Walt Mulder - May 26, 2004 9:15 pm (#20095 Total: 20100)   
   
...semper lusio    
 
Memoir 44 Preview

For those that don't get into the specific game folders or over to the
geek that often, here's a reprint of the preview I posted there on
Memoir 44 OotW. Not only is it OotW, but it's OtT and probably will be
for a while. I'll be demo-ing the game tomorrow evening (Thursday) at
Z-Games over in Vancouver (WA) if you're in the area. 

"It’s not often that I can actually preview a game before its official
release date. I was lucky to be in a pre-release group that got the game
in advance to sort out any questions or problems that might have been
overlooked. So does this fortune make me biased in any way towards the
game? Heck no, I’ve been waiting for this game ever since Battle Cry
first came out and am thankful it’s finally seen the light over the
gaming table. 

For those unfamiliar with Richard Borg’s Battle Cry this preview will
probably be of interest. For all of you who know and love the game
Battle Cry and/or are familiar with the Command & Colors system, just
skip to the last paragraph where I lavish the most praise on this game
and recommend its purchase. 

Now if you’re still reading, you must either like my prose (for which I
thank you) or you’ve been too lazy to head over to either Days of
Wonder’s web site or the official web site http://www.memoir44.com that
covers everything you’d ever want to know about this game and more. But
since you’re already here and reading, I’ll try to limit redundancy and
keep it interesting. So please keep reading. 

The quality of the components is what you would expect from a Eurogame.
This one was published “over there” and does not disappoint. The terrain
hex tiles fall out of the cardboard holder with ease and are nice and
thick, the board is beautifully illustrated, thick, and double sided,
and the plastic miniatures are wonderfully detailed. The images found on
the web don’t do them justice until you actually see them up close. I
was fully expecting the size and detail for tanks and infantry of the
type found in Hasbro’s Axis & Allies games. To my pleasant surprise,
these are much larger and more detailed. As an added bonus, there are
also miniatures of certain terrain fortifications such as wire,
sandbags, and dragon teeth (tank hindering devices). The two tank types
represented are Sherman’s and Panzer IV’s. The artillery units are the
same for both sides and modeled from the PaK 40 that was used in both an
artillery and anti-tank role. Infantry is found with different guns and
poses for each side, though the Allied side represents all coalition
forces. Best of all, the miniatures are all in a bag with no need for
spending time trimming them off plastic trees. The rulebook is a work of
art with full color laminated pages and plenty of photos and examples.
You won’t be disappointed with it either. The cards are likewise
detailed in full color, laminated, and the size of standard playing
cards. Eight dice are included that were designed for this game. No
stickers to place on the die faces are required since they’re already
imprinted with the required symbols. One side of the board is generic
terrain while the other depicts a generic ocean/beach scene. The box
size is what I consider to be a Eurogame standard square style about
three inches high. It’s the same type Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder),
Domaine (Mayfair), or Lord of the Rings (FFG) comes in so lots of
different US game manufacturers are using this style now. It has a nice
holder inside for the cards, units, and extras with the board fitting
nicely into the top. 

The scenarios (17 at this time with more on the way) range from the
initial glider landings by the British to take Pegasus Bridge and the US
Ranger drops onto St. Mere Eglise to St. Vith in the Ardennes and
Monty’s botched folly “Market Garden” with an Arnhem Bridge scenario.
Each scenario gives a brief historical description of the events and
forces portrayed along with any special rules or rule changes. Victory
conditions change from one scenario to the next depending on what
occurred or what the objective was. This is all pretty standard faire.
With a scenario editor currently in working status and on it’s way to
the Days of Wonder website, there will be an unending supply of battles
to recreate. There is a plan to charge a nominal fee to become a
registered user of the scenario editor when it is revealed. Better news
is that it will probably be free for anyone registering a 2nd copy of
the games purchase. This is a nice feature for those players and
grognards that will really want to get into the game and create their
own scenarios. For the average family player, you’ll be getting a great
game right out of the box with no need for additional bells and
whistles. Now I’ll be a bit lazy and tell you to check out the Memoir 44
website for the full list of scenarios. When you get there, you’ll find
there’s already a special “Overlord” supplement available for download
that allows 2 games and boards to be linked together to create larger
scenarios. 

“All right, enough of the fluff; so how’s it play?” It plays simple,
fun, and fast. Again, if you’re a Battle Cry fan, you’ll feel right at
home with a few new minor changes to capture the WWII flavor. Command
Cards drive the system. The battlefield (board) is divided into three
areas: a right, center, and left flank. Large hexes (9x13) create the
battle field with individual terrain hex overlays. Each player receives
a variable hand of cards from a common deck as determined by the
scenario. Players alternate playing cards one at a time from their hands
to give orders to units on the board. There are 40 cards that will allow
you to give orders to units in a particular board section. These range
from a recon team of 1 unit to an all out assault allowing action by all
units in a given section. Some cards allow one or two units in each
section to activate, move and combat. Then there are 20 special cards in
the deck that provide the true flavor to the game. (HINT: Go to the
website to view many of these cards ya lazy Sad Sack. Tell em Kilroy
sent you!) Each unit has a designated movement and combat capability.
Some can move and fight; some can only do one or the other. And of
course some attack better than others or defend better depending on the
type of terrain they occupy. The terrain is fairly generic but
substantial enough to create the setting for any given engagement. New
concepts such as “close combat” and “overruns” have been added to the
game play mechanics. Infantry can now occupy vacated enemy hexes by
advancing into them following combat. Armor units can do the same but
can also continue to attack one more time. Artillery packs a punch and
doesn’t require “line of sight”. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with
some of these terms. They’re all explained in detail and very few
questions will arise during play. If they do, Days of Wonder is already
working on a FAQ to address that possibility. Dice are rolled to
determine the outcome of an attack. Rolling a die face with the proper
unit symbol will inflict a casualty on the enemy. Finally, players score
victory points by either eliminating enemy units and/or taking certain
victory locations (and holding them). Once the scenario’s victory
conditions are met, the game ends and a winner declared. This usually
all occurs in under 45 minutes per scenario. 

It’s all really a “Beer and Pretzel” affair or, since this game starts
off in Normandy, a “Wine and Cheese” rendezvous. Grognards beware:
simplicity lies ahead. Either accept this game for what it is or retreat
back into a comfortable reading of Advanced Squad Leader rules.
Actually, I love war games but I probably don’t fit the definition of a
true Grognard though I like to think of myself as an amateur history
aficionado. Memoir 44 deals with a simple representation of units,
capabilities, and events. It will present you with plenty of strategy
and decision making on how to advance in achieving your objective or
when to pull back and regroup. There is however plenty of luck present,
both in what cards are drawn and whether the dice results are going your
way. Sometimes you’re going to have to live with the fact that your
Sherman tanks, rolling 4 dice with a bonus at point blank range,
couldn’t so much as put a dent in the rear of a sole remaining Panzer
they were firing at. Who knows… maybe Oddball was using paint that time
(and those were Tigers)! Anyway, much of this luck can be mitigated
through smart play (unlike my recent games against my son, where I play
the Germans and there’s no question to why they lost the war). But luck
is to be expected in a game like this. It’s not about what they could
have put into the game, but rather why things were intentionally chosen
to be left out. Memoir 44 is not a simulation nor will it recreate all
aspects of a given battle or combat situation. Richard Borg’s Command &
Colors system was never intended to do that. It does allow for sound
principles of war to be applied and provides a reasonable chance for
either side to win with an edge going to the better player. Just think
of any luck present as the uncertainties of war. Sure, this all sounds
pretty general and simplistic but, in reality, this game is targeted at
the mass market. It’s meant to appeal to the family gamer as well as the
seasoned war gamer. It is even being used as an introductory learning
tool in grade schools exposing kids to the history of the enclosed
battles. Plus, the WWII theme is much more interesting historically to
most people than any other war. 

If you like to tinker with games, you’ll be in tinker heaven with this
one. Much like the previous Battle Cry, this game lends itself wide open
to house rules and variants. I’m happy enough to play the game as it is,
but it’s never stopped me from developing my own house rules to enhance
my satisfaction. One terrain type lacking in Memoir 44 is “roads”. I
understand their omission but it’s not enough to stop me from designing
road tiles and house rules for some homegrown scenarios. Aside from
tinkering with the game, it really leaves itself wide open for future
expansions such as the African deserts or steppes of Russia. How about
an M42: the Russian Campaign or an M41: the Afrika Corp, or maybe an
M45: Pacific island hopping. My guess is that if this game does well in
sales and popularity, we’ll be seeing a lot more from this system but
I’m probably getting ahead of myself. 

The whole intent of this preview was to get you thinking whether you’d
be interested in this game or better off with a GMT product (unsolicited
plug). So here’s my overall assessment as promised to those who skipped
down to the last paragraph. I’m betting that if you're a "Beer and
Pretzel" fan you’ll want this one bad, and maybe two or three. Speaking
of GMT, they are developing Richard Borg’s Command & Colors game
centered on Ancients type battles, but that’s information for a
different preview (or, just visit their web site). For Memoir 44, my db
rating on this one bends the Mulder Meter off the scale. This is a “must
buy” game. Put it on your Christmas wish list, request it as a birthday
present, stand on a street corner with a sign reading “will work for a
copy of M-44”. But please don’t do anything illegal to get it. I’m sure
once you purchase and play it, you won’t be disappointed. This one won’t
stay on your shelf gathering dust. Cheers and good gaming." 

Walt M. 
 
From: "mongoose01ca" <pkorner-U2XT7ciQrQL3fQ9qLvQP4Q@public.gmane.org>
Subject: Memoir '44 - First Impression and Question (Longish)

All;

I had a chance to put my advance copy of Memoir '44 through its paces 
last night, and thought I'd share my impressions with y'all.  Here's 
the link... just kidding, stop hyperventilating now. :)

First off, the components are gorgeous, as is usual with DoW.  Time 
from tear-off-the-shrinkwrap to pieces-all-punched-and-ready-to-play 
was less than five minutes, a welcome change from Battle Cry's 2+ 
hours.  My only beef is that the somewhat fragile artillery units are 
massed in with the tanks and infantry, making some barrels look less 
than safe to shoot, if you know what I mean.  Nothing a little 
corrective bending couldn't solve, and thankfully the plastic is a 
soft rubbery kind that doesn't fatigue or snap easily.

Oh, and one of my Allied tanks came without a turret.  Oh well, call 
it battle damage. :)

We played two scenarios twice each, switching sides as the rules 
recommend.  The first one was Pegasus Bridge, scenario #1 in the 
rulebook.  First game, the Allies won handily.  Second game, the 
Allies won handily.  But with the poor German forces outnumbered 
nearly two to one, that's pretty much what you'd expect, save some 
crappy card drawing by the Allied player and some fortunate rolling 
by the Axis.

We thought, hmm.  That scenario obviously favours the Allies.  Let's 
try another.  And chose Omaha Beach, scenario #5 in the book.  First 
game, the Axis won handily.  Second game, the Axis won handily.  The 
reason this time?  Those blasted bunkers that line the bluff.  
They're murder, pure and simple.

Even though all four games were pretty lopsided, both of us were left 
wanting to go again, as the game has that elusive "let's play that 
again" quality to it.  It's very simply a blast to play, and we had a 
ton of fun even when we were getting hammered.

We did run into a question, though:

Hills along the beach in the Omaha scenario are considered bluffs and 
take two moves to get to from an adjacent hex.  They also have the 
standard -1 battle modifier against Infantry and Armor.

Bunkers count as defensive positions for the player that the rules 
identify - in the Omaha scenario, it's the Axis, natch.  They have a -
1 modifier against attacking Infantry and a -2 modifier against 
attacking Armor.  No effect against Artillery.

Infantry roll 3 dice when adjacent to their target, 2 when one hex 
away, and 1 when two hexes away (3,2,1).  Armor roll three dice 
against any target they are adjacent to, one hex or two hexes away 
from (3,3,3).

So what happens when Infantry or Armor attacks a Bunker on a Hill (of 
which there are four in Omaha)?  We played that the net battle dice 
reduction is 2 against Infantry and 3 against Armor, which is simple 
arithmetic - just add the Hill and Bunker modifiers together.  This 
means that Armor cannot attack the bunkers at all!  Is that right?

It also means that the Bunkers are an auto-loss for any Allied 
commander who doesn't draw any/many of the special Tactics cards.  
Without the die bonuses that some of them impart, going up aginst 
those fortified positions is like leading lambs to the slaughter.  
And I'd be just a bit concerned if the Allied winning strategy for 
this scenario boiled down to "draw better cards and roll better 
dice".  I sincerly hope that we played something wrong, since playing 
the Germans at Omaha was like being teenagers vs. toddlers in the 
sandbox.

But I still say this game is, hands down, an improvement over Battle 
Cry.  There's just more variety in the cards, more special troops, 
more special conditions, more bits that make things interesting.

pk



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