Battlegroup Heintz at Hauts-Vents

by GeneralHowitzer | Oct 1, 2025 | 1944, 2025 Refresh, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Map Type: Standard, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Tactical, Theater: Western

Battlegroup Heintz at Hauts-Vents

Listen up. Hauts-Vents was a knuckle of roads west of St-Lô—the kind of crossroads that decides a campaign. The Germans threw together Kampfgruppe Heintz from the 275th Infantry to sit on it. We pushed XIX Corps—30th and 9th Infantry up front with 3rd Armored’s CCB—to rip that hinge off the door.

They fed in Panzer Lehr on the 10th and counterattacked hard on the 11th. Didn’t matter. We took Hill 91, smashed their thrusts, and CCB seized the Hauts-Vents crossroads. Result? Their screen cracked, their line started to sag, and St-Lô’s fall became a question of hours, not weeks.

Lesson: take the crossroads, break the spine, keep moving. Momentum wins France.

~~ General Howitzer

5 VP’s

4 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Location:

France

Year:
1944

Theater:

Western Front

Summary:

The asymmetrical starting pattern of this game makes for an interesting and challenging battle for both sides.

Objectives: 5 Medals
The town of La Rocher has two hexes worth one medal each.)

Terrain:

Countryside

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

Axis – 7 Infantry, 1 Armor, 1 Artillery

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. Since you only need five medals to win, the town of Le Rocher is of great tactical value for you. It is close, and it is worth two victory medals. When you take out the two Infantry guarding it, and move into the town, you will have four of the five medals needed to win.

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. While Hill 91 needs to be protected, you should consider moving your Infantry from the hill in the direction of Le Rocher in order to lend some support against the forces of 120th Infantry.

Battle Reports

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Place Battle Reports on a scenario page, or specify its scenario name in the shortcode.

The 2025 Refresh for Memoir ’44

by GeneralHowitzer | Sep 29, 2025 | Base Game, Memoir 44, Rules

Discover the New Era of Memoir '44

Experience the 2025 Refresh Today

Immerse yourself in the enhanced world of Memoir ’44, where history meets strategy in a refreshed gaming experience.

The Legacy of Memoir '44

Memoir ’44 is a celebrated board game that brings the pivotal battles of World War II to life. Since its inception, it has offered players a unique blend of historical accuracy and strategic gameplay. The game allows enthusiasts to relive significant military operations, fostering a deeper understanding of the tactics and challenges faced by commanders during the war. Its educational value and engaging mechanics have made it a staple among WWII gaming aficionados.

Memoir ’44 was originally released in 2004 by Days of Wonder, timed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

It launched as a board game recreating key battles of World War II, starting with the Normandy campaign, and has since grown into a system with many expansions covering the Eastern Front, Mediterranean, Pacific, and more.

Box4

Box-Germans

Box-Allies

Holders-Dice-Tokens

Tokens

Rules

Scenarios

What's New in the 2025 Refresh?

Explore the exciting updates and enhancements in the latest version of Memoir ’44.



New Rules

1. Terrain Height

Terrain is now identified as at Level 0, 1, or 2. If units are “higher” than another one, they can shoot over them.

2. Air Superiority

In the previous edition of the game, the Allies always had air superiority. Thus when they received the Air Power card, Allies would always roll two dice per hex, while the Axis always rolled one die per hex. But now there is a chart to indicate, based on the year and the theatre of war, who has superiority. Sometimes it is Allies; sometimes Axis; sometimes neither.

3. Team Play with 3 or 4 Players

4. Special Rules for Young Generals



New Historical Scenarios

Dive into newly added scenarios that expand the historical scope, offering fresh challenges and strategic opportunities. There are five new scenarios! And they are arranged into a Campaign mode.



Improved Visuals

Enjoy updated graphics and components that bring the battlefield to life with greater detail and realism.

1. New Card Stylistics

The graphics more clearly illustrate troop movements and rules.

2. Decorative Storage Boxes for the Troops

The boxes are decorative, and have special compartments for each type of figure.

Five New Scenarios

Scenario-Penzer-Lehr-Hauts-Vents

Scenario-Hauts-Vents

Scenario-CounterAttack-Panzer-Lehr

Scenario-Belle-Lande

Scenario-BattleGroup-Heintz

Vassieux, Vercors

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Base Game, Countryside, Infantry Only, Location: France, Map Type: Standard, Memoir 44, Scenario, Tactical, Theater: Western

Vassieux

The Battle of Vassieux-en-Vercors was a significant engagement during World War II, part of the German offensive against the French Resistance in July 1944. Located in the Vercors Plateau, the battle was a key moment in the resistance movement in southeastern France.

General Howitzer summarizes the results and lessons learned:

In July of ’44, high in the Vercors Plateau, the French Resistance had the guts to carve out their own patch of freedom before the Allies rolled in. These Maquis fighters didn’t have much—just grit, rifles, and the will to spit in the enemy’s eye. But on the 21st, the Germans came in from the sky, parachutes blooming like death over the hills.

They smashed into that stronghold hard, and the Maquis, outgunned and outnumbered, fought like hell but couldn’t hold. It was courage in its purest form—men standing their ground knowing the odds were stacked to the heavens. But it was also a brutal reminder: bravery without firepower is a damn fine way to get killed.

~~ General Howitzer

4 VP’s

Card Balance:

4 – 4

Complexity:

2

Conditions:

Countryside

Location:

France

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western Front

Summary:

The Vassieux scenario starts with a chaotic situation between both sides, and makes for an intriguing infantry-only scenario.

Objectives:

It is a short four VP scenario, which must be completed before the deck runs out or the Axis side wins

Battlefield:

The center of the battlefield represents the airfield where the battle took place. It is surrounded by hills, forests, and town hexes.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry

Axis – 6 Infantry

Special Rules:

1. If the French Resistance can hold out for the usage of an entire deck of Command Cards, they will win immediately.

2. The French Resistance can move into forest terrain and still attack – if they have only moved one hex.

Allied Strategy:

1. The Allies lack infantry cohesian, so one of the early goals is to pull the troops together, and form a united attack.

2. You will need to bring in your units on the flanks towards the center where most of the battle will take place.

3. Your two units in the center section begin the game in a very exposed position. One of them is going to get hit hard and possibly eliminated right away, unless you pull them back until your forces are consolidated.

4. These are French Resistance fighters, so they can move into woods and still attack. So the place to put them is BEHIND the woods, so when the enemy approaches, they can enter the woods and attack the enemy from a position of cover. The enemy will never know what hit them!

Axis Strategy:

1. The Axis forces are quite outnumbered in this scenario. They will need to work together as a cohesive unit to have any hope of either destroying or at least holding off the French Resistance forces. If they can hold out for an entire deck, they will win.

2. If you can get some rapid movement infantry cards, you may be able to take out one unit or more before the rest of the Resistance fighters come in to support.

3. You will need to take out one or two of the Allied forces before they get organized into a cohesive attack. If you do not quickly knock out a unit or two units immediately, you are going to have a hard time of it.

4. If you are unable to get the attack cards needed for your forces, you may need to perform a tactical retreat into the town of Vassieux to provide some extra protection while you build up your hand.

DoW Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

34%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Place Battle Reports on a scenario page, or specify its scenario name in the shortcode.

Toulon

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Base Game, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Map Type: Standard, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Sudden Death, Theater: Western

Toulon

The Battle of Toulon (August 20–26, 1944) was a key engagement during the Allied invasion of southern France in World War II, as part of Operation Dragoon. The objective was to liberate the strategic port city of Toulon, essential for supplying the advancing Allied forces.

Now here’s a fight that showed the grit of France reborn. General de Lattre and his men from the French Army of Africa hit Toulon like a hammer on an anvil. The Germans had dug in—guns, bunkers, street traps—you name it. Every block was a battlefield. But the French didn’t flinch. They fought yard by yard, with their artillery pounding and the Navy blasting from offshore.

Six bloody days later, the tricolor flew over the port, and the German garrison laid down its arms. Toulon was free, Marseille followed, and the Allies had their supply lifeline to drive deeper into France. It wasn’t just a victory of arms—it was France standing up, shoulder to shoulder with her liberators, and proving she still had fire in her soul.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 6

Axis – 4

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

France

Year:

1944

Theater:

Mediterranean

Campaign:

Codename:

Operation Dragoon

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s, plus the City of Toulon

Battlefield:

Because of the two sets of thick hilly forests cutting across the left and right flanks at an angle, it limits movement of both forces from section to section. Thus proper placement of troops in the early moves of the game can have a dramatic effect on its final outcome.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry, 4 Armor

Axis – 10 Infantry, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1. The key objective for the Allies is to capture the town of Toulon. If the Allies occupy three of the town hexes at the end of any turn, they win immediately. So, besides the need to simply destroy Axis units, the Allied player should keep up a relentless push toward the center section which contains Toulon. This will force the Axis player to not only defend individual hexes, but also to move troops toward defending the center, thus dislodging some from behind sandbags.

2. The most imminent need for the Allies is to get their infantry away from the back wall and into the fight against the two sandbagged hexes right in front of them. Any retreat flags thrown by the Axis powers will increase odds of a hit from 50% to 67% against the Allies.

Axis Strategy:

1. Because the Allies have four Armor units, the Axis are outnumbered. So the scenario is primarily defensive. Given the right cards, some offensive operations may be possible. But historically, the Germans had to eventually pull back, so be aware, and be careful.

2. Your forward infantry in the center section may get overwhelmed by the Allies, so you will want to get in your hits while you can. If appropriate, you may consider a strategic retreat to let your infantry fight another day.

3. Because you are outnumbered in terms of forces, your best chance of scoring hits will be to remain in your defensive positions and hit the enemy as they approach.

4. Be sure to protect the four hexes of Toulon, for should the enemy gain control of three hexes, you will lose instantly.

Memoir 44
Classic Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

66%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Place Battle Reports on a scenario page, or specify its scenario name in the shortcode.

Sword Beach

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Base Game, Beach, D-Day, Infantry, Map Type: Standard, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

Sword Beach

June 6th, 1944—Sword Beach. The British came in swinging on the eastern flank of Normandy, and they made it count.

Under General Miles Dempsey, the 3rd Infantry Division, backed by tanks, naval guns, and airborne troops, hit that beach like a battering ram. Their mission? Take the beach, punch inland, link up with the Canadians on the left and airborne boys on the right, and grab the city of Caen.

They ran headfirst into resistance from the German 716th Infantry, dug in and waiting. But it didn’t matter—Allied firepower and planning turned those bunkers into scrap. The Brits cleared the beach, pushed several miles inland, and set up a strong foothold by nightfall.

They didn’t take Caen on Day One—but they owned Sword Beach, and that was the damn prize. That success helped anchor the whole eastern flank of the invasion and gave us the momentum we needed to crack open Nazi-occupied France.

Sword Beach was no walk in the park—but it was a well-executed, hard-hitting assault that helped open the gate to Western Europe.

~~ General Howitzer

5 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 4

Complexity:

2

Conditions:

Beach

Location:

Normandy

Year:

June 5th, 1944

Theater:

Western Front

Campaign:

D-Day Invasion

Codename:

Overlord

Summary:

Like all Normandy beach invasions, this is a battle between well-defended but overwhelmed Axis forces who are trying to slow down the Allied onslaught.

Objectives:

This is a five VP game with three town hexes as Objective Medals. The goal for the Allies is to get to the town VP Objective hexes ASAP, and for the Axis it is all about slowing down the Allied advance enough to get a few knockout Tactic cards against them.

Battlefield:

Sword Beach has no hills or bluffs to slow the Allied advance off the beach

Troops:

Axis –
6 Infantry,
1 well-placed artillery in the center of the field,
1 badly positioned armor unit stuck in the corner behind a forest.

The Allies – 9 Infantry, 3 Armor

Allied Strategy:

1. As with all beach scenarios, the challenge is for the Allies to get off the beach as quickly as possible.

2. The three! objective medals in the towns against the back border represent a clear and compelling goal for the Allies. If the Allies can maximize their movement cards off the beach and blitz past the defenders for the town hexes, victory can be had rather quickly.

3. The Axis artillery in the center of the battlefield is very dangerous and unless the Allies have an excellent set of cards, should not be attacked. The best strategy – as indicated by Alexis Beuve in the Memoir 44 Tactics & Strategy Guide is to attack on the flanks in order to avoid the devastating pounding from the centrally placed artillery.

4. You have three Elite Infantry which are capable of moving two hexes and still attacking. This is imminently valuable for a beach assault. They all start way back in the ocean hexes, but if you take the time in the early gameplay to get them moved forward, they will help you to quickly approach and attack the enemy forces.

5. Possible Attack Vector: split your forces in a “V” formation, and send half to the left, and half to the right, so that you can avoid the enemy Artillery in the center sector. It is set so far back from the beach that if you try to assault it with your Infantry, they will get decimated before they get close to it, so unless you have a Bombard or Airpower card, it is best to avoid it.

Axis Strategy:

1. The Axis armor in the corner is hidden away and of no use. Therefore, as early as possible, the Axis needs to move the tank into the forest hex, where it will have to stop for one turn. But from there it can make its way out to the battlefield. The decision as to whether to place the armor in the center section or the right flank, will depend in part on where the Allies choose to deploy their forces. But once this armor gets out the Axis player should be able to score one or two VP’s, especially if he catches the Allied forces while they still have their back to the water, resulting in some no-retreat hits.

2. Use your artillery as much as possible, before the enemy takes it out with Barrage or Air Power, or an Infantry Assault. This will be one of the Allies’ early objectives. So use it well while you have it.

3. Should you pull your infantry from the back row where they are defending Objective Medals? Early on, if you have the opportunity, they could bolster your forces which are trying to prevent the Allies from coming off the beach. But once the full scale Allied invasion begins to form, they will be sitting ducks in the open terrain, and should be pulled back to guard a Medal Objective.

Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

46%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link

Place Battle Reports on a scenario page, or specify its scenario name in the shortcode.

St. Vith, Ardennes

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Base Game, Countryside, Infantry, Map Type: Standard, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic

St. Vith

The Battle of St. Vith, fought in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, was a critical engagement on the Western Front in World War II. Located in Belgium, St. Vith was a key road junction that the German Army sought to capture to facilitate their advance into the Ardennes.

Men — what you saw at St. Vith was grit forged in steel. Outnumbered, outgunned, and half-frozen, those boys of the 106th Infantry and 7th Armored stood toe-to-toe with the damned 5th Panzer Army and said, “You’ll move through us only over our dead bodies.”

They fought for every yard of ground, every shell hole and hedgerow, and by God, they made the Germans pay for every inch. Their stand wrecked the enemy’s timetable, blunted his spearhead, and bought the time our armies needed to gather their strength for the counterblow.

When they finally withdrew on December 23rd, it wasn’t defeat — it was a tactical victory paid in blood and courage. St. Vith was no retreat; it was a wall of American willpower that helped break Hitler’s last gamble in the west.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 5

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

Belgium

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western Front

Campaign:

Ardennes

Context:

Historical

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s

Battlefield:

The St. Vith scenario has a large central battlefield surrounded by forests blocking access to each of the flanks, and a long ridge of impassible mountain hexes (the Prumerberg) across the back of the field. It makes for intense warfare of armor, infantry and artillery battling it out for dominance in the center.

Troops:

Allies – 7 Infantry, 6 Armor

Axis – 10 Infantry, 4 Armor, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy

1. The Allies are on the defensive here, receiving only 4 cards vs. the Axis’ 5 cards. You have sandbags; use them, and don’t be too quick to move out from them.

2. The center section with the impassable mountains behind and the enemy artillery in front is kind of a kill-zone unless you are prepared for it. Your best assault tactics may be found on the flanks.

3. You have an Infantry and two Armor stuck on the back row, center section. It will be difficult to win as Allies without putting these forces to work. So move them, especially the Armor as soon as you can. If you have a card to move four units, reserve one of those moves to start getting them into the action.

Axis Strategy

1. Your forces are bunched together making for many no-retreat situaions. Move your Infantry into the woods as soon as possible.

2. Note that the enemy has their backs to the wall with the impassable mountains behind them. Once your infantry are deployed in the woods, use your armor and artillery to hit any forces in the center section. Most of your hits will be enhanced by another 17% because of the no-retreat situation in which the Allied forces find themselves.

3. Note that although the Allies have a 6-4 armor advantage, their two armor in the back center section will be slow to get into the action. If you can hit or eliminate one or more of the forward armor units before the others come into play, it will even out the battle for you.

Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

45%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Place Battle Reports on a scenario page, or specify its scenario name in the shortcode.

General Howitzer’s Field Guide to Memoir 44

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