Introduction by CoV Assistant Designer & Editor, Fred Schachter: Designer Frank Esparrago, Developer Dick Sauer, and I are grateful for the Transatlantic Team’s Congress of Vienna play test contributions. They’re quite the group of sharp, excellent, veteran grognard play testers! What a grand, fun, game the below-described AAR was for the three turn Spring Campaign of 1813 – Introductory /”Short” Scenario with Wargame Flavor Rules: a true “nail biter” to the end, eh? Thanks guys!

To best appreciate this After-Action-Report, a composite of AAR emails I issued the team after each session of play; a background concerning the Congress of Vienna game’s mechanics is helpful (and if this is the first article you’ve ever read regarding this pending GMT P-500 game; it is strongly urged you consult this repository since this article presumes knowledge of what CoV is about). This can be obtained through material found within GMT’s site for the game: GMT Games – Congress of Vienna .

Hopefully, the below AAR provides readers an idea, not only of Congress of Vienna‘s game system, but how players seek applying those mechanics towards achieving victory in their play of this wonderful game by designer Frank Esparrago. Enjoy!

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Scenario Turn 1, May 1813, The Spring Campaign of 1813

This initial session of the Transatlantic Team’s Vassal play test of The Spring Campaign of 1813 – Introductory/”Short” Scenario with Wargame Flavor Rules, had three players (hopefully, another will join the next session so we’ll have a full complement of four) with Jon playing Britain, Sandy France, and Rod doing “double duty” as Russia & Austria which made this into a three player game.

This scenario begins with Campaign Game Turn 2, a Replacement Turn coded “R” on the Turn Record Track. The winner will be the Major Power with the most Victory Points. However, unlike the regular full Campaign Game, this scenario begins with both Austria and Britain commencing with 5VP each, Russia 15VP, and France with but 25VP… so it should prove interesting learning how this initial allocation of VP works along with this scenario’s special +2VP awards at game end for Austria building its armies up to 10 or more units, Britain achieving the +2VP track box in the War of 1812, France capturing Prussia, and/or if Russia & France can prevent the Armistice being in effect (which could happen if the Armistice does not occur or Austria enters the War).

The game, with Scenario Turn 1, began with Congress of Vienna Campaign Game Turn 2 (May 1813). The Initial Situation dice rolls, after +1 modifications, were 4 and 2. This resulted in Austria getting an extra card (Stadion was selected), Britain getting an extra Resource, and 4 US Militia being placed in the War of 1812 Box.

The card wagers had a low card value of 3 (Joseph) with France and Britain tied by both venturing 5 value cards… France Blücher and Britain the 5 value Davout card (We later learned France had Wellington as well… another 5 value Allied card!). Russia chose not to use its Imperial Staff National Advantage to intervene so the tie, unsurprisingly since Britain’s National Advantage is to choose tie winners, was to select himself victor… this resulted in the British Recruitment Issue being placed on the 2 space of the British National Track and Austria going first during the Diplomacy Phase.

This scenario begins with Russia having one of its Military Operation markers and a British Financial Aid marker on its 2 space, Austria with its Recruitment Issue on the Negotiation Table and Bavaria on its 1 space, Britain with both of its Military Operation markers on its 2 space, and France got its Recruitment Issue (which it chose to flip to its 2x side for 4 units with an associated -3VP penalty… but France believed its need for troops justified the VP penalty) placed upon the Negotiation Table.

To these “At Start” Issues the players selected two more Issues each for the Negotiation Table as follows…

Austria – Saxony, Poland

France – its second Military Operation marker, Holland

Russia – Recruitment (which the Russian player also flipped to its 2x side) and its second Military Operation marker

Britain – Hanover, Naples

The players considered, but ultimately none of them selected, Armistice nor Absolutism/Liberalism. As an observer, I noticed Sweden at War also not being chosen by any Allied player.

During the Diplomacy Phase, the Tsar Leader card was used to secure a Russian Military Operation and move it to the Russian National Track’s Seat (its 7 space); Metternich brought Naples from the French Track to the Austrian Track’s 5 space; and Castlereagh was used to seize Holland. Napoleon was not used during the Diplomacy Phase. This will obtain France’s second Military Operation marker, which ended the Phase as the only Issue on the Negotiation Table, but France will get it anyway for free during the War Phase. “Free” means France won’t need to spend a Resource to secure its use.

Britain persuaded his fellow Coalition Major Powers to allow a British win of the Diplomacy Phase with 5 Issues. They did not impede Britain accruing those 5 issues. 

Britain’s die roll for Pax Britannica failed.

During Strategic Movement., France took a unit each from its Army of the Mediterranean (track D) and Army of Naples (track E) to reinforce the Grande Armée (track A). Britain sent a unit to The Army of Portugal (track C) and a fleet to the War of 1812 Box. Britain dispatched both its “R” turn Replacements to build The Army of Sicily into 1 fleet and 1 military unit.

That brought us to resolution of May 1813’s War Phase Battles:

Russia placed Military Operation markers for European tracks A & B. France put markers into tracks A and the War of 1812 Box. Britain placed its two Military Operation markers for tracks C (for the Army of Portugal to attack Castile) and E (for the Army of Sicily to attack Naples).

Central Europe (track A) – The French Grande Armée (11 units) attacked from Saxony into Silesia simultaneously with Russia’s Army of Silesia (12 units of which half were Prussian) attacking from Silesia into Saxony. Napoleon, Oudinot, and two military support markers vs. Barclay, Wittgenstein, one military support marker, and a +3 for Silesia’s Prussian homeland bonus. But the dice rolling… argh! France rolled a horrific 3 and Russia a not much better dice roll of 5! This resulted in a bloody stalemate with the combatants losing 3 units each. Furthermore, Russia’s failure to capture Saxony meant its track B Military Operation marker could not be executed… it was removed from the map without effect!

Northern Spain (track C) – Hill, Graham, and Morillo led the Army of Portugal’s attack from Leon into Suchet’s Army of Spain in Castile. The result was a French defeat with them losing 2 units against loss of a single Portuguese unit. The Army of Spain retreated into Gascony. Britain’s Army advanced to occupy Castile and gained a Major Battle +1VP and France suffered a -1VP for its military defeat.

Naples (track E) – The British did a “shoe string” Army of Sicily attack with 1 fleet & 1 military unit against a French Army of Naples containing a single military unit. The British added card N-6 (Landing) for a -4DRM to France and rolled a “9” to inflict a 1 unit loss on France while not losing a unit of its own. Therefore, Britain gained +3VP for capturing Naples, as well as another +1VP for eliminating the sole unit of the French Army of Naples while France sustained a -1VP loss for the Army of Naples’ destruction in battle. 

War of 1812 Box (G) – Andrew Jackson with 5 US militia units and a military support marker attacked Sherbrook, military card N-8 (+3DRM for River Crossing) and a military support marker for 4 fleets and 1 Canadian militia unit. The battle result was a stalemate with each side losing 2 pieces… the British electing to eliminate two fleets. France was reduced to a single US militia to be carried over into next turn.

For end of turn VP Britain received +1VP for Castile and Austria +2VP for remaining at peace. Turn 2, May 1813, ended with the Major Powers VP Track Markers placed as follows: France: 21, Britain: 14, Russia: 12, Austria: 10.

Scenario Turn 2 June 1813, The Spring Campaign of 1813

We continued as a three-player game. Rod playing both Russia and Austria, Jon as Britain, and Sandy persevered with France.

The turn began with Armistice placed on the Negotiation Table, Russia had its Recruitment Issue on the Negotiation Table as well Poland on its National Track 3 space, Britain had one of its Military Operation markers on its 3 space, France got its Recruitment marker on the Negotiation Table with the Saxony Issue on its National Track’s 2 space. Both the French and Russian Recruitment markers were kept at their regular 1x sides… that -3VP penalty for double Recruitment was deemed too daunting by both players. It should be noted 2x Recruitment markers are solely options for France and Russia.

The Initial Situation Table dice roll results were a first die roll of 1 and second die roll result of 4. This meant Britain got an extra card (Wellington, who else?), with 2 US militia and no further effect.

To the preceding noted Issues, each Major Power selected two more for the Negotiation Table. These were:

Austria: Recruitment & Absolutism/Liberalism

France: a Military Operation & Holland

Russia: both of its Military Operation Issue markers

Britain: Recruitment & a Military Operation

Austria’s Leader Metternich was played for Austria to gain Absolutism, but Russia eventually acquired it. No other Leader was played during turn 3’s Diplomacy Phase in a kind of “Mutual Assured Destruction” attitude between Russia and Britain. The Diplomacy Phase ended, remarkably, with France not having a single Issue on its National Track… such was the cooperation between the three Coalition Major Powers. Russia had 6 Issues to Britain’s 5. Therefore, Russia won the Diplomacy Phase and its +2VP. Armistice, which remained on the Negotiation Table, was implemented per this Issue’s special rule!

During the Government Phase key Issues gained were…

Britain: Holland, Naples (with its military unit), and it spent a Resource for a Sound Government +1VP. It won its Pax Britannica die roll for +1VP.

Austria also spent a Resource for a Sound Government +1VP and invested Resources so its Absolutism die roll would succeed on “anything but a one”… yeah, Rod rolled a one!! Austria also won a French Military Operation marker and decided to place it on track D (for reasons which will become apparent when reading resolution of track D’s battle).

France spent a Resource for Sound Government and got +1VP

Russia gained Poland (with its military unit and +1VP) and the aforementioned Absolutism Issue.

This brought the action to the War Phase and placing Military Operation markers as follows (the Armistice prevents any battles on tracks A & B): France had a Military Operation forced-placed on track D’s Valencia space to attack Southern Spain, its “free” Military Operation marker for Napoleon was placed on Spain track C for Gascony to attack Castile. Britain placed a Military Operation marker in the War of 1812 Box and Spain track D. 

Next, for scenario turn 2, June 1813’s War Phase, military support markers were placed. During the just concluded Government Phase, France acquired 4 military support markers, but since Armistice is now in effect, only three could be deployed. This brought us to resolving the War Phase’s battles:

Northern Spain (track C): With only Soult available (and he’s a +2DRM until after the Armistice when he becomes far more formidable); the French Army of Spain chose to withdraw in face of Britain’s Army of Portugal led by Morillo. The aborted Military Operation into Castile resulted in a battle which cost France 2 units vs. a loss of 1 Portuguese unit for Britain. This did save Soult card for the other battle in Spain! As this was in context of a Withdrawal, there were no VP battle consequences. The French Army of Spain remained in Gascony.

Southern Spain (track D): As this was an instance of both sides attacking each other, the modifiers for both Valencia and Southern Spain came into play. This meant Britain getting the Guerrilla bonus. In face of that, France’s Army of Mediterranean chose to Withdraw with Soult in command vs. the Eastern Army with Wellington, Graham, and Castanos. France still lost 2 units vs. 1 eliminated British unit and the Army of Mediterranean, with one surviving military unit, retreated into the mountain space of Catalonia. No VP were lost or gained since strategic withdrawal was chosen. However, France lost -2VP and Britain gained +2VP for Valencia changing hands.

War of 1812 Box (G): France had no card to play for its US militia but Britain had Sherbrooke and military card N-8 (River Crossing). Despite these advantages, Britain’s dice roll was a lamentable “3” vs. a French dice roll of “7”. The battle result was a stalemate with each side losing 1 military unit. The War of 1812 marker remained at zero. 

The turn ended with Austria receiving +2VP for its continued neutrality under the Armistice and Britain receiving +1VP for controlling Castile. Marker distribution on the VP Track at turn end was… Britain: 21VP, France: 20VP, Russia: 16VP, and Austria: 12 VP.

Scenario Turn 3, July 1813, The Spring Campaign of 1813 (Final Turn with Victor Determined)

This brought us to the third and final turn of this scenario, July 1813.

The Initial Situation Table dice roll results, after -1 modifiers, were 2 and 1 with Britain gaining a card (Wellington once again) but losing a fleet which was removed from the War of 1812 Box which now contained 3 US Militia units.

The turn began with the Initial Situation Card A-4 with Austria at War being placed on the Negotiation Table with Generalissimo as well as a French Mil Op being placed on the Negotiation Table and Hanover on France’s 2 space. Russia got a 2x Recruitment Issue on its 3 space, a British Financial Aid marker on its 2 space, and Norway on its 1 space. Austria received a British Financial Aid marker on its National Track’s 2 space. France got Caulaincourt and Britain Gambier for their respective at turn start card hands.

The card wagers resulted in Russia winning by venturing the Davout card (5 value) versus France’s low value Sherbrooke card (3 value). Russia therefore selected one of its Military Operation markers for its National Track’s 2 space.

To the preceding referenced Issues, each Major Power selected two more for the Negotiation Table…

Britain – Government of France & Holland (Britain announced its intent to keep Austria out of the war, with French cooperation in attaining this goal, so there’d be no VP consequences in Central or Northern Europe, tracks A & B, for this final turn of the game. That’s why no British Military Operation marker was selected since battles in Spain, versus mountain spaces, did not seem worth it.)

Austria – one Military Operation & Sweden at War

France – Bavaria & Saxony

Russia – its second Military Operation marker & Absolutism/Liberalism

Highlights of the turn’s Diplomacy Phase include:

France’s use of Talleyrand to secure and lock the Liberalism Issue into the French seat (7 space).

Castlereagh played to secure and lock the Future Government of France Issue into the British seat (7 space)

Wellington was employed to move the Holland Issue to Britain’s National Track 5 space, to be subsequently debated by Joseph and then lost to Britain. By the end of the Diplomacy Phase Britain’s only secured Issue was Government of France.

The Tsar was played to take one of Russia’s Military Operation markers to the Russian seat (7 space).

Metternich was played to secure and lock the Generalissimo Issue into the Austrian seat (7 space).

Napoleon, though tempted, remained unused during the Diplomacy Phase. The French player will consequently have him available for the War Phase.

Britain’s goal of preventing Austria from joining the war may be foiled. However, that is uncertain as the Diplomacy Phase ended: for the Austrian player secured the Austria at War Issue. Austria may decide to enter the war or not. The Diplomacy Phase concluded with Russia having 5 Issues, which will result in its winning the Phase’s 2VP.

Turn 3’s Government Phase concluded with each Major Power having the following Issue markers on their respective National Tracks:

Russia: 5 Issues – two Military Operation markers, a 1x Recruitment (-1VP), Sweden at War, Norway. With only four Resources, Russia could not afford implementing Norway for 1VP nor pay for any military support markers (each worth a +3DRM in battle resolution).

Britain: 1 Issue – Future Government of France… which moved this track’s pawn from “Emperor Napoleon” to the “King Napoleon – French Peers Regency” space to gain Britain, Austria, and Russia +3VP each with a -2VP penalty inflicted upon France. Britain spent Resources and the Huskisson +1 modifier to assure no die roll was needed for the French won Liberalism Issue’s progress into its “Secularization & Confiscation” space for a +2VP award to Britain and France. This then enabled a die roll into the next space of the Pax Britannica Track for a +2VP reward. Britain lacked sufficient remaining Resources and was unwilling to remove a fleet from the board to assure a result. It therefore had to die roll for an “anything but a one” to win and (as fate would have it) Jon rolled a dreaded one! Those 2 British VP, as the game end results later proved, would be sorely missed! 

Austria: 4 Issues – British Financial Aid, Austria at War, Military Operation, Generalissimo. Austria acquired two military support markers.

France: 4 Issues – Military Operation, Hanover (1VP and a military unit), 2x Recruitment (-3VP with one unit sent into The War of 1812 Box), Absolutism/Liberalism. The French were so flushed with Resources that one was spent for Good Government’s 1VP and for 4 military support markers. France also received a second Military Operation marker for having Napoleon available for the War Phase.

By its deployment of new military units (quite a few since this is a Replacement Turn) and Strategic Movement, France realized it lacked sufficient strength to fight everywhere, despite Spain being dormant this final game turn. It therefore would concede track A’s Saxony but make a big fight for track B’s Hanover space through bringing The Army of Elbe up to its full complement of 10 units.

Military Operation markers were placed by France with the Army of Elbe to attack into Pomerania from Hanover and into The War of 1812 Box (G). French military support markers were placed in The War of 1812 Box as well as with the Army of Elbe, Grand Armée, and the Army of Italy. Austria placed its Military Operation marker to enable its Army of Tyrol, with one military support marker, to attack Venice (track F). The two Russian Military Operation markers supported a Generalissimo-led attack from Silesia into Saxony (track A) and from Pomerania into Hanover (track B).  

Central Europe (track A) – The Russian Army of Silesia (7 Russian and 4 Prussian units) with the Austrian Army of Bohemia (7 units) under an Austrian Generalissimo (+3 DRM) and Blücher attacked the French Napoleon-led Grande Armée (6 military units) in Saxony. The Allied die roll for having 13 or more units was a 1, for a -1DRM. The French declared a Withdrawal with military card N-8 (to inflict another – 6DRM on the Allies and suffering less battle losses). Despite a -12DRM for the Withdrawal and card N-8 (which enhances a Withdrawal’s effectiveness), the French suffered a loss of 3 units to 2 Allied. Russia received +1VP for a French Withdrawal before Blücher and both Austria and Russia received +3VP each for capturing Saxony. France lost -3VP for Saxony’s Allied capture.

Northern Europe (track B) – Before resolution of this battle, Russia’s last opportunity to score VP during this game, Britain calculated that it would win the game if Russia scored no more VP… so guess who the British player was rooting victory for? The full-strength Army of Elbe (10 units) under Ney & Duroc (who survived his “death die roll) was attacked by the Russian Northern Army (4 Russian, 4 Prussian, and 3 Swedish military units) led by Barclay, Scharnhorst (who survived his “death die roll”) with military cards N-9 (Cossacks -3DRM on France) and N-6 (Russian Guard for +3 DRM). Russia rolled a 10 vs. France’s dice roll of 5… which only compounded the tracks’ DRM disparity and resulted in a French defeat with loss of 3 units vs. 1 Allied unit eliminated. Russia received 4 VP (1VP for battle victory and 3VP for capturing Hanover) while France lost -4VP (-1VP for the battle loss and -3VP for losing Hanover). The French Army of Elbe retreated into Holland and the Northern Army advanced into Hanover. We did not bother with Wargame Flavor Rule’s Norway/Denmark Box since the game was ending this turn.

The Italian Front (track F) – Austria’s Army of Tyrol under Schwarzenberg with a military support unit attacked France’s Army of Italy, with a military support marker and the French +3 DRM homeland bonus. The battle result was a stalemate with each side losing 2 units.

The War of 1812 Box (G) – Andrew Jackson with 4 US militia units attacked 2 British fleets and 2 Canadian militia with military card N-8 (River Crossing +3 DRM). The dice were unkind to Britain and a French victory resulted with 2 British units eliminated vs. 1 US militia lost for +1VP to France and a -1VP battle loss penalty to Britain. The War of 1812 Track marker was moved to its +1VP French space.

End of turn VP were then awarded: +1VP to Britain for holding Castile, +2VP to France (+1VP for Austria being in the War and +1VP for the War of 1812 Track), and finally +1VP to Austria for having the Generalissimo. The immediate results of this were: 

Russia: 28VP, 

Britain: 26VP, 

Austria: 19VP, 

France: 15VP. 

Russia wins the game!

Had Britain made its “anything but a 1” die roll for Pax Britannica or achieved a War of 1812 Victory this turn Britain would have been tied with Russia at 28VP each and ties are won by Britain! On the other hand, as you read this AAR, there were other points during this tightly contested game that matters hinged on a critical card play and/or die or dice roll… but that’s the nature of a Congress of Vienna game and the exciting narrative it generates.

To this were added the scenario’s special VP awards. 

* 2VP each to Russia and France for Austria not being under Armistice.

* 2VP to Austria for having 10 military units or more within its two Armies

These did not affect the outcome. We played this game in individual Vassal sessions of one turn each. Had these been combined into a single session, this game would have been concluded in a single session of an afternoon or evening. 

Quite the game, eh? Thanks for reading this AAR and for your interest in Congress of Vienna!

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