Iron. You can learn it in about 15 minutes. Games can last between 20 minutes to 60+, depending on size and player speed. The rectangular, double sided (beach on one side, green field on the other) hex-board is divided into 3 sections, modified with hex tile pieces that have certain effects on movement and attack/defense, and you draw cards to for a hand that allows you to perform actions with units in specific sectors, or to perform specialized attacks with on and off-table units. The scenario book is loaded with setups, and its not hard to create your own balanced scenarios by simply approximating one army to the other in terms of unit number and type, and using the map tiles to place obstacles and features where needed. Conflict is resolved by rolling dice, with certain symbols on the dice determining hits, misses, and what type of unit it can damage. There is a fair amount of uncertainty in this game, just like real battle, as your options depend heavily on the cards you draw from your attack deck, and of course rolling dice is random-ish, but there is structure to the probabilities these dice provide. It's not impossible to formulate a strategy, and its actually fun to be forced to work with what you've got. This is a pretty sanitized version of war, no gore, no profanity. Wouldn't shy away from playing with kids who are interested. a second set can be purchased for playing large games by placing boards end to end. These are called overlord scenarios and as of this review, they have made the rules for playing this mode available online. I've had a lot of fun playing this one, and I really enjoy it with the 'New Flight Plan' expansion, but it's solid on its own merit.

I just received this game yesterday and at first glance it is beautiful. From the art work to the miniatures to the cards are all done right and made to last. I have yet to play it but I am sure I will enjoy the game play. Where this game falls short for me, and I have seen one other comment like it, is when I went to set up the first scenario I realized I didn't have enough terrain counters to make the two rivers and the lake and to have 4 town/villages. Along with terrain tiles they did not add enough hedgehogs to each army to set up either side. I flipped through the book and found maybe 2 or 3 scenarios that can be completed based on the terrain tiles that come with the game. I am currently (as I type this I am flipping back and forth with the DOW forum) on the DOW forum attempting to find out why this is and what I apparently need to purchase next (a little pissed about that as I purchased the game, $50 and now possibly another $30) should be. This is the reason it is getting the 3 stars...if DOW doesnt have a good fix for this or a good explanation as to why I have to use Ally equipment on the Axis side or why I have to pretend there is a river running through the board I will be returning this expecting a full refund. I would take this as a buyer beware review. I feel I do an extensive amount of research before I purchase a game but I apparently failed on this one. **UPDATE** So after jumping on the DOW forums and asking around and one nasty email to DOW I have concluded that their instructions do not state that certain tiles can be used as other tiles listed in the instructions...So after getting off work and sitting down again to set up a scenario I found all the tiles are there to do the majority of the scenarios in the book. I did find out from the forum the equipment pieces are not army specific, even though they are grey and green, so I will be hitting the green ones with a coat of grey primer. I am changing my review from a 3 to a 5 (would have done a 4.5 because I have not actually played a game yet). Purchase this game! If you have kids it will be a great educational tool to teach about the accomplishments of arguably the greatest generation in our countries history. DOW really knocked it out of the park!

Memoir '44 is a masterful blend of historical accuracy, strategic depth, and engaging gameplay that offers an exceptional World War II board gaming experience. It's a sort of cross-over wargame/boardgame which fans of either genre should enjoy. 1. Historical Immersion: Memoir '44 does an excellent job of recreating key battles of World War II. The scenarios are well-researched and based on actual historical events, which adds a rich layer of authenticity to the game. History buffs will appreciate the attention to detail and the opportunity to replay significant moments from the war. 2. Accessible yet Deep Mechanics: The game’s rules are straightforward and easy to learn, making it accessible for new players while still providing enough strategic depth to keep seasoned gamers engaged. The command card system is ingenious, requiring players to make tactical decisions and manage their resources effectively. The balance between simplicity and complexity is perfectly struck. 3. High-Quality Components: Days of Wonder has outdone themselves with the quality of the game’s components. The miniatures, including tanks, soldiers, and artillery, are detailed and durable. The double-sided game board and beautifully illustrated terrain tiles enhance the visual appeal and overall immersion of the game. 4. Engaging Scenarios: With numerous scenarios included in the base game and many more available through expansions, Memoir '44 offers endless replayability. Each scenario presents unique challenges and strategic considerations, ensuring that every game feels fresh and exciting. The variety of scenarios also allows players to experience different aspects of World War II combat. 5. Strategic Depth and Replayability: The game’s combination of card-driven commands and dice-based combat results in a highly strategic experience with a touch of luck. Players must adapt to the ever-changing battlefield conditions and make critical decisions that will impact the outcome of the game. The variability in scenarios and the unpredictable nature of battles provide immense replayability. Awesome number of expansions available. 6. Solo and Multiplayer Options: While Memoir '44 shines as a two-player game, it also accommodates solo play and multiplayer scenarios with ease. The game’s design allows for cooperative and competitive play, making it a versatile addition to any board game collection. The Overlord expansion even enables epic battles with multiple players on each side. 7. Educational Value: In addition to being an entertaining game, Memoir '44 serves as an excellent educational tool. Players learn about historical events, military strategies, and the complexities of warfare. The game encourages critical thinking and strategic planning, making it a valuable resource for both casual and educational settings. Summary: Memoir '44 is a standout board game (or introductory wargame) that offers a thrilling and immersive World War II experience. Its combination of historical accuracy, strategic depth, and high-quality components makes it a must-have for any board game enthusiast. Whether you’re a history buff, a strategy game lover, or simply looking for an engaging and educational game, Memoir '44 delivers on all fronts. Highly recommended!

Great game lot of fun good quality

I really enjoy WW2 games. From super complex paper chit and map games to roll the dice battle games like War At Sea. I cringed to buy this at first because it's Days of Wonder, which makes me think of smallworld, which makes me think of light-hearted party games. Those have their place, but not in a WW2 setting. (Though DoW does make Five Tribes, which is a great strategy game). Plus, the art on the box... yikes. Is it for 12 year olds? So, took the dive anyway. It's actually pretty enjoyable. A scenario can be played after learning in an hour. The quality of the board and the terrain tiles really impressed me. It's always frustrating when a terrain tile doesn't fully fit on a hex, then an entire row of the tiles being a little off and sliding around millimeter by millimeter drives me crazy. But the die cuts on my copy were perfect. I've honestly never seen anything like it. Great work there. The models were unexpected to me, you get tons of them. I'd put the model quality at a B+ or A-. Fairly historically accurate, but the finishing in mass quantity was a little rough. Gameplay is simple and it keeps the action moving forward. There's not a long wait for each player to take a turn. Sometimes you get beat by your own command cards leaving you with very little to do, but I enjoy some variation and randomness to the games I play. If you don't like randomness and just enjoy pure strategy, you probably won't like this game. The art on the command cards btw... awful. Like the art chosen for the box cover. Bad pick imo. The rules are fairly easy to comprehend quickly and the command cards that you use every turn to take your action are simple to understand. All in all, pretty much what I was hoping for in it as a 2 player war game. Not too long, not too rough to set up, and strategy is deceptively important. I was also impressed that even though historically in some of the scenarios one side was obviously supposed to win, they did a good job of giving both sides an opportunity for victory so one player doesn't have to sarcastically feel like 'Oh great, this is going to be a FUN hour...' when the sides are decided. Good buy, slightly more expensive than I prefer for the play time it's going to get, but it'll be a good one to whip out on game night when that one buddy is there early and we know the other one arrives an hour late.

Memoir '44 is an nice entry level war game. All of the pieces are constructed nicely. The board is nice and thick with a matte finish. The only thing I wasn't in love with was the dice. The corners are sharp and not rounded. I found someone on the bay selling loose dice from the Operation Overlord expansion, which are wooden with rounded corners, and they are much more suitable for wooden tabletops. Overall the game is a joy to play. It is a good thing the game comes with plenty of scenarios because nearly all the expansions are out of print, which is a shame. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to tryout tabletop war gaming and/or if you have younger ones you'd like to include in your tabletop adventures. Special note: I'd like to personally thank the Amazon employee who packed my game. Because of your lack of caring and having absolutely no sense of pride in your work, the corner of the box was slightly damaged, crumpling part of the game tray on the inside. Memoir '44 - 5 stars. Amazon packaging - 0 stars.

Memoir '44 has become a major franchise for its publisher, Days of Wonder. It is a "relatively" simple war game based off of real World War II battles. The base game comes with a double-sided board (field or beach), terrain tiles, battle medals, battle dice, and of course the battle pieces (infantry, artillery, tanks, and other things like sandbags and barbed wire). There are command cards that you draw that allow you to move units and have them attack. First of all, for serious war gamers, this is not the kind of game they will enjoy. It is too "light." It is meant for regular board game players and does not require hours and hours just to learn how to play the game. But that's the appeal! So this game is targeted at people who like the idea of war games, but find the serious war games too complex or difficult. Nonetheless, this game does have a learning curve. If you have never played a war game, it takes a bit of time to learn how different units move and fight, how terrain affects game play. I would say that the first game is going to be just figuring out the mechanics. The second, third, and even fourth games will getting in the groove of playing. You will continue to discover little rules that you didn't know about. Once you've played it a dozen times you might finally know all the rules. Secondly, this game is really well designed. Some people complain about the randomness of it (based on dice rolling or card drawing) but there is still a lot of strategy involved. Sometimes you can do something seemingly suicidal and your opponent either doesn't have the cards or can't get the die roll to stop you. That's luck. But stuff like that can happen in real battles. Sometimes you get lucky and one guy can take out three tanks. But you cannot win this game purely on luck. The game is really well designed with quality plastic miniatures. The artillery pieces seem really flimsy, but the rest are quite good. There is a good variety of command cards (though some can be confusing at first). The best part is having several different scenarios to play. I've even played the same scenario two times in a row (without switching sides) and had different results. So there is a lot of replay value here. Of course, you can also go onto Days of Wonder's website and find even more. The game also has many expansions, so if you like it, there are tons of other options to expand out to. Highly recommended!

Si quieres empezar en el múndo de los wargame y juegos de mesa modernos sin gastarte una fortuna, y con mecanicas sencillas y divertidas, este juego es para tí. Sin duda un juego de guerra sencillo, fapido, facil y a la vez entretenido y divertido. Las mecanicas son sencillas y las posibilidades casi infinitas. Lo recomiendo completamente.

Fantastic game, especially such an old one, it still holds up. Simple enough you can start playing fairly quickly, yet with enough depth and scenarios, including user made (and your own if you feel like creating them), that you won't get bored anytime soon. Highly recommend.

I started playing this game way before I ever purchased it for myself. Back then I never struggled in learning the mechanics behind this game. Although you may have very complex strategies for winning, the game itself is quite simple in design. If you play the encounters in order you never become overwhelmed with new gameplay mechanics. Very well designed and definitely recommend.

Awesome game

Ein Rezensent urteilte hier über Memoir 44: Das Spiel sei das Fastfood unter der Konfliktsimulationen. Ich finde den Vergleich gar nicht so schlecht. Wärend die Aussage aber ursprünglich eher negativ gemeint war, sehe ich gerade hier den Vorteil von Memoir. Klar, dass ein Gourmet bei einem einfachen Burger mit Pommes die Nasen rümpfen wird. Klar ist aber auch, dass Burger und Pommes trotzdem verdammt lecker sein können. Die Frage ist doch: Hab ich Appetit darauf? Wer gerne lange Nächte mit qualmenden Kopf über Taktiken brütet, mit mehreren Mitspielern Angriffspläne austüftelt und Freude an einem detaillierten Regelwerk hat, kommt bei Memoir eben nicht voll auf seine Kosten. Ich liebe auch komplizierte Strategiespiele. Memoir ist aber ein Spiel mit einfach Regeln, das schnell und zügig das Spielen mehrere Szenarien erlaubt. Ein einziger Mitspieler reicht und es kann los gehen. Für mich ist es das perfekte Strategiespiel für zwischendurch. Denn ein gutes Spiel ist ein Spiel, das man spielt. Der sehr variable Spielaufbau insbesondere in Verbindung mit den Erweitertungen bietet ein hohes Maß an Abwechslung. Der Aufbau der Szenarien geht, wenn man erstmal ein wenig Übung hat, ziemlich fix. Zusammen mit den qualitativ hochwertigen Plastikfiguren macht das Spiel auch optisch etwas her. Klar ist auch, dass das Spiel einen relativ hohen Glücksfaktor hat. Da ein Spiel aber so schnell vorbei ist, kann man sehr viele Schlachten und ganze Kampagnen durchspielen und da ist es nur eine Frage der Zeit bis sich die bessere Strategie durchsetzt und schlechte Würfelwürfe ins Hintertreffen geraten. Zu den Mechanismen des Spiels haben andere schon viel geschrieben. An dieser Stelle: Gerade auch durch die Erweiterungen werden viele neue kleine Regeln und besondere Einheiten sowie spezielles Terrain eingeführt, die den Schlachten durchaus zusätzliche Spieltiefe geben. Hierbei wird das Spiel aber keineswegs verkompliziert. Alles bleibt übersichtlich, schnell und einfach handhabbar. Um im Bild zu bleiben: Ein Burger mit ganz besonders leckerer Sauce.