Shrapnel Games Blog

[Note: Yes, another crummy webcam shot. ‘Tis a shame too, since the detail on the figures is quite excellent. Not that you can tell here.]

Recently I’ve begun work on a couple of variants for Memoir ’44. The first is a slightly ambitious total conversion entitled Memoir ’94 (or I may go with ’88). It will be a company level modern game focusing on NATO versus Russia (or Warsaw Pact, depending on the timeline). As a total conversion it will have new dice and new cards. The second variant is meant to avoid adding anything new component-wise, and instead simply create a new experience using what is currently available for the system. This is the variant I will be sharing tonight.

Memoir: OIF is a squad level variant focusing on the current Middle Eastern conflict. At the moment the basic rules are done, along with a test scenario. Once I’m satisfied that the core system works I’ll move on to adding more crunch to the basic rules.

I’m posting the rules here, but you will also find them, along with the test scenario, as a PDF on our forums (since there’s no way to attach files within the blog that I’m aware of). The file will be located under Shrapnel Community/Intel Forum Bar & Grill.

If you are a Memoir ’44 player and have a few minutes I hope you’ll try it out and let me know your thoughts on the variant. So far nothing seems radically broken, but until you have a larger group of folks picking something apart you never know for sure. My test team is pretty devious, but there are always even more devious gamers out there.

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Components needed

For the variant players will need access to the base Memoir ’44 game, along with its expansions. For aesthetic purposes players may wish to replace the standard game miniatures with more appropriate ones. Caesar Miniatures has excellent modern 1/72 figures that will work with Memoir: OIF, and it is highly recommended for the full experience that players should pick up their Modern US Army (History 030) and Terrorists (History 031) figure sets.

Important change

With the goal of this variant to represent squad based actions all units are represented by infantry units, but all units are not classified as infantry units. Clear as mud, right? Essentially certain types of units will be considered either ARMOR or ARTILLERY for purposes of card activation and taking damage. All units though use the INFANTRY effects for terrain.

The units

Memoir: OIF’s forces represent two groups: US or Iraqi. The following describes the units.

Iraqi Insurgent Unit: (4 Figures). Represents common insurgency troops. May move 0, 1, 2 hexes. May attack at 3-2-1 if moved 0, 1 hexes. Must retreat 2 hexes per flag rolled against them. When moving into an urban hex MAY attack that turn. Activated and targeted as INFANTRY.

al-Qaeda Unit: (3 Figures). Represents foreign terrorists, Iranian troops, etc. May move 0, 1, 2, 3 hexes. May attack at 3-3-3 regardless of how far they move. When moving into an urban hex MAY attack that turn. Activated and targeted as ARMOR (no follow-up attacks though).

Iraqi RPG/Mortar Unit: (2 Figures). Represents RPGs fired indirectly or light mortars. May either move 1 hex or fire. Attack at 3-3-2-2-1-1. Indirect fire, no LOS needed. Activated and targeted as ARTILLERY.

US Regular Unit: (4 Figures). Represents average American troops. May move 0, 1, 2 hexes. May attack at 3-2-1 if moved 0, 1 hexes. May ignore one flag rolled against them. Activated and targeted as INFANTRY.

US Elite Unit: (3 Figures). Represents Special Forces, attached SAS, etc. May move 0, 1, 2, 3 hexes. May attack at 3-3-3 regardless of how far they move. May ignore one flag rolled against them. Activated and targeted as ARMOR. May perform follow-up attacks like regular ARMOR in Memoir ’44.

US Sniper Unit: (2 Figures). Represents sniper teams armed with .50 caliber rifles. May either move 1 hex or fire. Attack at 4-4-3-3-2-2. Direct fire, but LOS is not blocked for intervening terrain. Instead, for each terrain hex between attacker and target (including any terrain the target is in) subtract one die from the attack roll. May ignore one flag rolled against them. Activated and targeted as ARTILLERY.

Card changes

Three cards are modified for Memoir: OIF. They are:

Dig In: The Iraqi player ignores the card’s effects and instead can only activate one unit by playing it.

Ambush: If used by the Iraqi player the unit attacks with a bonus die.

Air Power: For the US this represents helicopter support, for the Iraqis heavy mortars. Target hexes DO NOT have to be adjacent, rather players can target four hexes anywhere on the battlefield. The same target hex may be chosen multiple times (each time counting as one of the four target hexes).