I had planned a game of Die Macher today, but that was cancelled due to lack of players (too much effort to play a three-player game, really — I would’ve wanted at least four). However, I had to meet Manu, our wedding photographer. He dropped by and I introduced him to Memoir ’44 — I was quite certain he would appreciate.
I was correct. We fought two battles: Saint Mère-Eglise and Sword Beach. I played the Allied forces in both of them and promptly lost both. So far I haven’t won a single game of Memoir or Battle Cry. One day, one day. The battle of Saint Mère-Eglise should’ve been mine: I did a good paradrop, all four units survived. I dropped them behind the village and captured it, but then kind of lost momentum. In the end I lost 4-2.
On Sword Beach I did some good fighting, destroying a unit of tanks and captured the town of Riva Bella with my commandos, emptying the bunker on that side. Unfortunately I could do little progress elsewhere and the artillery in the center bunker slowly chewed my forces. I lost 5-4.
Well, it doesn’t really matter, because Memoir ’44 is such a blast to play. It’s genuinely fun game to play. The plastic figures are one important reason for that. The game has so much luck involved that you never know what you can do and what you don’t — had I received more right flank cards on Sword Beach I could’ve done wonders. I didn’t get a single one, so I was kind of hindered by that.
By the way, as with Battle Cry, some people are going to extraordinary lengths to get a neat set. Brummbar’s Memoir ’44 Fan Site has some scenarios, but the best content is under painting. The figures are gorgeous, of course, and they have also made some very neat bunkers and 3-d hills. I’d love to get some of those hills…