Objective of the Game

Alright, recruits, listen up! In *Memoir '44*, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to rewrite history and claim victory on the battlefields of World War II. The goal is simple: be the first commander to earn a set number of **Victory Medals**. This magic number usually ranges from 4 to 6, depending on the specific scenario you're playing. How do you get these shiny medals? Mostly by wiping out enemy units! For every enemy unit you completely eliminate from the battlefield, you snag a medal. Just place the last figure of that fallen unit onto one of the empty medal stands on your side of the board. Sometimes, scenarios throw in extra ways to earn medals, like capturing specific **terrain hex objectives**. So keep your eyes peeled for those strategic points!

Preparation (Setup)

Before you can lead your troops to glory, we need to get the battlefield ready. A smooth setup means more time for epic maneuvers! Here’s your step-by-step guide:

1. Choose Your Battle: Grab the **scenario booklet** and pick a battle. If this is your first time, we highly recommend starting with **Pegasus Bridge** on page 3 – it’s a fantastic introduction to the game.
2. Lay the Board: Place the **double-sided battlefield board** in the center of your table. Make sure the correct side (countryside or beach landing) is facing up as indicated by your chosen scenario. For Pegasus Bridge, it's the countryside!
3. Place Terrain Hexes: Now, strategically place the **double-sided terrain hexes** as shown in the scenario setup. It's a good idea to follow the order listed in the booklet. For Pegasus Bridge, you'll start with 20 river hexes, then 4 village hexes, and finally 9 forest hexes.
4. Add Obstacles: Next, bring in any **obstacles** like bunkers, bridges, sandbags, or wire. For Pegasus Bridge, you'll be setting up two bridges over the rivers, four wire obstacles, and a sandbag obstacle to protect the German defenders.
5. Deploy Your Forces: Time to put your troops on the board! Place the **figures** according to the scenario's battle map. To make it quicker, place one figure per hex for positioning, then fill out the units.
   • An **infantry unit** usually has 4 figures.
   • An **armor unit** typically has 3 figures.
   • An **artillery unit** is made up of 2 figures.
6. Special Units & Medals: If the scenario calls for it, add any **special unit badges** to individual units and place **victory medals** on specific objective hexes. For Pegasus Bridge, you'll place an Allied victory medal on each bridge.
7. Reference Cards: Optionally, place the **summary cards** (for terrain and units) next to the board for easy reference during the game. They're super handy!
8. Cardholders: Assemble the **cardholder segments** and place them along the long edges of the board if you want to use them.
9. Choose Your Side: Decide who plays as the Allies and who plays as the Axis, then sit accordingly. We suggest playing each scenario twice, switching sides, to balance any historical advantages!
10. Deal Command Cards: Shuffle the **command card deck** thoroughly. Deal cards to each player as specified in the scenario's briefing notes. Keep your cards secret from your opponent! For Pegasus Bridge, the Allied commander gets 6 cards, while the German general starts with a humble 2.
11. Command Card Deck: Place the remaining **command card deck** face down next to the board, within reach of both players.
12. Attack Dice: Each side takes four **attack dice**.
13. First Player: The starting player, as indicated in the scenario (Allies for Pegasus Bridge), begins by playing a **command card** from their hand.

The Game Turn

A turn in *Memoir '44* is a straightforward sequence of actions that keeps the battle flowing. Here’s what happens on your turn:

1. Play a Command Card:

   First things first, pick one **command card** from your hand and play it face up next to the board, facing you. Read it aloud! This card dictates which sections of the battlefield you can order units in and how many units you can activate. Some cards also allow for special commands.

   • Section Cards: These cards highlight specific sections of the battlefield (left flank, center, right flank) where you can issue orders, and tell you how many units you can order in those sections.
   • Tactic Cards: These cards let you perform special moves, unique attacks, or other special actions as described on the card itself. They might order units in one or multiple sections.

   The battlefield is divided into three sections by two red dotted lines: a left flank, a center, and a right flank. If a dotted line cuts through a hex, that hex is part of both the flank and center section.

2. Order Units:

   After playing your card, announce which units you're ordering, staying within the limits of the card you just played. Only these ordered units can move, attack, or take special actions this turn. You can't give more than one order to a single unit. If you have fewer units in a section than the card allows orders for, those extra orders are simply lost. If you have no units in the sections where a card is played, you just play the card and draw a new one without ordering any units.

   Pro Tip: Use the **activation tokens**! Place a token with the "move" icon face up next to each unit you order. It's a great way to keep track.

3. Move Units:

   Now, move your ordered units one at a time, in any order you choose. A unit can only move once per turn, and it doesn't have to move at all. Remember to respect unit, terrain, and obstacle movement limitations!

   • Infantry: Can move 1 hex and attack, OR move 2 hexes and *not* attack.
   • Elite Infantry: Can move up to 2 hexes AND attack.
   • Armor: Can move up to 3 hexes and attack.
   • Artillery: Can move 1 hex OR not move and attack.

   General Movement Rules:

   • Units can move between battlefield sections.
   • Complete one unit's movement before starting another.
   • No two units can occupy the same hex. You can't move onto or through a hex occupied by any unit (friendly or enemy).
   • Figures in a unit must stay together; no splitting them up!
   • Units that have taken casualties cannot combine with other units.
   • Some terrain affects movement (e.g., a unit entering a town hex must stop).
   • All unit movements must be done before the attack phase.

   Using Activation Tokens for Movement: After a unit moves, flip its token to the "attack" side. If a unit doesn't move, flip its token to "attack." If a unit moves in a way that prevents it from attacking (like a 2-hex infantry move), remove its token.

4. Attack:

   Once all movements are complete, it's time for some action! Resolve attacks one ordered unit at a time, in any order you choose. For each attacking unit, select an enemy target and follow these steps:

   1. Announce & Identify: State which ordered unit is attacking and identify its target.
   2. Check Attack Range & Line of Sight:
      • Infantry: Attacks targets up to 3 hexes away. Rolls 3 dice in close combat (adjacent hex), 2 dice at 2 hexes, 1 die at 3 hexes.
      • Armor: Attacks targets up to 3 hexes away. Always rolls 3 dice (before terrain protections).
      • Artillery: Attacks targets up to 6 hexes away. Attacks at 3/3/2/2/1/1. Artillery attacks ignore all terrain protections unless noted otherwise.

      Line of Sight (LoS): All units (except artillery) need LoS. Imagine a line from the center of your unit's hex to the target's hex. If any hex (or part of a hex) on that line contains an obstruction (units, certain terrain, obstacles, battlefield edges), LoS is blocked. Terrain in the attacker's or target's hex doesn't block LoS. Terrain and units only block LoS if they are at the same or higher elevation as one of the units involved in the attack.

   3. Determine Terrain Protection: Reduce the number of attack dice based on any terrain protection the target unit has. Some attacking units might also suffer a dice penalty if they are on specific terrain (e.g., armor in a town hex). These penalties are cumulative!
   4. Resolve the Attack: Roll your **attack dice** and resolve the results.
      • Hits: Score 1 hit for each die symbol that matches the targeted unit type (infantry, armor, artillery). **Grenades** are wild and count as 1 hit on any unit. **Stars** are usually misses, but some tactic cards make them hits. The targeted unit loses 1 figure for each hit. If the last figure is removed, you get a **Victory Medal**! Extra hits beyond the unit's figures have no effect.
      • Miss: If you roll no hits or flags, it's a miss.
      • Retreats: Each **flag** symbol rolled forces the target unit to retreat one hex towards its baseline. Two flags, two hexes, and so on. The player controlling the unit decides the retreat path.
        • Units must retreat towards their baseline.
        • Terrain and obstacles don't affect retreat moves (except impassable terrain).
        • Units cannot retreat onto or through hexes with other units.
        • If a unit *must* retreat but *cannot* (blocked path, off the board, onto an ocean hex), it takes 1 casualty for each uncompleted retreat move.
        • You cannot choose to lose a figure if a clear retreat path is available.
        • Some obstacles/terrain allow units to ignore one flag rolled against them.

   General Attack Rules:

   • Resolve one unit's attack completely before starting another.
   • A unit usually attacks once per turn.
   • An ordered unit doesn't have to attack.
   • A unit cannot split its attack dice between multiple targets.
   • A unit's casualties don't reduce its attack dice; a single figure still has full firepower!
   • If a unit is adjacent to an enemy, it's in **close combat** and *must* target that adjacent unit.

   Taking Ground: If an ordered unit attacks in close combat and eliminates or forces an enemy unit to retreat, it can advance into the vacated hex.

   • Artillery units cannot take ground.
   • Movement restrictions still apply (e.g., cannot take ground into a wire hex that stops movement).

   Armor Overrun: If an ordered **armor unit** successfully attacks in close combat and takes ground, it can perform a second attack called an **overrun**. This overrun attack can target any enemy unit (not necessarily the original target) but follows all normal attack rules. An armor unit can even take ground again after a successful close combat overrun attack, but only one overrun per turn.

   Using Activation Tokens for Attack: After a unit attacks, remove its activation token. Remove any remaining tokens from units that couldn't or didn't attack.

5. Draw a Command Card:

   After all attacks are resolved, discard the command card you just played and draw a new one. Your turn is now over! If the draw deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck.

End of Game and Scoring

The battle rages on until one commander achieves their objective! The game ends immediately when one player is the first to reach the number of **Victory Medals** specified in the scenario's victory conditions (usually between 4 and 6). You earn a **Victory Medal** for each enemy unit you completely eliminate from the battlefield. In some scenarios, you can also earn additional medals by capturing specific **terrain hex objectives** (like bridges in Pegasus Bridge).

Tips for Winning

Alright, aspiring generals, here are a few tactical pointers to get you started on the path to victory:

1. Command Card Management is Key: Your **command cards** are your lifeline! They dictate your actions and how many units you can activate. Don't just play the first card you see; think a turn or two ahead. Sometimes, holding onto a powerful Tactic Card for the perfect moment can turn the tide of battle. And remember, if you have no units in the sections a card activates, you just play it and draw a new one – don't waste a good card if you can't use its full potential!
2. Leverage Terrain Protection: Terrain isn't just for show; it's your best friend (or worst enemy)! Always consider **terrain protection** when attacking and defending. Attacking an enemy in a town or on a hill can significantly reduce your dice, while defending from such positions can save your units. Conversely, if you can get your units into advantageous terrain, you'll be much harder to dislodge. Artillery units, however, largely ignore terrain protection, making them excellent for shelling entrenched foes.
3. Master Movement and Attack Synergy: Different unit types have different movement and attack capabilities.
   • Infantry can move 1 and attack, or move 2 and *not* attack. This means you need to decide if you want to push them forward quickly or get them into an attacking position.
   • Armor can move 3 and attack, making them excellent for rapid advances and flanking maneuvers, especially with their **Armor Overrun** ability.
   • Artillery moves slowly (1 hex or none) but has a long attack range and ignores most terrain protection. Position them carefully to provide long-range support without exposing them to close combat.
   Remember that all unit movements must be completed before the attack phase, so plan your advances to set up devastating attacks!