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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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 Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 14 July 2009 18:01
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I have recently bought Memoir 44 for my sons and I to play. I would like to buy some expansion packs (maybe all eventually) as we really like the game. However I notice that some expansions require, or suggest having others, to get the best out of them.
So my question is; what order would you suggest buying the expansion packs in?
I obviously have the base game and just yesterday bought the terrain pack (had a free voucher to use on Amazon).
Many thanks for your help/suggestions.
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Nordiskanc
Posts: 368
Registered:
December 2004
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Achtung Panzer
Posts: 948
Registered:
December 2007
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 14 July 2009 22:59
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1. Eastern Front - Snipers and Stalingrad!
2. Pacific - the Japanese are great fun to play.
3. Terrain Pack - allows you to play all the official and unofficial scenarios.
And yes, you will buy them all in time! 
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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 14 July 2009 23:47
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If you buy the Eastern Front or Med Theatre packs do you need (or is it highly reccomended) to buy the winter/desert board map?
I am assuming the Med Theatre would look odd on a green map?
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Shnik
Posts: 100
Registered:
May 2008
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 02:11
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If visual effects matter to you, then yes, the Winter/ Desert board will be important for both eastern front and mediterranean theater (and possibly the terrain pack). And then you will obviously need the Air Pack for the winter hills too... :¬P
If you plan to eventually buy all the expansions though, I recommend buying them in the order they came out, I find that's a good way to progressively learn the different rules for terrain, armies, etc.
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Timmuilwijk
Posts: 164
Registered:
March 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 07:56
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| Shnik wrote on Wed, 15 July 2009 02:11 |
If visual effects matter to you, then yes, the Winter/ Desert board will be important for both eastern front and mediterranean theater (and possibly the terrain pack). And then you will obviously need the Air Pack for the winter hills too... :¬P
If you plan to eventually buy all the expansions though, I recommend buying them in the order they came out, I find that's a good way to progressively learn the different rules for terrain, armies, etc.
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I agree that is the best way I think of it too...better to buy them in the order they came, indeed for the rules it is the easiest way. My 'problem' with this order of buying was that I got Air Pack for my birthday before the Pacific Theatre  (Not that I cared too much )
So the next thing on my list will be the Pacific Theatre! I highly recommend if you buy something new to buy at least the Eastern Front and the Winter / Desert board (you already bought the Terrain Pack) (?) The Eastern Front is really nice to play, Stalingrad (a very long scenario but still...) is one of the best!
Good Luck with finding the right solution to the 'problem' (it is always nice to think about M44!)
Tim
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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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ad79
Posts: 773
Registered:
September 2007
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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 16:19
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OK, do I have these in the right order?
Any other comments?
- Memoir 44
- Airpack ? (not 100% sure where this comes in the list)
- Terrain Pack
- Eastern Front
- Winter/Desert Map
- Pacific Theatre
- Original Overlord ?? (required two copies of base game)
- Campaign Bag (comes with double sided map in breakthrough format)
- Overlord (comes with markers so you don't need 2nd copy of base game, but requires extra maps for some scenarios)
- Hedgerow Hell, Battle Maps series 1
- Mediterranean Theatre
- Campaign Book 1
- Tigers in the Snow, Battle Maps series 2
Is that it?
Vulch.
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Timmuilwijk
Posts: 164
Registered:
March 2009
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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 16:59
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Thats the source I looked at, got a bit confused by the Air Pack as it is where you have put it, but the notes say it came out in December 2007 which doesn't match the dates of the postings from the DOW guy?
Off to look for best web prices for Eastern Front and Winter/Desert map in the UK.
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Shoegaze99
Posts: 158
Registered:
May 2008
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 18:01
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I know it's one of the least popular expansions, but I often default to recommending the Air Pack, and here's why:
It's essentially Memoir '44 v.1.5. Tweak, clarifies, and revises the game. It packs in every scenario up to date, and has a slew of fantastic summary cards for rules, units, and more.
With this set you can get a taste for every other expansion other than the Med. pack -- you can preview their rules, units, terrain and scenarios -- which will help you make a more informed choice on what you want next.
For me, the air rules are the most minor part of the air pack.
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Timmuilwijk
Posts: 164
Registered:
March 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 20:08
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| Shoegaze99 wrote on Wed, 15 July 2009 18:01 |
I know it's one of the least popular expansions, but I often default to recommending the Air Pack, and here's why:
It's essentially Memoir '44 v.1.5. Tweak, clarifies, and revises the game. It packs in every scenario up to date, and has a slew of fantastic summary cards for rules, units, and more.
With this set you can get a taste for every other expansion other than the Med. pack -- you can preview their rules, units, terrain and scenarios -- which will help you make a more informed choice on what you want next.
For me, the air rules are the most minor part of the air pack.
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yup I agree with most of it, although I must admit that I do not find it the worst. I think that the Air rules are very good, maybe you need more time to learn them but then they are really nice to include in a scenario, it can make a lot of difference! Therefore there should be more air activity e.g. more planes + different actions (dogfighting, dive bombing etc.) then it would be really nice, but maybe a bit too far..., then the Navy should also get its part.
I think that the Air Pack is really necessary in revising and clarifying rules, as you already pointed out. Some things that were unclear are now summarized in cards and it takes less energy to grab the rule booklet time after time, for a Eastern Front scenario containing one TP rule for example...
Tim
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Winter Storm
Posts: 222
Registered:
October 2006
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 21:21
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| Vulch wrote on Tue, 14 July 2009 18:01 |
I have recently bought Memoir 44 for my sons and I to play. I would like to buy some expansion packs (maybe all eventually) as we really like the game. However I notice that some expansions require, or suggest having others, to get the best out of them.
So my question is; what order would you suggest buying the expansion packs in?
I obviously have the base game and just yesterday bought the terrain pack (had a free voucher to use on Amazon).
Many thanks for your help/suggestions.
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1) Eastern front + desert/winter board raccomended
2) Pacific theater
3) Terrain Pack
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Winter Storm
Posts: 222
Registered:
October 2006
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Wed, 15 July 2009 21:29
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| Shoegaze99 wrote on Wed, 15 July 2009 18:01 |
I know it's one of the least popular expansions, but I often default to recommending the Air Pack, and here's why:
It's essentially Memoir '44 v.1.5. Tweak, clarifies, and revises the game. It packs in every scenario up to date, and has a slew of fantastic summary cards for rules, units, and more.
With this set you can get a taste for every other expansion other than the Med. pack -- you can preview their rules, units, terrain and scenarios -- which will help you make a more informed choice on what you want next.
For me, the air rules are the most minor part of the air pack.
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I'm one of the people underwhelmed with the air pack...
According TO MY TASTES is the only expansion I dislike.
The only thing I've enjoyed are the winter/desert hills.
1) I don't like the air rules (They seems me not integrated in the game).... or to say it better I prefer much more the standard rules.
2) The book is beautiful but it easily wears off (at least mine) even if handled with extreme care. In addition I prefer a "book"
of mine with paper with holes in which I can ad the new scenarios
released.
3) The cards are beautiful but too much (about 120!) and personally I never feel the need of them
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Timmuilwijk
Posts: 164
Registered:
March 2009
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Vulch
Posts: 404
Registered:
May 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Sun, 19 July 2009 19:50
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Just out of interest, I had this answer from an email of the same question to DOW (question sent to DOW before I found the forum).
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This is a really difficult question, and I suggest you discuss it on the Memoir '44 forum, where I am sure that lots of players will have very good (but different!) advises!
Personally, I would start by the Terrain Pack, because this one is really a "toolbox". Then I would by the Air Pack, because it contains a compilation of all past official scenarios, summary cards, etc. And I would get the Winter/desert board quickly, because these go out fast and I would hate to be out of it.
After this, it is really a matter of personal taste. One thing to keep in mind is that we usually ran out of print quickly every time we release a new expansion. So bear this in mind. We just reprinted the army packs, so you should be fine for the next few months for these.
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Shoegaze99
Posts: 158
Registered:
May 2008
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Mon, 20 July 2009 18:33
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| Timmuilwijk wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 08:05 |
About the scenarios, it is an improvement that the scenarios are bundled together in this booklet, but later expansions are still seperate. Maybe it is time for DoW to release a new scenario book with all scenarios published so far (+ Air Pack rules optional) and some extra per front, and some of the best Scenarios from the Front....this could be combined with another expansion or on its own...
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Agreed, I've long said a book of scenarios would be a wonderful thing. Compile all official scenarios to date (including the Campaign book scenarios, I'd think, minus the campaign details), add in another 20 or 30 new scenarios using rules/units/terrain that has yet to be featured in an official scenario, and maybe a new SWA with a sheet of punch outs.
I'd be right there on release day.
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50th
Posts: 1277
Registered:
October 2006
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rasmussen81
Posts: 6071
Registered:
July 2007
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Shoegaze99
Posts: 158
Registered:
May 2008
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Mon, 20 July 2009 20:09
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| 50th wrote on Mon, 20 July 2009 12:44 |
I would rather have a book containing all Memoir 44 rules from all the little expansion books. Then we would have one place to go for any questions on rules, or to read rules from any expansion. This book could be pages to fit into a binder so that as new expansions are added, instead of a book of rules, it could include a pack of pages punched to fit into the binder. This is what I have done with my rules after downloading the pdf's. I would prefer to have this printed (so I don't use up all my ink, and so that is is professionally done).
All official scenario's are available on this website, and in the expansion booklets.
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All the rules are available on this website, and in the expansion booklets, too.
Binder style releases are nice in theory, but are rarely good in practice. They're not very sturdy and are more susceptible to wear and tear. TSR tried this with its monster manuals for D&D, but wisely pulled away from the idea. They just aren't practical for regular use.
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OldBloodandGuts
Posts: 298
Registered:
May 2007
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Mon, 20 July 2009 23:44
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This question seems to come up every couple of months. I think the best answer about what to buy next is really dependent on the person doing the buying. In other words, what part of the war interests you? If you're more interested in the Pacific theater, get that expansion. If North Africa is more your thing, then the Mediteranean is a good choice. If the air war fascinates you, that might be the best. Different people are drawn to different parts of the war; pick what seems the most interesting to you.
The only thing I'd add to that is that the terrain pack does give you a lot of flexibility, and you will probably need to pick it up at some point. Otherwise, get the thing you're most intrigued by.
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50th
Posts: 1277
Registered:
October 2006
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 21 July 2009 06:05
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One thing that would be useful, from a purely aesthetic reason, would be a second Terrain pack with winter and desert hexes like rivers, roads, railroads, and airfields. Hospitals, supply tents, radar stations, lighthouses, and other terrain hexes could be included in both terrain background types as well. This would be great for anybody running either Eastern Front or Med Theater scenarios!
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rasmussen81
Posts: 6071
Registered:
July 2007
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 21 July 2009 07:14
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| 50th wrote on Mon, 20 July 2009 21:05 |
One thing that would be useful, from a purely aesthetic reason, would be a second Terrain pack with winter and desert hexes like rivers, roads, railroads, and airfields. Hospitals, supply tents, radar stations, lighthouses, and other terrain hexes could be included in both terrain background types as well. This would be great for anybody running either Eastern Front or Med Theater scenarios!
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Now I could get excited about that. I don't know how many other players would be willing to pay for a purely aesthetic expansion, but I would...and obviously 50th would! 
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Timmuilwijk
Posts: 164
Registered:
March 2009
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Re:Expansion packs - what order to buy.
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Tue, 21 July 2009 11:25
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I think that is a real requirement for everyone, only for the aesthetical reasons already mentioned. I did make a thread for the next expansion that DoW should come up with and this one scored quite high. Really buildings (rubble in desert and campaign) and more airfields etc. would be very nice.
Tim
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