My son and I played the heck out of this about a year ago and then got the Carentan expansion. Just got it to the table again today - it is a lot more strategic than one might think - and it can get very nervy when you decide to really make a full frontal assault. My favorite tabletop war-game-board game.
Just for those who do not know the v1.1 rulebook is available as a PDF. As Tom said the rules can be slightly confusing on first read but the game is very straightforward.
Tom didn't mention this in the video but the designers of this game are actually the designers for Frontiers too, another miniature in a box game. Hence some of concept like the way the modifier are shown on the units are similar
Absolutly, Memoir 44 is a very light intro game to wargame, after some play you feel that you need more and HoN with the same easy way to play but with a LOT more tactical decisions plus the possibility to customize your units AND your deck leaves Memoir 44 into dust. HoN is really a miniature wargame without miniatures so no painting, no storage problems, it's cheap yet challenging. It's really one of the most innovative game of the last years
Great potential but squandered because of over-fussy detail and gaps in the rules (how come tanks can pivot their turrets every few seconds for instance) and spoilt by variable quality of product such as badly cut counters and inconsistent print quality. I have a large collection and have simplified the rules somewhat to exclude the cards and the unit boards. I have a fair eye for balance so I simply cobble scenarios together for my own amusement.
so had my eye on this for a while. M44 and TOI are so basic. Little tactics. Almost move and roll die to see damage and that was it. The other more complex games pretty much had you busting out a calculator and pen and paper. This is a pretty good middle. All the info is on the markers, infantry have unique but simple tactics, armor is has that more complex rules to make the game more interesting but not slow it down. 30-60 min is great. Love the artwork but again as in every WW2 boardgame with great art....why the stock photos on the cards? Put your own art into it.
I bought that game after seeing this review. But, after a week of trying to fully understand the rules, I got a refund. The game looks great graphically, the mechanics looked good but the rules are so badly, very badly made... Downloaded the updated rules on their website, but that was the same rules of the box, rules updated on August 2014. And the forum didn't help me at all, they're changing the rules based on moderators' feeling. What is discussed on their forum isn't what's in the rulebook. So from my point of view, this is STILL A KICKSTATER, and it shouldn't have been on the store shelves. Very disappointing, but at least I got a refund. I wouldn't recommend buying this game.
Well I felt the same but then I remained persistent and reread the rules slowly and played the IOS version (very helpful to learn) and I'm glad I never gave up. One of the greatest games ever designed.
Tom, at 8:25 you refer to the Germans as Nazis. Not all German soldiers were Nazis. It was a political party, not a nationality. Other than that, great review.
I'm German and I think you're splitting hairs here. Sure not every soldier was a fighter for the system, but I guess it's fair to say that most of them believed in "the cause". And on an non-academic level I think to differentiat here is useless. That said I of course wouldn't mind if Tom would have used the term "Germans" instead of "Nazis". Especially in a game context, because that way you take out the political and can concentrate on the tactical part. I mean who in his right mind wants to play Nazis and want them to win?! But I for my part wasn't offended or irritated by him saying "Nazis" instead of "Germans".
This is only the core set hence there's only americans. There is a commonwealth army box set coming out in the future that contain 5 punchboards worth of british and canadian units along with their own dice, cards and order tokens. To give you an estimate of how much is 5 punchboard worth of tokens, the core game Tom has shown here contains a total of 6 punchboards, with each force filling up roughtly 2.5 puncboards and terrains and other misc stuff filling up the rest
My son and I played the heck out of this about a year ago and then got the Carentan expansion. Just got it to the table again today - it is a lot more strategic than one might think - and it can get very nervy when you decide to really make a full frontal assault. My favorite tabletop war-game-board game.
I just LOVE the "Conquest of the New World" soundtrack during the component drop. It is still my favourite game of that era.
Correct me if I'm wrong Tom, but this seemed like a really luke warm review. Are you planning on keeping it in your collection?
Just for those who do not know the v1.1 rulebook is available as a PDF. As Tom said the rules can be slightly confusing on first read but the game is very straightforward.
There has also been a PC adaption been released in october, but nothings beats the sound of dice clicking on the table ;)
Tom didn't mention this in the video but the designers of this game are actually the designers for Frontiers too, another miniature in a box game. Hence some of concept like the way the modifier are shown on the units are similar
Yup, getting this over Memoir. My FLGS carries some expansions for this.
So...does this have the potential to replace Memoir '44?
Absolutly, Memoir 44 is a very light intro game to wargame, after some play you feel that you need more and HoN with the same easy way to play but with a LOT more tactical decisions plus the possibility to customize your units AND your deck leaves Memoir 44 into dust. HoN is really a miniature wargame without miniatures so no painting, no storage problems, it's cheap yet challenging. It's really one of the most innovative game of the last years
Would a chit pull system work for solo? Instead of the command blocks
Awesome, easy game to enjoy. They just released 3 expansions as well to play
Devil Pig Games makes HoN, Iello is the US distributor.
Very cool, I was redirected here from Sam's recent review of the standalone horror-like version. :D Nice review Tom!
Great potential but squandered because of over-fussy detail and gaps in the rules (how come tanks can pivot their turrets every few seconds for instance) and spoilt by variable quality of product such as badly cut counters and inconsistent print quality. I have a large collection and have simplified the rules somewhat to exclude the cards and the unit boards. I have a fair eye for balance so I simply cobble scenarios together for my own amusement.
Oddball's tank from Kelly's Heroes!?
Thank's for the great review Tom. I am sure I am gunna love this game and I never have time to keep up with all the new games. Big Fan.
so had my eye on this for a while. M44 and TOI are so basic. Little tactics. Almost move and roll die to see damage and that was it. The other more complex games pretty much had you busting out a calculator and pen and paper.
This is a pretty good middle.
All the info is on the markers, infantry have unique but simple tactics, armor is has that more complex rules to make the game more interesting but not slow it down. 30-60 min is great.
Love the artwork but again as in every WW2 boardgame with great art....why the stock photos on the cards? Put your own art into it.
I bought that game after seeing this review. But, after a week of trying to fully understand the rules, I got a refund.
The game looks great graphically, the mechanics looked good but the rules are so badly, very badly made...
Downloaded the updated rules on their website, but that was the same rules of the box, rules updated on August 2014.
And the forum didn't help me at all, they're changing the rules based on moderators' feeling. What is discussed on their forum isn't what's in the rulebook.
So from my point of view, this is STILL A KICKSTATER, and it shouldn't have been on the store shelves.
Very disappointing, but at least I got a refund.
I wouldn't recommend buying this game.
Well I felt the same but then I remained persistent and reread the rules slowly and played the IOS version (very helpful to learn) and I'm glad I never gave up. One of the greatest games ever designed.
Mario G. U
Somebody compared this to memoir 44' : not the same at all.
Reminds me of Frontiers a lot, at least with a lot of the rules concepts.
Heroes of Normandie is the game I wished Memoir 44 had been. (Don't tell Sam.)
Wow great components!
Rejiggerating!!
Tom, at 8:25 you refer to the Germans as Nazis. Not all German soldiers were Nazis. It was a political party, not a nationality. Other than that, great review.
I'm German and I think you're splitting hairs here. Sure not every soldier was a fighter for the system, but I guess it's fair to say that most of them believed in "the cause". And on an non-academic level I think to differentiat here is useless.
That said I of course wouldn't mind if Tom would have used the term "Germans" instead of "Nazis". Especially in a game context, because that way you take out the political and can concentrate on the tactical part. I mean who in his right mind wants to play Nazis and want them to win?!
But I for my part wasn't offended or irritated by him saying "Nazis" instead of "Germans".
This is how you make a chit wargame look nice! Why "serious" wargames have to be so ugly?
Great review, but I wish you'd stop throwing everything out of the box at the beginning of each video. I cringe whenever I see that happening...
Looks very similar to memior 44 in its art and the scenarios
it was an army serving Germany during WWII, the Nazi regime
So this is basically Band of Brothers: Screaming Eagles for babies.
Why are the "Heroes of Normandy" only Americans?
This is only the core set hence there's only americans. There is a commonwealth army box set coming out in the future that contain 5 punchboards worth of british and canadian units along with their own dice, cards and order tokens.
To give you an estimate of how much is 5 punchboard worth of tokens, the core game Tom has shown here contains a total of 6 punchboards, with each force filling up roughtly 2.5 puncboards and terrains and other misc stuff filling up the rest
Lame...its been 50 years since seriouis wargames adopted hexes over squares. Area movement not long after... this ain't no wargame.
Think of it as an area move game and maybe it won't hurt so bad!
miniatures? there arent any soldiers. I need little army guys or I dont have interest