Introduction by Congress of Vienna (CoV)’s Assistant Designer & Editor, Fred Schachter – To familiarize the InsideGMT audience of what designer Frank Esparrago created with his fun and exciting Congress of Vienna game, now a GMT P-500 offering; InsideGMT presented articles of “Designer’s Notes” and a “Game as History” series entitled “An Historical Introduction to the Congress of Vienna Period (CoV)”.  Use this link to access copies of these articles and more: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-850-congress-of-vienna.aspx .

Since this is the fifth game of GMT’s “Great Statesmen” series, it seems appropriate to focus on those very Statesmen who make this Napoleonic Wars historical period so captivating to our hobby from perspective of the game Frank designed.

Consequently, following Part One’s “British Contingent,” here’s part two of a four-part series: “Meet the Statesmen of Congress of Vienna – The Austrian Contingent.”  The next article increments will address the Russians-Prussians (a single player controls them both) and finally the French with their USA Allies for the War of 1812. It should be noted this piece was originally InsideGMT published during early 2020.  This is the 2024 edition… which is an update including Terry Leeds’ gorgeous graphics of Congress of Vienna’s cards.

This piece includes bonuses!  #1: The Military & Diplomacy Cards of Congress of Vienna and #2: a Bibliography, whose works lay behind the game’s design.  Alas, as previously explained, this material could not be accommodated within CoV’s Playbook due to space limitations and is consequently here presented.

I enjoyed learning more of the personages behind the game’s cards and hope you do as well. Now to meet the Great Austrian Statesmen (and military leaders) of Congress of Vienna…

In italics we include a description of the cards’ historical background, and their CoV opportunities and weaknesses:

The Austrian Statesmen and Men of War

The Austrian player has a limited set of personage cards. These suffer with generally weak military capabilities, as Austria endured during all the Napoleonic Wars, especially in comparison to those of the two powerful Russian and French Empires. However, Austria’s role as a “hinge” state between France and Russia, with its national ability in CoV’s diplomacy debates, can allow Austria taking advantage of apparent weakness by exploiting its negotiating capabilities. Remember, each of the below-described cards has +1 for Diplomacy Phase debate due to Austria’s National Ability.

First, let’s examine Austria’s Corps of Statesmen:

LEADER: Metternich, Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince von (1773 –1859), is one of the “stars” of the Congress of Vienna game. He was a German diplomat and statesman, one of the most important of his era, serving as the Austrian Foreign Minister from 1809 and asChancellor from 1821 until the liberal revolutions of 1848 forced his resignation.

As France became ascendant after its 1805 Austerlitz victory, Metternich grew increasingly worried about Napoleon´s territorial ambitions. After the Treaty of Tilsit in July 1807, he saw Austria’s position in Europe as precariously vulnerable and believed the accord between Russia and France would not endure.

Over time, Metternich came to see a resumed war with France inevitable. When it again came, he despairingly witnessed the Austrian army’s defeat at the 1809 Battle of Wagram. In the immediate aftermath of that catastrophe, the Austrian Emperor offered him the post of Foreign Minister. Metternich worried that with Austria prostrate, Napoleon would seize the opportunity to demand harsher peace terms. He therefore initiated pro-French proposals to save Austria’s monarchy. One of Metternich’s first tasks encouraged the marriage of Napoleon to Archduchess Marie Louise. However, even while wooing the French emperor; Metternich gave both Britain and Russia assurances that Austria remained committed to curbing Napoleonic ambitions.

Austria’s alliance with France ended February 1813, after the French debacle in Russia. Austria moved to a position of armed neutrality. Metternich was much less keen on turning against France than many of his contemporaries; but starting in April Metternich began to “slowly and reluctantly” prepare Austria for war with France.

The 1813 armistice provided Austria time for fuller completion of its military’s preparations. In June Metternich left Vienna to personally handle related negotiations: this included discussing the state of issues with the Tsar. Shortly afterwards, he was invited to join Napoleon at Dresden (Saxony). An agreement to meet was finally reached. Peace talks would start in Prague during July and be scheduled to run until 20 August. The Conference of Prague, however, would never properly meet since Napoleon gave his representatives insufficient power to negotiate on France’s behalf. This convinced Metternich there was no peaceful alternative, and after an ultimatum issued to France went unheeded, Austria declared war on 12 August.

For the rest of the war, Metternich strove to hold the Coalition together and, within that context, to reduce Russian influence in Europe. To this end he won an early political victory as the Austrian general, Schwarzenberg, was confirmed generalissimo of Allied forces rather than Tsar Alexander or one of his appointees. He kept Austria uncommitted over the futures of France, Italy, and Poland.

Metternich remained determined to negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate… even offering Napoleon generous terms to retain him as a counterweight to Russian and Prussian ambitions. During December 1813 Napoleon agreed to talk, although these talks were delayed by need for the presence of Britain’s Lord Castlereagh. Metternich and Castlereagh formed a good working relationship and then met with Tsar Alexander. Metternich’s negotiations with the French envoy Caulaincourt, although fruitless, lasted into March 1814.

Thereafter, he focused on safeguarding Austrian interests in the forthcoming peace, asserting Austria’s influence in Germany over that of Prussia and undoing Russian ascendancy. For these reasons he ensured North Italy (Lombardy and Venetia), were duly re-annexed to Austria. However, Polish, and German issues were backburnered until after a general peace treaty had been signed. Elsewhere, he, like many of his counterparts, was anxious to provide the renewed French monarchy resources to suppress any new radical Jacobin type revolution.

During the autumn of 1814 the heads of the five reigning dynasties and representatives from the other European Powers began gathering in Vienna. When the ministers from the “Big Four” (the Coalition allies of Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia) arrived; they agreed on how the Congress would operate and, to Metternich’s delight, named his own aide as secretary to the negotiations of the “Big Six” (the Big Four plus France and Spain). This prevented Prussian annexation of Saxony, but Austria was forced to accept Russian dominance of Poland and increasing Prussian influence in North Germany. Metternich also obtained assurances that Naples’ Bourbon dynasty would be returned to power (they were a sound Austrian ally).

We decided to place Austria under Metternich’s tireless and courteous leadership. In CoV he is a powerful 5 value card, but he becomes the maximum 7-value in debates and for securing vital diplomatic Issues to the Austrian player’s interests. Only for the Recruitment Issue is he penalized, which adds a bit more historical flavor to the game as Metternich favored a diplomatic rather than military approach to resolving challenges.

In the Congress of Vienna game, a successful General Peace Congress is a viable way for players to anticipate game end and position themselves for victory (or so they hope). On several occasions Metternich tried for Austrian success through this method; but either Napoleon rejected the offered peace conditions or there was Allied Coalition opposition with one or more members considering Austria’s recommendations overly advantageous for France.

To simulate this dynamic, we provided the Metternich Leader card a die roll determined 1-3 VPs when it used for an Austrian won Congress of Peace Issue. However, when the Peace Congress turns out to be a fiasco, there are penalties for the for the player who won the Diplomacy Phase and for the player with the highest victory point score.

This rule allows a sly Austrian player to get VP while up to two other players, who could have more VPs, lose some of them! How that occurs is explained by CoV’s rules for both the Standard Game and an optional Congress of Peace rule shared via InsideGMT: Congress of Vienna’s Optional Rule 15.6 for the Congress of Peace Issue | Inside GMT blog.

Francis I, Emperor of Austria (1768 – 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved by Napoleon following the Allied Coalition’s decisive defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz. In 1804, he founded the Austrian Empire and became Francis I, the first Emperor of Austria, ruling from 1804 to 1835.

In 1809, Francis resumed war with France, hoping to take advantage of the Peninsular War embroiling Napoleon. The emperor responded with lightning speed and Austria was again defeated. This time Francis was forced to ally with the French emperor (even contributing an Austrian contingent to 1812’s invasion of Russia), ceding more territory to the French Empire, joining the Continental System, and wedding his eldest daughter Marie-Louise to Napoleon.

In 1813, for the fourth time, Austria turned upon France and joined the 6^th Coalition of Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden in their war against Napoleon. Austria played a key role in the final defeat of France—in recognition of this, Francis, represented by Metternich, presided over the Congress of Vienna, helping to form the Concert of Europe and the Holy Alliance, which ushered in an era of conservatism in Europe. Not a particularly incisive ruler, he left most home and diplomatic affairs to the able Metternich, while entrusting Austria’s military aspects to his younger brother, the Archduke Charles.

Francis is a powerful card, even for CoV’s three other players despite a -1 to its value, as corresponds to an emperor, despite his weaknesses as ruler. He was deeply conservative and willing to seek peace which is why he has +1 modifiers for the Absolutism and Armistice Issues; for these Issues this card is similar to the Napoleon and Tsar Alexander Leader cards. Francis is also useful for raising new troops through his Austrian Recruitment Issue +1 bonus.

Stadion, Johann Philipp Carl Joseph, Graf von (1763 –1824). Born in Mainz, he was a statesman, foreign minister, and diplomat who served the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1806, in the aftermath of the crushing defeat at Austerlitz, he was made foreign minister and in conjunction with Archduke Charles pursued a policy of quiet preparation for a fresh trial of strength with France.

In 1808, he was encouraged by news of the defeat of a French army by Spanish forces at Baylen and lent his voice to the strident hawks in Vienna encouraging resumed hostilities with France. But when that opportunistic war began in 1809, it found Austria alone on the continent against the formidable Napoleon and his Grande Armée. The French inflicted a decisive defeat on Austria at Wagram. That humiliating defeat compelled Stadion’s resignation. He was succeeded as Foreign Minister by Metternich.

In 1813 he was commissioned to negotiate the convention which finally overthrew Napoleon. The last ten years of his life were spent in a strenuous and partly successful attempt to reorganize Austria’s disordered finances. In 1816 he was a founder of the Austrian National Bank.

This is an excellent 4-value card, for which the Austrian player can also receive an always welcome free Resource bonus marker when Stadion is used for a perpetually needed key Austrian British Financial Aid Issue! Stadion, with his +1 modifier is particularly useful regarding the Austria at War and Future Government of France Issues.

Trauttsmandorff, Ferdinand von (1749–1827) was an Austrian diplomat and statesman. His historical memoranda are replete with the idea that only a defensive alliance of Europe’s Powers, both major and minor, particularly including Prussia, would be able to successfully oppose the powerful newly created French Imperial colossus, and that to defeat this one true common enemy those Powers would need to cease all other distractions: the disputes, blinds and hatreds which impeded the kind of unity required to decisively defeat France.

In 1805, Emperor Francis raised him to the hereditary state of prince and subsequently appointed him, in1807, as his first steward. Trauttmansdorff held this office for a full twenty years. In this capacity, he was responsible for the organization of the Congress of Vienna. With political affairs he seems to have kept strictly to the organizational aspects of his position. He worked tirelessly at it until the end.

This is a powerful 4-value card but, with its Austrian National Advantage +1 debate modifier, it is a most impressive 6-value card for the British Financial Aid Issue. For historical and game proposes we added positive modifiers for other Diplomacy Issues: Congress of Peace, Treaty of Ghent/Canada Annexed, or Austria at War (where it could be used in an Austrian debate for the maximum value of 7!). 

Like Stadion, it is only an average value card to the other Major Powers and even less enticing to France due to its -1 modifier. For that lack of attractiveness, Austria could anticipate receiving it offered in trade.

Finally, Trauttmansdorff has an interesting 1 VP, albeit ephemeral, bonus when used for the Armistice or Austria at War Issues as this card makes the negotiation and debate of these two key Issues more disputable and exciting… at least until these Issues are activated and removed from play!

Merveldt, Maximilian, Count von (1764 – 1815), was from an illustrious old Westphalian family. Merveldt entered Austrian military service and served as Francis I’s ambassador to Russia. He fought with distinction in the wars between Austria and the Ottoman Empire, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars.

He was wounded and captured at the Battle of Leipzig and, as a condition of release; he agreed not to again bear arms against France. He was subsequently appointed an envoy to Britain, where he died while on that assignment in 1815.

In CoV, to reflect Merveldt’s lack of military involvement during the game’s historical period, we have not endowed this card with military use.

We simulated his appointment as ambassador to Great Britain with positive modifiers for the British player or British interests and a negative one for the French player (both of these are positioned within their respectively BR and AU colored rectangles).

Von Gentz, Friedrich (1764 – 1832) was a German diplomat and writer. In 1809, upon the outbreak of war between Austria and France, he was for the first time actively employed by the Austrian government. He drafted the proclamation announcing that declaration of war (15 April) and during hostilities his pen was ceaselessly at work. With the peace of 1810 and the ensuing fall of Austria’s government, he once more retired into comparative inactivity in Prague.

Metternich, head of the new government, initially had at no high regard for Von Gentz and it was not until 1812 that the two men formed a close relationship which ripened into lifelong friendship. However, when he returned to Vienna as Metternich’s adviser, disillusioned and cynical from all that was past, he remained as clear-sighted as ever. Gentz was henceforth before all things Austrian, more Austrian on occasion than even Metternich himself!

During the final stages of the 1813-1814 campaign, he expressed hope that Metternich would substitute a fully Austrian perspective for a pan-European vision in his diplomacy.  Despite popular opposition to Napoleon and France; Gentz secured an Austro-French alliance by maintaining Marie Louise’s husband on the French imperial throne. However, his advocacy of that position did not win out.

For ten years, from 1812 onward, Gentz was in close touch with all the major affairs of European history, the assistant, confidant, and adviser of Metternich. He accompanied the chancellor on all his journeys and was present at every conference that preceded and followed the war. No political secrets were hidden from him.  Gentz ‘s deft hand drafted all important diplomatic documents. He was secretary to the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) and to all the congresses and conferences that followed until the Conference of Verona (1822).

Von Gentz’s career as Metternich’s subordinate influenced us to make him a low 2-value card. However, due to his obsequious activity during so many meetings, conventions, and his desire to keep Napoleon’s heir in the government of France; we placed a +2 modifier on several Diplomacy Issues. This makes him a 4-value card for other Major Powers interested in those very same Issues (and a 5 value when employed by Austria for debate due to its +1 National Characteristic).

Additionally, when used for Liberalism/Absolutism, Gentz provides a +1drm for the Austrian player’s Absolutism die roll, when a final result of 4-6 is needed to advance the Track’s pawn.

Kolowrat-Krakowsky, Johann Karl von, Graf (1748 –1816) was a Bohemian nobleman and Austrian commander. During the Napoleonic Wars, he commanded a corps at the battle of Austerlitz (1805). During the campaign of 1809, he fought at Eckmühl and Wagram with such distinction that it earned him promotion to field marshal.

In 1813 he fell ill and did not participate in the upcoming fighting. Instead, as Commander General in Bohemia, Kolowrat organized relief efforts for the many Allied and French wounded soldiers. Later, King Louis XVIII appointed him Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor of France for the care he brought to wounded and suffering French soldiers.

This is a medium value Austrian card. Kolowrat possesses a particularity in that he has a +1 modifier for the French player’s Recruitment Issue (!). This is in recognition of his humanitarian behavior regarding France’s wounded soldiers during the 1813 fighting in Saxony.

And now the Austrian Generals: their Men of War!

They are of medium level quality and certainly inferior to most of their “shining star” French, Russian and/or Prussian counterparts. Nevertheless, these Austrian military cards can come in quite handy for the Austrian player under the right circumstances!

Schwarzenberg, Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg (1771 – 1820) was an Austrian field marshal. During 1806–1809, Schwarzenberg served as Austria’s ambassador to Russia. He returned to Austria in time to take part in the Battle of Wagram, leading a Reserve Corps cavalry division. After the peace (1810), he was sent to Paris to negotiate the marriage between Napoleon and Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria.

Napoleon held Schwarzenberg in great esteem. It was at the emperor’s request that the prince took command of Austrian forces in the Russian campaign of 1812. In 1813, when Austria, after many hesitations, joined the allies against Napoleon, Schwarzenberg was appointed commander-in-chief (Generalissimo) of the Austrian Army of Bohemia. As such, he was also the senior of allied generals conducting the 1813–1814 campaign. Under his command, the allied army was defeated by Napoleon at the Battle of Dresden on 26–27 August and driven back into Bohemia.

Despite this loss, Schwarzenberg again led the Allied Coalition and played a key role in the decisive defeat of the Grande Armée at the Battle of Leipzig on 16–18 October. During the 1814 invasion of France, he fought numerous battles against the French. His final capture of Paris on 31 March resulted in Napoleon’s overthrow. As commander of a great alliance, he faced major problems; but managed to maintain the Allies’ common cause through tough times as well as good.

Schwarzenberg is the best Austrian general of the game’s historical period. In addition, his conciliatory and friendly attitude has been recognized as +2 modifier for many diplomatic Issues as well as being a base 4-value card.

Militarily, he did not have Blücher’s overwhelming drive and personality nor Barclay’s thorough professionalism; consequently, his DRMs are inferior to those generals (and if teamed with Blücher and/or Barclay, he completely takes a back seat and contributes a DRM as an average Austrian field marshal).

Nevertheless, he competently directed the Army of Bohemia throughout the entire campaign. However, Schwarzenberg’s military capability within France was quite poor due his natural caution and for possible political reasons.

Klenau, Johann von (1758 –1819) was a field marshal in the Austrian army. As a corps commander, in 1809, he led key elements of the Austrian army in its victory at Aspern-Essling and its defeat at Wagram, where his troops covered the retreat of the main Austrian force.

Von Klenau commanded an army corps at the 1813 Battle of Dresden and again at the Battle of Leipzig, where he prevented the French from outflanking the main Austrian position. After this battle he organized and implemented the successful blockade of Dresden’s isolated French garrison and negotiated its surrender.

Von Klenau is a mediocre Austrian card but for the Armistice, Congress of Peace, Bavaria or Saxony Issues where he has a +1 modifier. Therefore, in debate of these Issues this card becomes 4-value due to the Austrian National Characteristic… not bad at all! Von Klenau is also a decently valued battle card.

Bellegarde, Count Heinrich von, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia (1756 – 1845), was of a noble Savoyard family. He was born in Saxony, joined the Saxon army, and later entered Austrian military service where he became Generalfeldmarschall and statesman.

During the War of 1809, he commanded the I Army Corps which was cut off from Archduke Charles as a result of the Battle of Eckmuhl. Bellegarde managed to rejoin the main army before the great battles near Vienna: Aspern-Essling and Wagram.

After the 1809 war, Bellegarde became a field marshal. From 1809 to 1813 he was governor-general of Galicia; but was often called upon to preside over meetings of the Aulic Council, especially during 1810 in conjunction with the Austrian army’s reorganization.

In 1813, 1814 and 1815 he led Austria’s armies in Italy. His successes during these campaigns were diplomatic as well as military. He concluded these efforts by crushing Murat’s final 1815 attempt to regain the Kingdom of Naples.

Bellegarde is a fine Austrian 4-value card with powerful +2 political modifier for the Italy and Naples Issues as well as for Austrian Military Operations and the Armistice Issues. With his DRM for battling on the Italian Front (an authentic mine of VPs for Austria!) he’s the natural military leader for the Austrian player to assign to this critical area.

Radetzky von Radetz Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl, Count (1766 –1858) was a Bohemian nobleman and Austrian field marshal. He served as chief of the general staff for the Habsburg Monarchy during the later period of the Napoleonic Wars and afterwards as an architect for the beginning of Austrian post war military reforms. A disciplined but fair man, he was so beloved by his troops that he was known as ‘Father Radetzky’. He was immortalized by Johann Strauss’ “Radetzky March.”

During 1813 he was Schwarzenberg’s chief of staff and held considerable influence on the war councils of Allied sovereigns and allied high commanders. He contributed greatly to planning the decisive Leipzig campaign.

Radetzky won praise for his tactical skills at the battles of Brienne and Arcis-sur-Aube. He entered Paris with the allied sovereigns in March 1814 and subsequently returned with them to the Congress of Vienna; where he appears to have served in the unenviable job of intermediary between Metternich and Tsar Alexander I during the period when both men, due to their disagreements, were not on speaking terms.

Radetzky is an excellent Austrian 3-value card with the possibility (50%) for receiving a free Austrian military unit during the Diplomacy Phase. He is also a good +2DRM Austrian battle card for Central Europe Front A when serving with the Army of Bohemia. Radetzky is a decidedly fine military card without any musical connotation or accompaniment!

Reuss-Plauen, Prince Heinrich XV of, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia (1751 – 1825) was an Austrian general. He served under Archduke Charles in Italy during the War of the Third Coalition. At the Battle of Caldiero on 29–31 October 1805, he commanded the Austrian left wing and played a prominent role in the fighting.

During the War of 1809 he fought at the battles of Abensberg, Landshut, Wagram and Znaim. In 1813, he commanded a corps of observation on the Bavarian frontier. On 8 October, he signed the Treaty of Ried, which resulted in Bavaria switching sides and joining the allies against Napoleon.

This is an Austrian average card of 3 value. As a battle card Reuss-Plauen is a suitable companion to other Austrian general cards with a +1 attack DRM or -2 French DRM, which makes him most effective for defensive duties to hopefully limit Allied unit losses on either the Central European Front A or the Italian Front F.

Gyulay, Ignác, Count (1763 – 1831) was a Hungarian military officer who joined the Austrian army and participated in wars against Ottoman Turkey, the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. During the Napoleonic Wars, he fought in the 1805 campaign against the French Empire and later served his emperor as a negotiator in the ensuing post battle of Austerlitz peace talks.

Gyulay commanded an Austrian army corps in the 1809 campaign in Italy. Again, leading a corps, he fought in the decisive 1813 Battle of Leipzig. During the subsequent 1814 France campaign, he fought at the battles of La Rothière, Bar-sur-Aube and Arcis. Gyulay participated in the March 1814 Battle of Paris when Allied armies captured the French capital.

Another Austrian average card of 3 value: Gyulay can be helpful to influencing his four card listed Issues, particularly since with Austria’s diplomatic debate bonus; it becomes a 5-value card for the Austrian player.

As a battle card, his +1 DRM with its Austrian unit limitation make Gyulay a rather mediocre military leader.

BONUS #1 The Military Event & Diplomacy/ Debate Cards of Congress of Vienna

In these four cards (#63, #64, #65 and #66) we synthesized some of the great battlefield decisions and influences that contributed to deciding the outcome of many battles taking place during  historical period.

However, we could not effectively reflect these variables in the rules since CoV is a game on a grand strategy level and cards offer a better, more immediate and exciting mechanism any way!

Each card is organized with colored bands, like the game’s Statesmen and Military Characters they indicate a card’s battle effect(s) when played by the indicated Major Power. Each card can alternately be used during the Diplomacy Phase.

An interesting feature of Battle Cards #64 & #65 are their bottom bands which provide -12 DRM inflicted upon your opponent when your Army Withdraws from battle. Also, Card #66 could be a welcome addition to a peaceful Austria’s hand in securing a British Financial Aid Issue.

Play testing revealed a gamer familiar with these battle cards, as well as CoV’s Character cards, has a considerable advantage over an opponent who lacks such knowledge.  Therefore, players who are no longer CoV novices should be understanding and patient with “newbies” so all can have an enjoyable time!

There are three cards (#60, #61 and #62) particularly useful when used in debates. Each provides an additional +1. In the case of the Austrian player, since they are neutral cards, they receive an additional +1 National Advantage benefit should he decide to use one of them in a debate.

In these cards we represent the well-known Vienna Congress plenipotentiaries, but they’re divided into three cards. These are a reminder of the complex diplomatic relations between the Powers, both during the war as well as during the immediate post-war period.

BONUS #2: CONGRESS OF VIENNA’S BIBLIOGRAPHY

There is a wide selection of sources and material regarding the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the Peninsular War in particular. The nationality of different historians and their interpretations of events frequently reflect the national origin of each writer. Fascinating stuff! My editorial commentary as Congress of Vienna’s designer is added as appropriate.

Black, Jeremy (1996). The Cambridge Illustrated atlas of warfare: Renaissance to Revolution. Cambridge University Press. This publication contains a good collection of maps with the main movements of armies during the Napoleonic Wars, with a very brief but precise explanation of each operation. In the same way it explains other wars that occurred during the period, as well as naval conflicts.

Chandler, David (1966). The Campaigns of Napoleon. Ed. Simon & Schuster. This is the definitive grand opus study on the “Corsican Ogre’s” campaigns and the “bible” to study them. Unfortunately, it only very partially describes the Peninsular War and, key for our CoV game, the Spring and Autumn 1813 Campaigns in Germany with the final 1814 Campaign for France. Anyway, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the Napoleonic era.

Chandler, David (1999). Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars, Wordsworth Ed. A magnificent work which covers the entire Napoleonic period as well as the French Revolution which preceded it: although some areas where the British do not participate are neither mentioned nor reviewed. We used some of Chandler’s biographical summaries to generate CoV game characters.

DeLDERFIELD, R.F. (1984). Imperial Sunset. The Fall of Napoleon 1813-1814. 2^nd Ed.Stein and Day, Scarborough House, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 15010. A Full Study of these final campaigns, with detailed and vivid descriptions of military operations, personages, and contemporary intricate diplomatic affairs.

Dempsey, Guy (2002). Napoleon´s Mercenaries, foreign Units in the French Army under the Consulate and Empire 1799 to 1814. Greenhill Books. A meticulous study revealing forces on which the French were nurtured.

Esdaile, Charles (2009). Las Guerras de Napoleón, Ed. Crítica, Barcelona. This is a pleasant read which places more emphasis on the era’s political aspects.  It deals with military matters with less detail and precision than Chandler’s works.

Fletcher, Ian (1998). Vittoria 1813, Wellington Sweeps the French from Spain, Campaign 59. Osprey Publishing, Oxford. This is another excellent book; the maps and illustrations are exceptional.

FOY, Maximilien-Sébastien (1829). Histoire de la guerre de la Péninsule sous Napoléon: Baudouin Frères, Paris (Jules Didot l’Ainé). This massive work is presented in four volumes. It is written by a prominent participant in the Peninsular War, the French general Foy: who was, among other battles, a participant at Vimeiro, Coruña, Salamanca, the retreat from Vitoria, and the Pyrenees. It is a vision of the Peninsular War from “the other side of the hill” and without a doubt an excellent book.

Fremont-Barnes, Gregory (2002). The Napoleonic Wars (3), The Peninsular War 1807–1814. Essential Histories 17, Osprey Publishing, Oxford. A short but well-done book on the entire Peninsular War.  The maps it presents are very elaborate yet clear.

Fremont-Barnes, Gregory (2002). The Napoleonic Wars (4), The fall of the French Empire 1813–1815. Essential Histories 39, Osprey Publishing, Oxford. Another short but excellent book from Osprey. This one encompasses the end of Napoleonic Wars and immediate postwar period. As with all four books about the Napoleonic Wars from Essential Histories, this publication’s clear yet detailed maps are wonderful to behold.

Gates, David (1986). The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War, Published by Da Capo Press). Evocative and thorough, Gates treats all contestants of this often vicious and brutal conflict with respect, delivering excellent descriptions of campaigns and battles, and is remarkably successful in describing the political implications of those events. Its weakness is the need for improved maps. The maps provided do not do justice to the rest of the book. Nevertheless, Gates’ book was one of the keys to researching Fronts C & D of the CoV game and an inspiration for a game I’m designing solely regarding the Peninsular War.

Gates, David (1997). The Napoleonic Wars 1803-1815 (Modern Wars Series) Published by Oxford University Press, USA. This is a little gem of a book being just over 300 pages concerning the Napoleonic Wars. It covers military aspects, maritime warfare, the economic ramifications of the struggle, diplomacy, and the politics of its time. Gates has been a main background source for Congress of Vienna and my inspiration to commence its design. I really enjoyed reading this book so much so that I was inspired to think about creating a game based on his chapter of the 1813 campaign in Central Europe and in France in 1814. Furthermore, “A Historical Introduction to the Congress of Vienna Period” whose Part 1 of 4 is accessible via the following InsideGMT link: A Historical Introduction to the Congress of Vienna Period Part 1 of 4: The Gathering Storm (1805 – 1812) | Inside GMT blog was inspired by this wonderful book:

KISSINGER, HENRY (1957), A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of Peace, 1812-22: Recommended by Play tester and CoV Videographer Peter Evans – I second Peter’s opinion and add to this Bibliography Kissinger’s much older work on the period: A World Restored. It’s much kinder to Metternich than Zamoyski’s book- Personally I think Kissinger’s commitment to the school of Realism and his direct experience of diplomacy and the world of foreign policy probably gave him superb insights as to what was going on when Metternich seemingly got everyone to party for months without doing anything meaningful! This left him free to pine for his mistress (read Zamoyski’s book to learn more of that lurid aspect of events).

LIEVEN, DOMINIC, Russia Against Napoleon (2009) Recommended by Play tester Brice Feal: This book does a particularly respectable job describing the personality issues impacting Allied forces during the 1812-1814 period.  Personalities could certainly influence players of a Congress of Vienna game, eh?

Lipscombe, Nick (2014). Bayonne and Toulouse 1813–14, Wellington invades France, Campaign 266 Osprey Publishing, Oxford. It focuses on the siege of Bayonne and the defeat and pursuit of Soult’s army. This book encompasses the battles and skirmishes of Garris, Orthez, Aire, Tarbes and the final showdown at Toulouse between Wellington’s and Soult’s respective armies.

Napier, William F. P. (1873). History of the war in the Peninsula and the south of France, from the year 1807 to the year 1814.Publisher New York: D. & J. Sadlier. An excellent 19th century book for the British army’s Peninsula Campaigns.  Alas it is flawed since it barely describes the campaigns and battles between the French and the Spanish. Such an Anglo-centric view underestimates and underappreciates the role played by the Spanish forces, both of their regular army and guerrillas.

MIKABERIDZE, ALEXANDER, The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History (2020). Recommended by Play tester David Yllanes: This is a somewhat recent and comprehensive review of the period, which goes well beyond strictly military matters. The book also honors its claim of being a global history by examining the impact the Napoleonic Wars had with, for instance, the collapse of the Spain’s overseas empire or the rise of a new Egyptian state under Mehmed Ali. This is not an introductory book by any means.  It goes beyond the Congress of Vienna game’s scope, but it is valuable for those who want to set the conflict into a larger context in both space and time. 

ZAMOYSKI, ADAM (2012) Rites of Peace; The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna (2012): Recommended by Play tester Chris Leary – This book is directly applicable to the game’s period and setting. It is nowhere near as heavy/deep as the preceding listed global history, but for someone looking to dive into the Congress and the last few years of Bonaparte covered by the game… it hits the mark.

Two recommendations from Transatlantic Team Play tester Jon Carter:

• Excellent TV series: Napoleon 2002. Here’s the link to its first episode:  Napoleon (2002) Episode 01 (youtube.com)
• A good YouTube history series: Epic History TV, Napoleon’s Wars – This link connects to the episode encompassing Congress of Vienna’s time period: Napoleonic Wars: Downfall 1809 – 14 (youtube.com)

And from Play tester, educator, and CoV Videographer Dave Alexander: Waterloo, Battlefield Detectives– https://vimeo.com/391847396 – Dave advises “I used to have my world history students watch this episode on Waterloo. This show makes the point that Ney had PTSD after the disastrous Russia campaign which could have affected his Waterloo performance.”

Conclusion by Congress of Vienna (CoV)’s Assistant Designer & Editor, Fred Schachter – That brings this article segment to a close.  If any reader wishes to make an additional recommendation which could enhance readers’ appreciation of the Congress of Vienna game’s underlying history, kindly convey such via this article’s “Write a Comment” section.

As to the cards within this and the preceding “British Contingent” piece, the Congress of Vienna Design/Development Team apologizes that due to these articles’ format constraints, the game’s rules must be left implicit. We recognize appropriate rule references would better explain how CoV’s cards function within the context of play and appreciate readers’ understanding.

Therefore, please feel free to pose any question and/or need for more information within the “Write a Comment” section InsideGMT provides for this purpose. Next up… “Meet the Russian-Prussian Contingent”!

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