TheTabletopCommander

Find The Video Review Here!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgsJ4veWtJ4

Click Here to Read a Memoir ’44 Battle Report!: http://thetabletopcommander.tumblr.com/post/22993261843/sainte-mere-eglise-memoir-44-batrep

Memoir ’44 is a light strategy game which will take it’s players from the beaches of Normandy, to the hills and forests of the Ardennes to relieve the battles of World War II! Battling as either the Americans or Germans, players will command infantry, tanks, artillery, and special forces in an effort to prove their military prowess.

’44 is probably best known for it’s simple and accessible combat system. If you can perform second grade math and count to six, then this game will give you no real problems. It’s such a popular system, that games such as Command and Colors, and Battlelore, use a modified version as well. Battle is conducted by seeing if a unit is in line of sight/range (either 3 spaces for infantry and tanks, 6 for artillery), counting the number of dice you get, and rolling those dice. Then, according to what you roll, a unit either takes casualties, retreats, takes no damage, or any mix of these things. It’s that easy! Depth is then added by terrain features such as hills, forests, rivers, hedgerows, cities, bunkers, bridges, sandbags, and tank traps, as well as unit abilities and special rules. However, at no time does this math get more complicated than adding or subtracting a few battle dice, negating a retreat flag, modifying line of sight, or blocking movement. Again, the math this includes is second-grade addition and subtraction, so it’s quick and simple!

However, that is not to say there is no tactical or strategic depth. Memoir ’44 requires a different type of strategy and tactics, and that’s the key to understanding, enjoying, and effectively playing this game; the command cards. Players draw a pre-defined number at the start of the game, and 1 every turn thereafter. These cards determine how many units you can activate, where they activate, and any number of special abilities (counter-attack, artillery strike, air support, ambush) which add to the ebb and flow of battle.

This is, undoubtedly, the biggest controversial factor of this game. Hardcore strategy gamers may not like the amount of luck involved, as you never really have /absolute/ control over units. What and where you can activate depends on your command cards. However, just like in the real world, as a general or commander, you cannot extend perfect control over your forces. Weather, fatigue, supplies, and other such factors can be said to be part of the ‘luck’ of this game. Therefore, this must be understood to enjoy the game; while about strategy, the focus is also to have /fun/.

The components of Memoir are not low quality; however, they do leave something to be desired. The board feels a bit ‘naked’ not having a smoother, glossy surface that is standard on many game boards. Moving so many units upon it’s surface, a ‘sturdier’ finish might have served well, and the same applies to terrain tiles. Granted, I like the ‘bare’ feel, but keeping in mind that younger children may be playing this game, the components could have been improved a slight bit. Command Cards are satisfactory. On a positive note, both German and American miniatures have different sculpts for tanks and infantry, a nice touch that was not necessary, but is appreciated by older gamers.

The rulebook includes both dialogue and diagrams, and includes options for both ‘normal’ game rules and ‘simple’ game rules, for younger children, a nice touch for parents and the younger crowd. All rules are easily understood and well written.

Including 15 scenarios, replay value is very good for Memoir ’44! Even if you play both sides once, that’s 30 individual games before you’re forced to replay a scenario (since starting conditions are different for each side)! Due to the amount of ‘luck’ involved concerning command cards, and considering the different strategies a player may employ, even a few games played in a row have the potential to play out very differently.

It is worth mentioning at this point, however, that game setup is quite lengthy, as it takes time to correctly place tiles and games pieces. One person setting up this game on their own, will take about 20 minutes, give or take 5 minutes.

While Memoir states more than two players can participate, most reviews and individuals seem to agree that 2 players is the ideal number.

The amount of enjoyment you get from Memoir ’44 can depend on the individual. Historians, World War II lovers, and strategy gamers will more likely enjoy this game to a greater degree than the ‘average’ gamer. This is not to say, however, that the average gamer won’t enjoy Memoir! I have played a few games with my own Mom before, who has certainly enjoyed the battles! But again, this all depends on what you want out of the game, and what aspects you enjoy.

If you are not sure whether or not you would like this game, I would highly suggest trying out the (temporarily) free version on Steam. That is where I first played Memoir ’44, and it gives you a great exposure to additional expansions, scenarios, and rules! You can fit in about 25 (not 50, thank you to the community for this correction) games before Steam requires you to buy additional credits, so it’s a great way to see if Memoir ’44 is up your alley!

Pros:

Simple and easy to learn, great for a range of ages, entertaining and educational, plenty of expansions and online resources.

Cons:

Lengthy setup time, ‘Luck factor’ may not be to everyone’s liking, Team play is possible, but not necessarily practicable.

Last Updated: October 11, 2012

Find The Video Review Here!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUWRcNaJ0l8

Last Night on Earth is one of those games that every game library should have. With a ride range of players, absolutely wonderful components, easy-to-learn rules, and a good amount of replay value, Last Night on Earth is, in my opinion, one of the top 3 zombie themed games available on the market!

A zombie-survival horror game, Last Night on Earth is set in a small town, with a dark past. A dark past which some are aware of, but have tried to keep secret since the last, fateful incident. On this day, however, a sleepy little town will be haunted by the nightmarish creatures known as the walking dead. And as one of four heroes, it’s your job to kill zombies, save the townsfolk, defend your home, destroy the spawning pits,or simply escape in one of five different scenarios! Or, as a zombie player, your job is to stop the heroes at any cost!

Last Night on Earth provides the players with a choice of 5 different survival scenarios, each with different objectives and gameplay. And with 8 different heroes to choose from, each with their own separate abilities, this adds up to quite a bit of replayability.

The components are high quality, glossy, and sturdy. Each survivor has their own, individual sculpt, and zombies come in 3 different sculpts. LTON actually uses real actors to portray heroes and zombies on game cards, which is a unique approach from the norm of digital or hand-drawn art, and certainly makes this game stand out. The rulebook is easy to understand, and navigates relatively well, also providing a small amount of fluff. New players should be able to pick up the rules with relative ease, understanding things quite well after a game or two.

Now, this in mind, hero players should not expect to win their very first game, especially if most are new players. To succeed, this game does require a good amount of teamwork. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun; on the contrary, this game is quite thematic, and has some intense moments! Event cards will trigger unexpected occurrences (such as a building being overrun by zombies, power outages, rainstorms, and new spawning pits), which adds combat factors and can throw unexpected wrenches in the survivors strategy! Holding out in a barn-house and picking off zombies works great, until the undead begin to emerge from the floor, or a particularly quick zombie leaps inside and causes the heroes to take an unexpected wound! These moments help to break up slower gameplay, add theme, and help to assure that heroes can’t just camp or stick with a single plan; they’ll be forced to think quick and remain flexible.

Overall, you shouldn’t be disappointed with this game!

Pros:

Great packaging, sturdy components, eye appeal and thematic, easy and fun system.

Cons:

No options or scenarios are included for shorter games.