Memoir '44

by Days of Wonder

Product Features

• 17 historical scenarios
• Easy to learn and fast-paced
• Historical World War II game

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 11.8 x 3 inches ; 0.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002TV2NS
• Item model number: DOW 7301
• Our recommended age: 8 years and up
• Manufacturer recommended age: 12 - 16 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,617 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Memoir '44 is a unique historical game from Days of Wonder where players command a horde of little plastic Army men facing-off in dozens of WWII battles on an oversize hex game board. Each battle scenario mimics the historical terrain, troop placements and objectives of each army. Deploying forces through a variety of Command cards, the smart commander uses the unique skills of his units to their greatest strength. Easy to learn and fast-paced, Memoir '44 requites strategic card play, timely dice rolling and an aggressive, yet flexible battle plan to achieve victory. There are 17 unique historical scenarios, including a monster-size double-board version of Omaha Beach. The game has a double-sided, three section board map of the battlefield, featuring beach landings and countryside terrain. There are 44 lavishly painted double-sided terrain hexes, along with the 3D miniatures and obstacles to go on them. Also included are 60 Command cards, including 20 WWII Tactics cards and 40 troop movement Section cards, and two Army bags of incredibly detailed miniatures. You also get a cardholder to share with your "command staff" and some time-saving Terrain summary cards.

Product Description

Memoir '44 is a unique historical game from Days of Wonder where players command a horde of little plastic Army men facing-off in dozens of WWII battles on an oversize hex game board. Each battle scenario mimics the historical terrain, troop placements and objectives of each army. Deploying forces through a variety of Command cards, the smart commander uses the unique skills of his units to their greatest strength. Easy to learn and fast-paced, Memoir '44 requites strategic card play, timely dice rolling and an aggressive, yet flexible battle plan to achieve victory. There are 17 unique historical scenarios, including a monster-size double-board version of Omaha Beach. The game has a double-sided, three section board map of the battlefield, featuring beach landings and countryside terrain. There are 44 lavishly painted double-sided terrain hexes, along with the 3D miniatures and obstacles to go on them. Also included are 60 Command cards, including 20 WWII Tactics cards and 40 troop movement Section cards, and two Army bags of incredibly detailed miniatures. You also get a cardholder to share with your "command staff" and some time-saving Terrain summary cards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intro to Wargaming, October 26, 2004

By 

Gary Grove "Wargamer" (Clinton, Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Memoir '44 (Toy)

I've been playing hundreds of wargames for over 35 years and this game is one of the best I've come across. My 13-year old daughter likes it too (she beats me regularly), and even my 20-something sons enjoyed playing. Memoir'44 has some subtle but effective wargaming tactics to it in the card play and movement of the units. The terrain pieces determine "kill zones" for units in overwatch and "sanctuaries" for spent units. My daughter caught on very fast and this is a wargame for people that would never play a complicated wargame like "Command Decision", but it still gives the grognard the "feel" of a real wargame. The games play out quickly also for time-contrained individuals. Up to 4 can play with one game, but for 4-6 players on two teams, buy 2 games and put them together for real command and control experiences. The game comes with over a dozen historical scenarios and many more are avaailable on the "Days of Wonder" website. The Memoir '44 website supports additional scenarios, FAQ, and player interaction. Highly Recommended. High replay value. There are many small plastic pieces and cardboard terrain pieces so small children should be monitored (as always).

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn a little history while you play with cool toy soldiers, June 24, 2006

By 

D. Edwards (Shoreline, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Memoir '44 (Toy)

Memoir '44 is a two player (more can play with additional copies) game about WWII ground combat in Europe, simple enough to be played by my six year old (with adult help) yet interesting enough to be enjoyed by those who are used to far more complex military simulations. Fast playing and good looking, it is fun and despite the simplicity, it retains a good historical and simulative flavor.

Memoir '44 uses small plastic figures to represent military units, that fight battles on a cardboard map with a hexagon grid superimposed over it. A deck of colorfuly illustrated cards drives the action, and combat is resolved with some nonstandard dice.

The figures include infantry, armor, artillery and some obstacles like barbed wire. They add a lot of visual oomph to the game, and will capture the imagination of anyone who has played "toy soldiers". The figures can represent squads to regiments or larger units, depending on the scenario being played.

The map is two sided, with one side featuring an invasion beach, and the other European countryside. The maps are customized for each scenario with large cardboad hexagon tiles, so environments from urban to rural can be represented. The map is good looking and practical, with hexes large enough to hold the multiple figures representing the forces involved.

The map is divided in to three zones: Left, right and center. The cards each player recieves allow the player to move and attack in one or all of these zones, adding uncertainty to the game. Attacks are resolved with specially marked six sided dice, and players win the game by inflicting losses on the enemy or taking key points on the map.

Most scenarios can be played in an hour or less, although setting up all those cool figures can take a half hour or so.

Veteran wargamers will find Memoir '44 a refreshingly fast playing and fun light game. It is suitable for players who have never played a wargame before, and anyone capable of grasping "Monopoly" should be OK with learning to play Memoir '44.

There are expansions available that bring this game system to the Eastern front and the Pacific.

My six year old boy enjoys the game, and even my wife will play it. A great game for those with any interest in learning about WWII history, or just seeking a fun, competitive game that is fast playing, often tense and looks really good sitting on your table.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Casual Wargamer's Cup o' Tea, July 23, 2008

By 

J. T. Flanik "professional eccentric" (Western WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Background: I have fond memories of spending New Years Eve with my buddies in HS sitting around (the original) Axis & Allies.

As much as I love Axis & Allies, the setup is tedious and the learning curve is steep; not a good combination for bringing new gamers into the fold. For someone who's interested in WWII and/or tabletop gaming, M'44 is a godsend.

M'44 is a tactical game covering some of the major battles of WWII, with expansions available for additional theaters of war. The game itself involves tiles (for a completely modular board), plastic minis (meeple = my people... moldiers = my soldiers? lol), special dice for combat, and cards for movement/abilities; four great tastes that taste great together.

The box itself feels pretty sturdy, and aside from some plastic to keep the cards, tiles, and chits from flying, the components came in little plastic trays and ready to play. No hours spent punching your units out from plastic sprues, here! The rulebook is of good quality, full-color, and easy to follow. The included scenarios are in the second half of the book.

Besides having rather simple rules, the game includes reference cards, so you can pull out just the ones for the terrain and units that you're using at the moment. Not since Carcassonne has a game been so easy for me to teach.

"That's all well and good, but is it fun to play?" YES. There's just the right mix of strategy and luck, so the games can be exciting. Come-from-behind victories are certainly possible. Also, games can go rather quickly. 30-60 minutes seems to be the norm with my friends; much better than all-day Axis & Allies affairs.

Almost like Chess, this game is easy to learn but leaves plenty of room for strategy. And with the various expansions, it can be as simple or complex as you'd like. If you're a fan of the subject-matter, this is a very good buy.



[Note: I realize that Axis & Allies is a strategic-level game, versus the tactical level of Memoir '44.]