Memoir 44 - Me vs Dad

Memoir 44 is a pretty rad game. It is a World War 2 strategy game that uses the Colors & Commands system. It is ridiculously simply to play.

Plus look at all that!!


They include several reference cards and that literally tells you everything you need to know to jump right in and play. Also, the box actually was made to hold everything in nice compartments. So even when all the pieces are unpacked you have places to put them where they will fit nicely and neatly. I wish more games would this this. I am looking at you FFG!

Anyway, Memoir 44 comes with a bunch of scenarios. One of them is Omaha Beach and offers rules and such on using 2 boards to get the full experience.

Not Omaha, I know

The really amazing thing about this game is the fact that despite it being very simple, it also has a good amount of tactical depth to it. The board is separated into 3 sections and board is made up of hexes. When you choose your scenario you set it up as shown in the easy to see picture using terrain hexes and place the units in their starting places. Then you wage WAR!!!!

Sword beach scenario ready to go!

You play cards to order around your various soldiers and tanks. For example there are Recon cards that might saying "Order 1 unit in the center." Then you would order perhaps an infantry unit to advance or maybe fire on an adjacent unit. There are also special cards like Infantry Assault or Barrage that allow other effects and such.

 

But it is important to not that once you use a card and make your turn, you discard that card and draw from the Command deck .

Everything is explained on the cards. Again, very simple and very fun I might add.

I got to play with my dad last night. I honestly don't spend enough time with my dad. I kind of don't know him all that much, but that's because he is the guy that kept the family fed and in a house. He travels a lot for his work. A few years ago he started working from home and that was very nice, but I was moving out as well.

Now I have a set schedule so I am trying to make more time for the important people in my life. So we played the self described introductory scenario for Memoir 44.

And it was great. Not only cause it was good game, but because it was with my dad who seemed genuinely excited when he was making an assault on Pegasus bridge and taking it or when he Ambushed my Close Assault and completely trounced me. I think out of the 8 or so games I have played of Memoir 44 I have lost 7 of them. But it was a fun game and I was glad it was with my dad.

He said he would like to play again.