Way back in Expansion #7, I mentioned 4 games that all use the same battle system and were designed by the same person.  This system has come to be known as the Commands & Colors system, after the third game in the series, Commands & Colors: Ancients.  Later, when we got to the Top 51 (Expansion #17),  I mentioned that I was planning on covering BattleLore in an upcoming two-player series.  We're here, this is the last entry in this incarnation of the two-player series, and I'm sorry to tell you that BattleLore has been pushed into another series.  There are a few reasons, most notably that I've found that it's not the best for teaching the system due to some additions.  I also mentioned a wargame from the C&C system that I may cover if I do a war series.  Well, I still have no plans for a war series, but I'm going to cover this one anyway.  It's been called the simplest to understand, it has legions of fans, and it seems to be a gateway to bigger wargames.  It's also a two-player game, so, despite my unwillingness to get mired in the wargame world, here comes Memoir '44.


(BGG image by user Erich)

Memoir '44 was first published in 2004 from designer Richard Borg.  It's published by Days of Wonder, and can be played by two or in teams of up to three each.  It was the second game to use the particular combat system, following Battle Line (2000).  As the title and cover suggest, the game is about World War II as the Allies invaded France around D-Day, June 6, 1944.  The rules are actually fairly simple to explain, but it's the variability of the scenarios that keep people coming back.


(BGG image by user Solamar)

The game comes with a lot of high quality components, something we come to expect from Days of Wonder.  Each player will get their own set of miniatures, green for the Allied player and blue-gray for the Axis player.  This includes 42 infantry, 24 tanks (armor), 6 cannons (artillery), 18 man-made obstacles, and 3 cardholder sections.  There are 60 cards that will be used during the game, section (movement) and tactic (special) cards.  There are also reference cards about the various types of units and terrains.  Speaking of terrains, there are 44 double-sided terrain hexes, representing the terrain types of forest, hedgerows, hills, rivers, and towns.  There are 10 double-sided victory medals and 14 special forces badges.  You also get four bridge/bunker tiles and eight six-sided Battle dice.  The board is double-sided, with the beach on one side and the countryside on the other.


(BGG images by user EndersGame)

As you see, the boards each are divided into three sections by a red line.  During the game, players will be on opposite sides, and each player will have a left flank, a center, and a right flank.  This will be important when ordering your troops.

Also, on each side of the board is a rack for you to collect victory medals.  Most scenarios have a goal of collecting 4-6 victory medals in order to win.  I'll get into how those are won later.

The set-up for the game will vary depending on which scenario you choose.  I'll give you examples of a couple momentarily, but for now, here's the general rules of set-up.

1. Pick a scenario.
2. Put the board in the center of the table with the appropriate side up.
3. Place hexes according to the scenario.
4. Place any fixed and removable obstacles, if any.
5. Place figures on the board according to the positions on the scenario map.  An artillery unit is usually made up of 2 units, an armor unit of 3, and an infantry unit of 4.
6. Add special unit badges to individual units and victory medals according to specific on-the-map objectives if called for.
7. Place terrain summary cards that correspond to the terrain in the scenario, plus obstacle and unit summary cards, to the side for easy reference.
8. Assemble cardholder segments and place them next to the board.  These will hold your cards, and aren't really necessary, but do provide convenience when working in teams.
9. Pick a side, sit there.  Match play is recommended - two games, each player getting a chance on each side, with the player who collected the most victory medals as the winner.
10. Shuffle the command cards and deal to each side according to the scenario's briefing notes.
11. Place the remainder of the deck nearby, in easy reach.
12. Each side takes four battle dice.
13. The starting player begins.

 
(BGG image by user Con Man)

The rules recommend you start with the Pegasus Bridge scenario, and here's the skinny on that one.  On the night before D-Day, a British special unit landed between two rivers in Normandy, the Caen Canal and the Orne River.  Historically, they caught the Germans by surprise and quickly took the bridges, giving the British the first victory of D-Day.  For the game, we'll see if history repeats itself.

The board is set up with the countryside facing up.  The rivers are set up, with 9 forest hexes in various places, 4 towns on the far side of the Caen Canal bridge, and a pond (made up of four curved river tiles) in the center of the map.  The bridges are also placed on the rivers.  The scenario calls for 4 barbed wire minis and one sandbag to guard the Caen Canal bridge.  9 Allied infantry units are placed, as well as 6 Axis units.  Doesn't that seem unfair?  Well, it's historical...the Germans were caught off-guard, remember?  To further complicate things for the Axis player, their units are pretty spread out.  This is why it is recommended to play two games of a scenario, so each side will get the experience of having the advantage.

There are no special forces for this scenario, but a victory medal gets placed on each bridge.  If the Allies take the bridges, they get that medal, and they keep it as long as they stay on the bridge.  You can see a successfully taken bridge in the image above.

The Axis player starts the game with two cards (shouldn't have been napping), but get to draw two cards instead of one after the first two turns.  The Allied player starts with 6 cards, and gets to move first (element of surprise).  To win, either side needs to collect four medals.  The bridge medals only count for the Allied victory, so how else can you collect medals?  I'll get there, but first, I want to describe another scenario.


(BGG image by user Jeff)

Sword Beach was one of the landings on D-Day, near the mouth of the Orne River.  The idea was for tanks to land first and take out the heavy artillery before the infantry hit.  Unfortunately, the heavy seas caused them to arrive at the same time.  The Allies sustained heavy losses and failed to take Caen, which was their objective at this point.  It was a setback for the war, but the Allies still did OK.

Terrain hexes used for this series include four forests and three towns on the Axis side of the board.  There are also three bunkers, two of which contain a German infantry unit, and one of which includes a German artillery unit.  Barbed wire and hedgehogs (those metals fence thingies) line the beach and slow down the Allies.  In addition to their bunker units, there are four more Axis infantry units (two of which are in towns) and one armored unit (in the Axis corner behind a forest and a town).  The Allied units all start in the ocean, with three armors and four infantry on the front line, and five infantry units bringing up the rear.  Three of the back infantry are Commando units, and do not have the same restrictions as the other infantry.  These get marked with a British special forces badge.

The Axis player gets 4 cards.  The Allied player gets 5 cards, and gets to start.  The objective is to win five medals.  The three towns have a victory medal, so the Allies can get those.  But how to get more?  Patience...


(BGG image by user johncarlton)

On your turn, you have five things to do: play a card, order units, move units, battle, draw a new card.

PLAY A CARD: Pick a card and play it.  Most of them will allow you to move units (top row, section), though a few will give you special attack powers (bottom row, tactic).

ORDER UNITS: According to the card you played, choose and announce what units you will be working with that turn.  Only the units you specify will be available to move or battle with.  The cards on the top row allow you to move two units on your left flank and two on your right flank; three units in the center; or one unit on the right flank.  For each of these, the units you move must be in the area listed on the card.  If a unit straddles a red line, it will count for either section in terms of ordering.  If you don't have enough units in a section to make up the orders, any extra orders are lost.

MOVE UNITS: Each unit you've ordered can move once, finishing their entire move before another one moves.  All units must finish moving before proceeding to the Battle.  Units may not split, nor may they merge.  The restrictions are:

• Infantry can move one space.  If it moves two, that's legal, but it won't be allowed to battle.
• Armor can move up to three spaces, and will be allowed to battle for any distance.
• Artillery may move one space, OR they may battle - they can't do both.

Your units certainly don't HAVE to move, but this is where they do it.  There are a few extra restrictions.  Two units may not occupy the same space, nor may one unit pass through an occupied space on their way to another space.  Also, there are restrictions for various types of terrain.  *NOTE: The following description also tells you combat restrictions.

 
(BGG images by user EndersGame - forest, hedgerows, hills, and river in #1; towns and villages in #2)

• With forests, a unit's turn is over when they enter the hex, and they may not battle that turn.  Attacking infantry must roll one fewer die when attacking a forest unit, and armor uses two fewer.  Artillery is not affected.
• With hedgerows, a unit can only move into a hedgerow if they begin their move from an adjacent space.  Likewise, when the unit leaves, it can only move into an adjacent spot before its turn ends.  The unit may not attack on the turn it moves into a hedgerow.  As with forests, attacking infantry must use one fewer die and attacking armor must use two fewer.
• There are no movement restrictions for hills.  However, when attacking a unit that is atop a hill, a unit at the bottom of the hill must roll one fewer die (armor and infantry only).  If your unit is also at the top of the hill, combat is not affected.
• Rivers are impassable, meaning that you cannot enter the hex or cross the river unless there is a bridge.  Combat from the bridge is unaffected.
• After entering a town, a unit's turn ends.  The unit cannot attack this turn.  Again, attacking infantry use one less die and attacking armor use two less.  Also, armor that is in a town must use two fewer dice when attacking.
• Oceans and beaches are printed on the board, but both limit movement - you cannot move more than one space on an ocean space, and two is your limit on the beach.  Also, a unit on an ocean space may not attack.

Hedgehogs, barbed wire, sandbags, and bunkers also provide limits to your movement.

BATTLE: Battle with one ordered unit at a time, and you can do it in whatever sequence you prefer.  You don't have to attack anyone if you don't want to.  Announce who you'll be attacking before doing anything.  Battling is done by rolling the Battle dice.

The first thing you must do is check the battle range.  Infantry can attack any unit within three hexes of their position, but there are some limits to how many dice you can use.  If you are one hex away from your target, roll three dice.  If two hexes away, roll two dice.  If three hexes away, roll one die.  Armor can also attack someone up to three hexes away, but can always roll three dice.  Artillery can attack someone up to six hexes away, and gets three dice for one or two hexes; two dice for three or four hexes; one die for five or six hexes.

The next thing you'll do is check line of sight.  If there is an obstacle, another unit, or terrain between you and your target, you can't attack them.  Even if there's only a corner in your way, you're blocked.  Hedgehogs, sand bags, barbed wire, and rivers do not block sight.  Forests, hedgerows, towns, and bunkers all block line of sight.  Hills block line of sight unless you're also on a hill.  Do note that artillery does not need line of sight...they can fire over stuff.

Next, check the terrain effects.  If you don't remember, consult the summary cards.  Or, just check the movement section in this post.

Now, you're ready to fight.  Roll the dice.


(BGG image by user Yugblad)

• Every infantry symbol you roll counts as a hit against infantry (if that's what you're attacking).  There are two infantry symbols on each die.  Each hit allows you to remove one figure from a unit.
• Each armor symbol you roll counts as a hit against armor (if that's what you're attacking).  Each hit allows you to remove one figure from that unit.
• Each grenade you roll counts as a hit against whatever you are fighting - infantry, armor, or artillery.  Each hit allows you to remove one figure from that unit.  Note that this is the only way to hit artillery.
• Stars are good for some of the tactical cards.  If you don't have any use for them, they count as a miss.
• Flags are retreat.  For each flag you roll, your opponent must push the attacked unit back one hex.  In other words, they push towards their side of the board.  If they cannot move because they are blocked by other units, impassable terrain, or the edge of the board, the unit loses a figure and does not move.

If your unit is right next to the unit you are targeting, you are considered to be at close assault.  If your infantry forces a retreat or destroys a unit while in close assault, it may gain ground, moving into the vacated hex.  If your armor does this, it may gain ground, and then it may attack again - this can only be done once in a turn.  Artillery does not gain ground.

Every time you completely destroy a unit, you get a victory medal.  After completing the battle phase, draw a new command card.  Keep playing until someone wins.

That's the game.  There are tons of scenarios out there, official and unofficial, and lots of expansions.  Read more at BGG, and expect to spend $50 in an FLGS.

That's the end of the two-player games for now.  Join me soon for a long-awaited expansion, and then we'll go digital (not really) for the next series.  Happy gaming!
-Jesse