On the same night that I tried out “Memoir ’44″ I was also able to go through a game of “Frag”. “Frag” is set up to be a first-person-shooter, but on a board game. I was at least intrigued enough to try the game out.

Each player must choose a character and assign it points to health, speed, and accuracy. It seems like there would be a lot of options on how to assign the points, but in reality there are only one or two combinations that really work out. After that players walk around in circles to collect items and weapons, and after they feel strong enough, leave the starting areas in search of people to frag.

The game system is okay but a little awkward. It takes multiple rolls and a little math to figure out each shot. This kept the pace of the game pretty slow. Combined with rules that encourage players to walk in circles hoping to pick up good items and weapons, this game quickly got everybody involved bored.

When you design a game based on first-person-shooter video games, you’ve got to keep it fast, engaging, and interesting. The dice and math system is slow, walking in circles is boring, and some players become uninterested when it’s apparent that they aren’t going to win.

In other words, convince someone else to buy it if you want to give it a shot.

Last week I finally made it over to my local board game store’s monthly board game night. I first played the uninspiring “Frag”, but then very much enjoyed a couple of games of “Memoir ’44.”

This World War II war game initially looks very much like “Axis & Allies”, but plays more like “Queen’s Gambit”. It is not a worldwide battle like “Axis & Allies” or even a regional conflict like some of the A&A series, but it is war fought at the battlefield level. The multiple scenarios included with the game and available through the expansions offer dozens of battlefield options.

Each scenario spells out the battlefield landscape, starting positions, available units, special unit abilities, and any other peculiarities to the scenario. The variety is nice in a WWII game as I find that games like A&A seem to play the same every time. The downside is that each scenario is not entirely balanced. The idea is to make the battlefield match up to the historical context when possible. Therefore, one side is usually at a disadvantage. (But then again, so is Axis in A&A.)

The gameplay is card-based with each player relying on drawing and playing cards to move certain units. Those units can move, attack, or both. Attacks are resolved using special dice that force defending units to take hits or retreat. Defending units do not roll dice when attacked.

I’m looking forward to getting another chance to play this one soon.