During the last six months we continued adjusting Congress of Vienna (CoV)’s components to try to make them as functional as possible. This effort included minor corrections to the rules: for example, when a rule was moved from being an optional rule to becoming a standard one or vice versa.

This always seems a problem when you carry out a game’s extensive playtest program with participants contributing many ideas and feedback regarding rule development as well as victory conditions. What’s gratifying is that through it all, the core design/development team takes a considered approached to weighing the merits of all this much appreciated input; and in the case of this November 2021 update, we’ll focus on the latest Congress of Vienna map and its rule references upon the gameboard.

This means we’ll share game board modifications made since the last published overview concerning the map as play testing proceeds. New Readers about Congress of Vienna, or those needing reminders of what this upcoming GMT P-500 listed game is about, may benefit through obtaining background regarding this game through the material deposited herein: GMT Games – Congress of Vienna and to learn more of the optional rules specifically mentioned within this update kindly reference War or Diplomacy? The Struggle Between the Wargamer vs Eurogamer Soul in the Design and Development of Congress of Vienna | Inside GMT blog

With this article, we present the latest gameboard which incorporates a variety of aids intended to facilitate play of both the Standard Game and its Optional Historical Rules for players with a grognard soul (these were referred to in previous versions as “Wargame Flavor Rules”).

As with the prior posted April ’21 update, we do not have this latest gameboard extensively in-person tested since most playtesting is conducted by Vassal for self-protection measures against COVID-19 . This results in our testing teams having representatives from Europe, the States, as well as a recent addition from the Philippines (what wonderful and talented multi-national group I’m privileged to have!). We incorporated modifications from Vassal play testers who found help them helpful to avoid needing to take time to reference, or perhaps overlook, certain key rules during play of an exciting and fun game of Congress of Vienna.

Map References to Optional Historical Rules

We continue to maintain the same criteria for referencing these rules on the game board. That is, when a space has a rule applicable only to an Optional Historical Rule; it is indicated by a violet-colored label. Through this visually striking presentation, players know where to confirm the rule indicated on the gameboard if they need to do so.

Let’s now examine changes made since the last edition of CoV’s map was shared with the GMT audience.

Landing in Holland as Optional Historical Rule

The first example of such modifications upon the gameboard is the violet label bordering the Army of Scheldt Box. This game element was moved from a Standard Rule to an Optional Historical Rule. Remember, this section of CoV’s map is now only used when player(s) agree to use this particular OHR 15.4: Landing in Holland.

During the CoV Play Test Team’s virtual meetings: the Scheldt Army rule was found to be a complicating factor. It therefore remains in the game for historical considerations and adds a bit of additional calculation for players to noodle over; but it does entail more effort from those who may prefer a more streamlined and simple way to emulate history!

Modifying the Russian-Persian War Box

In the same way, some other small map modifications have been made, like the Russian-Persian War Box. This is now a Standard Rule, a change since its original status as an optional offering! Why? Because from the point of view of gameplay, this rule allows application of a strategy of erosion on the Russian Major Power to simulate a possible diversion of military attention to a non-European threat. In the previous version of the gameboard, this Box was surrounded by the optional rule violet-label that has now disappeared!

During various play test games, we observed how a strategy of weakening Russia by sending one of its Military Operation markers to the Persian War Box not only carried out by its archenemy France, but also, on some occasions, by one of its “pretended” allies when they observe the Russian bear becoming too powerful.

As always, the Russian player can take countermeasures; but we entered this dynamic into CoV’s Standard Game mechanics: if Russia dedicates military efforts on the distant Russian-Persian border and not in Europe; the Czar does not have as many opportunities to gain influence in Minor Countries, advance Absolutism, and/or obtain British Financial Aid … This is the key to our game: the balance between the Major Powers and their competition for Issues, Resources and VPs! This continues to make for frightening and player stressful choices!

Including the Royal Navy Reserve Box

Britain uniquely has fleets in addition to its military units. They allow landings in Europe and have a fundamental use in the War of 1812! But not only that, when Britain is doing well in the game, or when a British player wants to prioritize a strategy in Europe or world dominance of the seas via the Pax Britannica track or the British Fleet Demobilization rule. 

Ah, you may ask, “What is the British Fleet Demobilization Rule”? In the excitement of play it’s a rule easy to forget and that’s why a reminder of this special ability has been added to the map. Once each turn, the British player can use two fleets to generate a Victory Point (VP) or Resource and not vice versa. That’s why we created the Royal Navy Reserve Box, from where fleets can be distributed for different purposes. We placed it near the London Box, where now only the British Mil units, Mil Support and British Military Operation markers are located before being placed elsewhere.

We thereby increased the relative importance and significance of this new box, since in the former game board edition, this function was included in the London Box, and really, it was a mess to keep track of fleets, military units and other markers in a single location!

Continuing to Clarify Map Rule Cross-References, VP for Paris and Other Locations

The next matter to confront was the space of Paris, its special effects, and Napoleon’s final defense of it during early 1814. This was also present in the April update, but the endings of the game can be dramatically heart-stopping when the Paris space is involved and we want them to continue being so!

Some grognard playtesters wanted the rules to reflect Napoleon’s excellent leadership (as well as some of his commanders) and the relative uncoordinated Allied performance. We decided to maintain the Allies having comparable likelihoods of achieving victory and, of course., that Napoleon could attain a reasonable peace which could preserve his imperial throne (represented by a victory for France in CoV). Here we provide an image of the text-packed French Capital space of Paris as presented by this November 2021 update edition – which we hope will be the definitive and final version of Congress of Vienna‘s gameboard content!

We include a violet color-coded cross-reference to Optional Historical Rule 15.10 “Allied Command Control Difficulties & Berthier”. This optional rule better simulates the historical Campaign of France 1814. Along with the negative battle DRM of certain French Military cards for battles involving Paris; it captures the excellent performance of Napoleon, particular French marshals, and the now small, but still terrifyingly proficient French imperial army against the occasionally extraordinarily poor co-ordination of the Allied host.

All the preceding described map modifications may have created a graphics conundrum which seems difficult to satisfactorily resolve for all who’d play the game. Is the gameboard, due our best intent in making the game easier to play, now appearing too complex with so many rule cross-references, labels, and symbols? We trust the GMT Team will help us make the final decision!

This is a point we highlight, because hopefully the next major opportunities to play Congress of Vienna in an in-person public setting are coming next year: BellotaCon (Spain, Jan 2022) and CosimWorld (Dallas, April 2022)! I am particularly looking forward to BellotaCon since it takes place in my hometown of Badajoz. Reference this InsideGMT piece to learn more of this wonderful gathering of our fellow gaming enthusiasts: Convention Report: The GMT Delegation’s January 2020 Visit to Bellota Con III in Badajoz, Spain & Congress of Vienna (CoV) | Inside GMT blog

Closing Thoughts and a Request…

There are some of the CoV Team who express concern that a gamer could walk by this board during one of the above-referenced conventions with a Congress of Vienna game underway, drawn to the table by how much noisy animated fun and boisterous conversation the players were having. They’d glimpse the map with its content-rich graphics covered by numerous counters and wooden pieces and keep going past the table thinking “Oh my! What a complicated-looking game! It must be quite difficult and time-consuming to learn how to play it!” That, of course, is not the case, but it could be a negative and unjustified first impression.

There are others on the CoV Team who swear by the November 2021 CoV board as being highly functional to facilitating quick play of the game. They like how it curtails need to open the game’s rulebook when a question arises. It also makes it easier to swiftly teach newbies with the player aids, short Rules Summary, and other game components near at hand.

Within that group there are a few who maintain once one learns how to play the game, full text rule extracts become unnecessary and could be dispensed with. Only a color-highlighted case number reference to a rule need be made upon the map.

Simplicity and graphic cleanliness versus perceived complexity and precise fully-descriptive labels?

It would be very interesting and helpful for the CoV Team to receive feedback from InsideGMT readers with common sense and experience with other games regarding these vital CoV gameboard design and layout matters. Kindly provide your comments, suggestions, and observations via the provided InsideGMT “Post a Comment” capability. Thank you in advance for that much appreciated input!

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See Updated Congress of Vienna Map Here