Today I asked the girls if they wanted a game of Memoir '44 on the new massive Breakthrough maps - Roshni and Maya were happy to get involved having lost badly the last time we played. I wanted to see if the game was different in any way; longer or less exciting or any balance change etc. We chose a good scenario based in the desert called "Battle of Alam El Halfa", set in Aug 30th to Sept 7th 1942 - the British 8th Army were defending El Alamein on the North African coast in Rommels last drive for Egypt.
To go with a large map, the scenario required a large number of game pieces; hexagonal terrain, special counters and a huge number of German and British units - using up nearly all of the Memoir '44 boxset German units and the British add-on tanks, artillery and infantry. Searching for all of the necessary hills, hull-down positions, beach and railway tracks proved to be a bit of headache, especially as some items were in the Terrain pack, some in the Desert Pack, some were on both sides of a particular terrain piece etc. Plus being a Breakthrough map, there were a lot more pieces required. So set up time increased a fair amount, plus then setting up the troops, so you have to be careful to keep your opponent interested, especially if they are children.
Once the game was set, I found I had a huge amount of German troops and tanks verses a massive amount of British troops, tanks and artillery set in two waves with a large minefield on the left side and some of the front.
 |
| The battle is set - El Alamein is the target! Move out! |
My German troops and tanks rushed up against the left and central front, trying to tackle the minefield but coming up against a wall of tank fire and accurate artillery strikes that pummelled the tank platoons. I returned fire and picked off a few tanks but not enough. Then the girls rushed in their reserve forces up the centre of the map between two sets of hills and to back up the initial troops on the British left.
 |
German tank forces rush up to try to pound the British positions,
prompting a rush of reserves by the British |
6 pounder and 75mm shells fired back and forth, but the hull-down positions even made a full on frontal attack very hard. The German engineers moved in to try to clear the mines to facilitate a weakness that was developing on the British right side, an artillery strike had taken out most of a British infantry section and weakened another.
 |
German engineers move up to try to capitalise on the
weakened British position |
But it was not enough, my tanks and troops flattened against the first set of hills and made it only that far - the attack on the German left was destroyed pretty much and the frontal attack was blunted. It was a fantastic game - the girls won all 8 of their medals fair and square - I only got 4. I loved playing the full on Breakthrough game, it felt like I was in control of a bigger battle and lots was going on - perhaps the inclusion of the air rules would have made it fantastic but still this was amazing and I can't wait for the next one.
 |
| The last Allied medal is won with the destruction of a German tank unit |
 |
End of game - the Germans never got past the first set of hills -
look at all the German losses!! |
