[Review] Memoir '44: Winter/Desert Board

(I assume that readers of this review already know how to play Memoir
'44)

This review will be short, simply because the expansion Memoir '44:
Winter/Desert Board (Days of Wonder, 2005 - Richard Borg) is simply a
new board for the game.

Now, that's not saying anything negative about the board; it's a
beautiful double-sided game board, of the same quality as the original
Memoir board, with a sandy desert on one side, and a wintry plain on
the other. The artwork is excellent; it's not simply just a large
desert - but you can see small skeletons, etc., adding a bit of
"flavor" to the overall picture.

Buying this board almost requires a player to get the Eastern Front
expansion (winter terrain tiles) and/or the Terrain Pack expansion
(desert tiles). I mean - you were going to do that anyway, right? I
think the reason Days of Wonder packaged them separately was so that
players who didn't want a new board could simply use the original one.
But for aesthetic reasons, I think it's worth it to get the new board -
especially since it looks so good.

The game also includes some simplified campaign rules, which allow
players to string several battles together into a larger campaign.
These are nice but simplistic (as the name implies). I would use them
if I wanted to play a larger campaign, but one of the reasons I like
Memoir is the fact that I can simply pick it up and play any battle I
choose, and have it end in an hour or so. Blitz rules (also in
expansion # 2) are also included, to make the Axis tanks a little more
powerful; and these rules are used in many of the scenarios.

Bottom line? If you want a beautiful winter/desert board, then get
this expansion. It's that simple.

Tom Vasel
"Real men play board games"
www.tomvasel.com

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