Memoir ’44: The Invasion of Crete

About this expansion

Memoir ’44: The Invasion of Crete is a two-player 2011 board game presented as a six-scenario booklet about Operation Mercury, the German invasion of Crete in May 1941.

Operation Mercury was a unique moment in military history. It marked the first large airborne invasion in history, with more than 15,000 German paratroops and glider troops landing at several strategic points across the island.

The battle also marked the first time the British made major use of intelligence gathered from the deciphered Enigma code. They knew when the invasion was coming, adding a crucial intelligence dimension to the events represented in this scenario collection.

• Six scenarios focused on the invasion of Crete
• Historical setting: May 1941
• German airborne forces, including paratroops and glider troops
• Scenarios used in the 2011 World Boardgame Championship

The fighting lasted ten days and became a brutal, back-and-forth battle. This booklet gives players a way to explore that pivotal campaign through a sequence of scenarios centered on the strategic points targeted during the invasion.

Similar in format to The Vercors Campaign, Memoir ’44: The Invasion of Crete was used at the World Boardgame Championship 2011 and was scheduled for publication in the fourth quarter of 2011. It offers a focused historical setting for players interested in the airborne assault, British intelligence, and the intense struggle for control of Crete.