Memoir '44

Subject: History
Category: WWII

Ages: # of players: 8 and up

Time to play: Mechanics/Game Type: Battle cards, dice rolling

Ratings (1 to 5) Educational Value: 5

Gaming value: 5

Aesthetic value: 5

Price value: 5

Ease of play: 3

Younger adaptability: 2

My comments:  Memoir '44 is an entry-level, hex-based war game based on World War II.  The basic set contains German and American army figures, including infantry, tanks, artillery, and obstacles like barbed wire and sandbags.  While the rules may seem a bit complicated, they are simple by war game standards and are well worth mastering.


The rule book is also a campaign book based on actual WWII battles.  Players decide which battle scenario they want to play, which has a description of the actual historical events.  Players then set up the board by placing a variety of terrain hexes and troops according to the scenario specifications.  In general, on your turn you play a card that allows you to activate troops.  You move them and then battle with them, using dice to determine how many if any of the enemy you eliminate.  Doing so earns you victory metals; collect the scenario-specified number of metals to win the game.  Movement and battle have various rules based on terrain, troop-types, and obstacles.


The game is made by Days of Wonder, the same company that makes Ticket to Ride.  And like Ticket to Ride, Memoir '44 comes with a variety of expansions, each with new armies (British, Italian, Russian, Japanese), campaigns, cards, terrain, and some additional rules. (See the Days of Wonder website for all the available expansion.)  Have only one war gamer in the family?  He or she can play free online (if you have a decent computer) against the computer or other live players (caution: opponents can chat live during play.)  You are given "50 gold ingots" to start but once they are used up you have to buy more to play ($8 for 200, or buy larger volumes at a discount.)


Overall this is a great introduction to war gaming, a world steeped in history and top-notch strategy.  It certainly has sparked an interest in WWII for my kids.

BoardGameGeek.com link to this game: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10630/memoir-44

Way Back When in History

Subject: History
Category: Early American, Civics
Ages: 8 and up
# of players: 2 to 8
Time to play: Variable (45 minutes on average)
Mechanics/Game Type: Trivia, roll and move

Ratings (1 to 5)

Educational Value: 5
Gaming value: 3
Aesthetic value: 4
Price value: 4
Ease of play: 5
Younger adaptability: 5, playing in teams

My comments: This game is a really great way to review history facts with your kids. It comes with a colorful board divided into 5 sections--Explorers, Colonies, Revolution, Constitution, and Civil War. The 48 trivia cards each contain one question for each game board section, for a total of 5 questions on each card; there's also 6 wild cards. The very large six-sided die is made of a rubbery plastic so it bounces when it rolls and doesn't make a lot of noise. It also comes with eight pawn-shaped playing pieces.


Playing the game is simple--the player gets asked a question based on what section his playing piece is in; if he answers the question correctly, he rolls and moves. Everyone starts in Explorers; as you answer questions correctly you move from one time period into the next, and the questions change. The Constitution section has a lot of questions about the document itself (thus the civics lessons) as well as historical facts. We play with the variation that you move double the number rolled on the die to keep the game short.

The game is limited as any trivia game is, though you could get questions from other sources, like Professor Noggin card games, for example. They already have Explorers, Revolutionary War, and Civil War. I bought this game at Old Sturbridge Village; it is available online directly from the manufacturer.

BoardGameGeek.com link to this game: none

Manufacturer's web site: http://www.waybackwhengames.com/index.htm

Marco Polo Expedition

Subject: History
Category: Geography
Ages: 8 and up
# of players: 2 to 5
Time to play: 45 minutes
Mechanics/Game Type: card management

Ratings (1 to 5)

Educational Value: 3
Gaming value: 5
Aesthetic value: 5
Price value: 5
Ease of play: 4
Younger adaptability: 3 (need to be able to hold cards and match the symbols and colors; no reading required.)

My comments: A game designed by Reiner Knizia and made by Ravensburger is bound to be good, and this one is. Players collect cards to match the color/goods pattern shown on the next open space to advance his/her caravan towards Kantshou then Daidu, collecting gold treasure chests along the way. Whoever has the most gold wins.

The instruction booklet (in 5 languages) has an extended paragraph about Marco Polo's travels. The board is beautiful, and had a little geography in that it shows Hormus, Kantshou, Daidu, Takla Makan, the Himalayas, and the Gobi Desert. The game pieces are merchants leading camels, and the stunning playing cards depict fruits, spices, oil, and silks, and merchants in 5 colors. This is the extent of the History/Geography information. We happen to be reading Marco Polo this year, and this game make a great leisure time adjunct.

Players can pick cards from the stack or 5 cards placed face up in their quest to collect the right combination of cards to advance their camel to the front of the caravan. The first player to reach a space with gold collects the gold. When the first player reached the Kantshou midpoint, all players receive gold in the amount of the space they are on, and then they all get placed on Kantshou. The game then continues through the second half of the board until someone reaches Daidu, when a second valuation occurs and the game ends. The instructions are a bit complicated to figure out, but the game is easy after the first time it's played. My 5 year old plays along with my 8 year old and myself without assistance.


BoardGameGeek.com link to this game: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9139

Lewis and Clark Adventure Game, The

Subject: History
Category: US
Ages: 8 to adult
# of players: 2 to 4
Time to play: 90 minutes
Mechanics/Game Type: set collection, roll and move/trivia

Ratings (1 to 5)

Educational Value: 5
Gaming value: 3
Aesthetic value: 4
Price value: 5
Ease of play: 4
Younger adaptability: 5 (Very easy to coach youngers, give token instead of asking question)

My comments: The value of this game is in the board--beautifully drawn and loaded with information about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Even each space has some bit of historic fact along with the action. It also comes with pretty beads for trading (they're small, so watch out with little ones around!) My only complaint is that the front and back of the Skill/Chance cards and Transportation cards look so similar that it is difficult to tell if cards are right-side-up.

Each player is dealt 3 cards; each card is a mode of transportation (moccasin, keel boat, horse, canoe.) You need the correct transportation to progress over certain parts of the board; you can also trade or buy these cards. You roll and move, then do what is stated on the space, including drawing a skill/chance card. If you land on a compass, you spin the spinner (built into the board) to indicate which of 4 questions to read. If you get it right, you get a token for that category. You must collect all 4 tokens and go around the board to win. There's a beginner and an advanced trivia card set.

This game has a lot of great educational information. As a game, it can be quite long if people do not land on the trivia spaces, so you end up going around the board again (see tip below). It involves a little math, too (when you trade in one mode of transportation to buy another and figure out what balance is owed.) As with any trivia game, it's life is limited.

One tip: after a player has gone once around the board, let s/he choose which category of question to answer rather than spinning; otherwise, the game gets excessively LONG as you try to land on a trivia space AND spin the color you need AND answer the question.

BoardGameGeek.com link to this game: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/6970