Terrain affects where units can move, whether they can attack, and how much protection they receive. Start with your unit’s normal movement allowance, then apply the terrain’s restrictions. For example, a standard unit entering a forest must stop and cannot attack that turn. Forests also protect defenders by reducing the dice rolled by attacking infantry and armor. Check the terrain summary cards and scenario’s special rules before playing, because some units and scenarios have exceptions.

Line of sight determines whether a unit can see its target. Imagine a straight line between the centers of the attacking and defending hexes. Intervening units—friendly or enemy—and blocking terrain can prevent the attack, but terrain in the attacker’s or target’s own hex does not itself block that line. If the line follows a hex boundary, it is blocked only when obstructions occur along both sides. Hills have additional elevation rules.

Standard artillery does not need line of sight. Always check range, line of sight, and terrain effects separately.

Source: Official Memoir ’44 rulebook, pages 8–9 and 14–18.

One-Page Rules

Start with an army expansion that matches the battles you most want to play. Our suggested first choice is the Eastern Front, which adds Soviet troops, winter terrain, and battles such as Stalingrad. Choose Pacific Theater if you prefer island battles and the distinctive Japanese and U.S. Marine rules, or Mediterranean Theater for British forces and North African desert warfare. Each adds troops, terrain, scenarios, and new rules, making it a useful next step after learning the base game. 

You need the Memoir ’44 base game; these expansions are not standalone games. Start with their standard scenarios, and check the equipment requirements before choosing larger battles or scenarios from other collections, which may require additional sets.

Add the Terrain Pack when you want a wider selection of terrain and special battlefield features.

We suggest saving larger formats and specialized expansions for later, once you know which battles and styles of play you enjoy. Buy toward specific scenarios you want to play, rather than assuming you need every expansion. 

Sources: Eastern Front, Pacific Theater, and Mediterranean Theater, & Terrain Pack.

Retreats: After casualties are removed, a unit normally retreats one hex toward its own baseline for each flag it cannot ignore. It cannot retreat through other units or impassable terrain, and loses one figure for each required retreat hex it cannot complete.

Taking ground: When infantry or armor eliminates an adjacent enemy or forces it to retreat, the attacking unit may advance into the vacated hex. This advance is optional, terrain restrictions still apply, and standard artillery cannot take ground.

Armor overruns: After taking ground, armor may make one additional attack, following normal targeting and terrain rules—including attacking an adjacent enemy if one is present. If this attack clears an adjacent enemy’s hex, the armor may take ground again, but cannot make another overrun that turn.

Ambush: Play this card BEFORE your opponent’s turn when they declare an attack against an adjacent unit, before they roll the dice; your defending unit attacks first. If your attack eliminates the attacker or forces it to retreat from its hex, its declared attack is canceled; otherwise, it attacks normally.

Counter-Attack: Play this card at the start of your turn to copy the command card your opponent played on their previous turn, choosing your own eligible units and targets. When copying a section card, reverse left and right to use the same area of the battlefield; Counter-Attack cannot copy Ambush.

Sources: Official FAQ and command-card rules.

Ambush Tactics

Counter-Attack Tactics

Build your plan around the cards in your hand. Before committing units to an attack, look for cards that will let you keep ordering them on later turns. Prepare several units to support one another, and concentrate attacks where you have a realistic chance of earning medals. Save powerful cards for a useful opportunity, but avoid holding them so long that the battle passes them by.

Protect weakened units and make your opponent work for each medal. Pull vulnerable units into cover when practical, keep retreat routes open, and focus fire on enemy units you can eliminate. Balance those opportunities against scenario objectives rather than chasing every damaged unit. After each game, identify one decision you could improve, then switch sides and replay the scenario to explore the other army’s challenges.

Hand-management Tactics

Luck matters in Memoir ’44 because both card draws and combat dice can upset a good plan. Skill helps you manage that uncertainty: coordinate units, use cover, keep retreat routes open, and prepare follow-up attacks instead of depending on one perfect roll. Good decisions improve your chances over several turns, but they cannot guarantee victory in a single battle.

Uneven scenarios most often reflect the actual historical situation rather than a design mistake. Replaying battles which were fought by the Axis and Allies with exactly the same difficulties each side faced, is part of the appeal of Memoir 44.

A practical approach is to play twice, switching sides so each player faces the same advantages and difficulties, then compare total medals earned across both games.  Treat playing the weaker side as a tactical challenge, and judge your decisions as well as the final score.

Yes—you can practice solo by controlling both armies.  There are a couple of fan-created rules for solo play.  

For online opponents, start with Memoir ’44 on Board Game Arena, which lets you play in your browser without installing software. You can also look for organized games through the events page here, or ask local board-game clubs and game stores about face-to-face players. 

You can find them here:  Solo Rules

Memoir ’44 on Board Game Arena

Memoir 44 Events

Yes—Memoir ’44 still has an established audience and is worth considering if you enjoy approachable World War II strategy. Days of Wonder continues to offer the game and its supporting rules, while Board Game Arena has recorded more than 770,000 plays since adding it in 2022. That total is not a count of active players, but it shows substantial ongoing interest alongside an accessible way to find opponents online.

Start with the base game. Its appeal lies in relatively short battles, varied scenarios, and tactical choices that are easy to understand but take practice to use well. It is especially suitable if you enjoy adapting to uncertain cards and dice; players who want complete control or a detailed historical simulation may prefer something else. You do not need a large collection to discover whether its style suits you.

There is a growing movement of organized gameplay by the US Memoir44 Corps.

Sources: Days of Wonder and Board Game Arena.

US Memoir 44 Corps

Start with the scenarios included in your base game and the expansions you own, then explore General Howitzer’s Scenario Library and the Days of Wonder Military Archives. Days of Wonder also offers downloadable scenarios and campaigns. Before setting up, check the scenario’s map, required expansions, terrain, units, and special rules against your collection.

Choose complexity to match your experience. If you are new, begin with standard-sized battles using familiar units, a few terrain types, and straightforward victory conditions; Pegasus Bridge is a good starting point. As you gain confidence, introduce new terrain and special units gradually, then explore larger formats or linked campaigns. 

 Sources:
General Howitzer’s Scenario Library

Days of Wonder Military Archives

Standard Memoir ’44 uses a battlefield 13 hexes wide and 9 hexes deep, usually with two players, each commanding one army. 

Overlord expands the battlefield sideways, normally combining two standard boards, and supports two to eight players. With eight players, each side has a Commander-in-Chief and three Field Generals, making coordination and distributing orders a major part of the experience. 

Breakthrough expands the battlefield in depth to 13 hexes wide and 17 hexes deep, creating more room for advances, reserves, and fighting through defensive positions. A single Breakthrough battle is normally played by two players. 

Source: Base game and rules.

Source: Operation Overlord.

Source: Breakthrough kit.