Introduction by Congress of Vienna (CoV)’s Editor, Fred Schachter – To familiarize the InsideGMT audience of what designer Frank Esparrago accomplished with his fun and exciting Congress of Vienna game, now a GMT P-500 offering which has “Made the Cut” and then some (thank you patrons, thank you so very much!) kindly reference previous InsideGMT articles covering a wide range of CoV topics. These can serve as useful background for appreciating this article. Use the following link to access this material: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-850-congress-of-vienna.aspx
The CoV play test team, now mostly using VASSAL due to being geographically disparate, have enjoyed many exciting Congress of Vienna games. I have become something of a “VASSAL Voyeur” observing a game from time to time with its fun, excitement, and often hilarious banter between the players (e.g. “that’s one heck of a maniacal chuckle, my friend… just what are you planning, you sly fox, you?!?”)
The team has held many an interesting debate considering how to best play each of Congress of Vienna’s Major Powers. This article reflects their most recent musings concerning Britain as described by game designer Frank Esparrago. It follows preceding InsideGMT articles for France and Austria.
We have indicated in italics game Issues the players vie for. Game rules will unfortunately need to be implicit: a restriction an article format such as this compels which readers shall hopefully appreciate. That said, take it away Frank!
Note: If you would like to view any of the below images in a larger size, you can click on the image and it will point you to the full image file.
The Mechanics of Congress of Vienna VP: How to Make Britain “Great”?
We mentioned this topic in previous articles. Congress of Vienna is something of a Eurogame. It is therefore convenient to realize that in CoV, diplomatic and political successes and failures are at least as important as military matters and they are both synthesized in terms of Victory Points (VPs). We now focus on Britain’s perspective in gaining and preserving them for (hopefully) ultimately winning the game.
As a designer, with CoV, I preferred naming this Major Power solely Britain; deliberately omitting the word “Great” in its title, which could traditionally go before the name of this nation. In this game, as the British player, it is you who have many opportunities available to truly make Britain “Great”! It is an appellation to be earned!
First of all, you have the possibility of victoriously ending the “Peninsular War” once and for all, expelling the hated French from Spain and even going deep into France with an invasion of your own. Many VPs await the victorious British Army as a reward for such a successful and aggressive campaign. Of course, to accomplish this feat, you shall have the grateful support of Spanish and Portuguese military units, ubiquitous guerrillas to help liberate Spain, and the highly effective leadership of Wellington, perhaps the most complete of Congress of Vienna’s generals.
You must end this war with an indisputable victory: so do not neglect allocating to it Resources (Military Support markers), good generals from saved and unused cards from the Diplomacy Phase, and, of course, an adequate number of troops. Attack, attack, and attack again! For the French, being distracted by matters on other fronts, may not have the means to effectively forestall your “Peninsular War” offensive efforts.
Another important front of concern, and this one with the possibility of impeding Britain’s march to victory, are the insufferable American colonists engaged in War of 1812. They really are a nuisance with their absurd claims and attempts to expel you from Canada. To dissuade them from this you have the faithful, loyal, and efficient Canadian militia; unruly allied Indians tribes; your omnipresent powerful Royal Navy, and the Resources of your great nation and its imperium.
Furthermore, if you crush the insidious and tenacious Americans (supported by the perfidious French); you will have the possibility of recovering Maine for the Crown and doing great moral damage to the United States (burning their cities, reducing their commerce to nothing, making them sign a humiliating peace …). This, in a great strategy game like CoV, translates into VP. Do it! But do not forget that if you leave the Americans free to wield their will, you shall experience a great War of 1812 headache: they can conquer Canada thereby sinking your prestige (losing VP) and also threaten your colonial and maritime empire; don’t neglect this front!
In addition to these two huge sources of basic VP to cement your victory; you have other ways to get even more. One is the Liberalism-Absolutism track and the other the Pax Britannica track that allows you to flood Europe with your manufactures and with the products of India and your Caribbean colonies and thus get another good handful of VPs. However, the jealous rival powers of the Austrian and Russian Empires will put some obstacles to your designs. The world hegemony, maritime trade, industrial growth and the expansion of your power to other places on earth such as Africa and to Spanish and Portuguese (Brazil) America can be achieved with perseverance and application.
The Pax Britannica track measures achievement of VPs by this route. This represents a vast amount of potential VP in a way no other player can emulate. Use your politicians, diplomats and surplus Resources to develop your empire with Pax Britannica!
Like other players, you have Minor Countries in Europe which will provide you with VP, specifically Holland and Naples who are quite inclined towards you. When the military situation arises, you can try an amphibiously landing on one or both of them. If you are successful because the main French armies are absorbing Resources for defending other places, these amphibious landings can bring Britain more and more VP.
Finally, remember that you are the “Arsenal of the Coalition“. What does this mean? In many tiebreak situations, the British win if directly involved. If Britain is not directly involved, the British player determines which of the engaged players wins any tie. This special ability can allow you to win the Diplomacy Phase many times with 2 VP each turn or decide which tied player will obtain them. Of course, you will generally decide on the Major Power with the most delayed token on the VP Record Track and thus you will have set aside another potential rival in the race to Britain’s final victory… nothing different than what your historical counterparts did, don’t you think?
Can you lose the game with achieving the preceding-described CoV triumphs? In theory no, but… you do have Napoleon and the French Empire to oppose Britain’s designs. France is a Major Power with excellent generals, a large amount of manpower and seemingly unlimited financial resources. To successfully confront this powerful enemy, you must prioritize how you are going to gain advances in each of Britain’s VP sources and how to most effectively use your limited set of politicians and generals turn by turn.
From the game’s beginning you must be fully cognizant that to weaken your deadly French antagonist you have the significant aid of Austria and Russia, two powerful empires but with seeming feet of clay. Their lack of financial resources to carry out fully effective military operations is appalling; so you should help them with part of Britain’s Financial Aid to put into practice the strategy of weakening, defeating and eventually expelling the “Corsican Ogre” from his French throne.
They are beggars, of course, but what better use of your money than to finance a huge multinational European army of Russians, Prussians, Austrians and Swedes for liquidating French power in Central Europe? Therefore, do not neglect collaboration with them; “grease” them with part of your sterling pound surplus and trade their good Battle Cards to them to fight Napoleon. If their battles succeed, your small British army will have a more open route from Spain and it can reach Paris to gain enormous military and political prestige (more VPs in this game).
These are the paths to British victory, now we will examine in more detail how you can put these preceding-referenced factors into practice with Congress of Vienna. As always happens in a multiplayer game; your decisions will be influenced by the idiosyncrasies, hopes and collaboration of other players.
The Peninsular War
This was the main European military theater chosen by the British Government to combat and wear down Napoleon. The excellent British army, though small, its Spanish and Portuguese allies, and Wellington’s talented leadership drove the French out of Spain and allowed it to be the first Allied army to enter France. You can try it in CoV!
Regardless of major track C victories you gain with Wellington (and their corresponding VP bonuses); in the track D Mediterranean Front you have two spaces that give 2 VP each. In addition, the possession of Central Spain (track C’s Castile space) grants 2 VP each turn to the British.
In Figure 1 the scheme of VPs that the British player can obtain for Spain in a game can reach +20 VP! Furthermore, if the British advance into France continues; there are an additional 7 VP for Gascony and Toulouse with another 5 VP if your Army of Portugal arrives in Paris!
As we already pointed out in the “STRATEGIES FOR FRANCE IN CONGRESS OF VIENNA” InsideGMT article; a key track C space is Castile for the large amount of VP it produces during the game (it must be conquered by Britain as soon as possible). A second vital space is Gascony; a strong French defensive position to be wary of.
As prerequisite to attacking Gascony, you must first conquer track D’s Valencia space. Next, you will need to contend with an initial French +9 DRM advantage when compared to a battle in Castile (see Figure 2). Finally, as “a defending Army in mountain space”, the French Army may cancel retreat by losing an additional unit. However, at least one unit must remain in the Army in to have this option… therefore, France can’t willingly leave an “empty shell” of an Army by choosing to retreat. Keep this in mind if you’re facing a French Army of but one unit.
A failed British attacker must retire to its starting space. Consequently, the French Army of Spain can lose units and maintain its presence in the Gascony space as long as it has proximate strength to Britain’s Army of Portugal. In the long run, France cannot afford such attritional battles turn after turn; but sometimes your opponent is buying time to prevent an allied advance on Paris.
The main potential problems for an Allied advance in Spain are, apart from those already mentioned; four vicious cards that if in the French player’s possession are a mortal threat: Soult, Suchet and the neutral cards N-7 or N-9 Ally Dissensions and Allied disputes (see Figure 3). All of them when used alone, or much worse combined, can make a battle with Wellington that seemed a certain victory, turn into a bloody British defeat. I have seen battles in Gascony when the French player uses Soult, Suchet and one of those neutral cards to obtain a staggering differential of +16 DRM for cards and +6 DRM for terrain (Home Country and mountain). Barring the most extreme dice rolling luck, this will surely result in a major defeat for the British player even with Wellington in command!
The War of 1812
I will be brutal to you prospective Congress of Vienna players of Britain; if you lose in America you will have lost the chance to win the game!
This is not only because you will not get VPs that the North American theater of War of 1812 generate; it is because France will be rewarded with all VPs the North Americans, their USA allies, obtain!
To understand the VPs won or lost in the War of 1812 box; it is necessary to appreciate how the War of 1812 Status (see Figure 4) works: “It is considered as the difference between the cumulative victories in major battles achieved by the British player over the French player, acting on behalf of the United States (max +2 VPs; min -2 VPs). If at the end of an offensive there are no US military units remaining in the War of 1812 Box; consider this situation a major victory for the British player”.
In addition to VPs normally obtained in Major Battles (+7 units and/or fleets for the War of 1812 Box constitute a Major Battle); at the end of each turn Britain obtains the VPs indicated in the Net American VP Record Track entitled the War of 1812 Status. If the value of the marker is negative, France receives the absolute value (i.e. -2 VP, converts into +2 VP for France.
As soon as the Peace of Ghent or Canada Annexed comes into effect, this turn-by-turn scoring ceases for the game’s duration and the British or French player (whomever attains victory) receives 3 VP each turn.
Even if you don’t get to get the Peace of Ghent (the definitive end of the North American War in Britain’s favor) should you maintain a high War of 1812 Status; for example +1 during each of 7 turns; you cumulatively get +7 VP.
Furthermore, if Britain wins the Peace of Ghent Issue on the 8th turn; you get 3 VP more than previously obtained for having reached this space (1 additional VP per turn!) All these VPs are almost the same as what Britain can get for liberating Spain.
See Figure 5 for an example of how VP lucrative the War of 1812 can be for Britain!
However, if the Americans, performing for the benefit of their French masters, win the war with a Canada Annexed Issue result; France gets 3 VP each turn. When this occurs relatively early during a game; the French player could receive 18-20 VP “from heaven”.
For these reasons, Britain should never neglect the War of 1812. It must prioritize placing Military Support markers there; send British reinforcements to North America and save Battle Cards to ensure victory each turn. Which cards are these? You have Sheerbrooke, Tecumseh, and some great battle event neutral cards for this task. One last tip; if Andrew Jackson’s card does not become visible during a Diplomacy Phase, prepare for the worst; for surely a cunning French player will be reserving it to use against you.
Liberalism, other Diplomatic Issues, and Britain as the “Arsenal of the Coalition”
Another way Britain can get VPs is by winning the Diplomacy Phase through gaining the most Diplomacy Issues during the Phase and then spending corresponding Resource markers during the Government Phase to activate those won Issues. Unlike its Coalition partners Russia and Austria; Britain has enough Resources to completely carry out this task for more turns than not!
An obvious route to VP is the Liberalism Issue, which has increasing VP yields each time its green pawn is successfully advanced on its track. However, Britain has two main obstacles to contend with. The first is the formidable Russian and Austrian Statesmen and especially their leader Tsar Alexander… all dedicated to the opposing cause of Absolutism. Secondly, during the game’s early stages; France can come close to automatically winning with 80 or more VP, so beware this double-edged sword since each time Britain earns Liberalism’s VP; France also receives the same amount of VP. Your premature victories with this Issue may contribute to your arch-enemy’s sudden death victory! Don’t forget this since in punishment you could bear extreme penance!
Normally during Congress of Vienna’s later game turns, France will not have reached 80 VPs at the end of a turn and will have missed the opportunity to achieve an Early Triumph. Consequently, both players (French & British) must collaborate in advancing the red pawn of Liberalism. Don’t forget if at the end of the game the green pawn of Absolutism is in the “Holy Alliance” space and you have not gotten the pawn of Liberalism to its last space of “Liberalism / Democracy”; the Russian and Austrian players will each receive an additional 5 VPs that could define the game’s final winner.
Also remember if you win the Diplomacy Phase you get 2 VP, which on many occasions will be an easy to achieve reward, very easy indeed, since Britain determines the winner of ties through her National Advantage: “Arsenal of the Coalition”. Should Britain not be involved in the tie, it still gets to designate the Diplomacy Phase winner VP to the tied player of its choosing. It’s “nice to be King” in this respect, eh?
The second source to gain VP through diplomacy is to focus on gaining Minor Country Issues, as they each yield 1 VP per Issue, although they usually don’t provide you with an extra military unit since you, as Britain, currently won’t hold the map space territory the Issue corresponds to: e.g. Bavaria on turn one. Perhaps Holland is the best Minor Country Issue for you to seek since it is a French-British Issue and your Leader Castlereagh is a 7-value card for winning it. Take consolation that while you may not be able to gain a Minor Country’s military unit; you’re certainly depriving its related Major Power, very often France, from obtaining it and that can have an indirect value to achieving Britain’s ambitions.
Sound Government & the “Pax Britannica” Track
Finally, for all players, there’s also Sound Government which gives 1 VP in exchange for a single Resource. The problem is that sometimes you won’t have any leftover British Resource markers after your subjects are relieved of taxes (patriotically, of course!) and your empire’s revenues generated. Getting that Sound Government VP is often a luxury only the French player can comfortably afford during the early game!
However, unlike the game’s other the players, you have the Pax Britannica Issue which allows Britain to obtain a magnificent harvest of VP; up to a cumulative 18 VP if you get to the track’s end! (See Figure 6).
Its operation is simple: “each turn at the end of Government Phase, the British player rolls a six-sided die to determine this track’s results. With a 1D6 result of 4-6, the Pax Britannica pawn advances on its record track; immediately gaining for Britain the VPs indicated on each space. This die roll may be modified for the British player (before rolling the die) by spending Resource markers and/or British fleets, at a rate of +1 for each Resource or fleet spent”. Expending a fleet can pose something of a dilemma until other demands upon them diminish: but think of the possible VP reward!
Figure 8. Help Gaining Liberalism or Pax Britannica Track Progress: The British William Huskisson Character Card.
If things go well for you; you can allocate a Resource or leftover fleet for this task and easily get the corresponding VPs. You can afford to miss a turn since there are but six advances for the game’s 10 turns! Just one major difficulty: “However, to advance in some spaces the pawn must meet certain prerequisites”. These are increasingly difficult to achieve and refer to the fact that you have to favorably resolve the annoying War of 1812 through a victorious position and gain progress on the Liberalism Track and the “Future Government of France” Track. Here you place a sovereign to your pleasure (Louis XVIII Bourbon)! This Issue is not only the key to allow your Pax Britannica Track’s advance; it also brings you another 8 additional VPs (see Figure 7).
If you employ additional Character & Event cards to aid this effort, you have among British cards the excellent Willian Huskisson for Liberalism or Pax Britannica die rolls. Its +1 drm we can frankly say it is worth its “weight in gold” since it is equivalent to a Resource marker (or Pax Britannica fleet) spent for one of these goals! (See Figure 8).
Holland and Naples Amphibious Landings
Although historically these landings were a constant in British strategy against Napoleon, when attempted, they each ended in fiasco. Of course, that might not be your experience. Perform them opportunistically. That is, when you see a marked French weakness in the related theater of operation: Holland track A and/or Sicily track F for an easy 4 VP immediate reward. However, these actions should not distract you from Britain’s main objectives already described by this article!
The British Great Strategies
The British player must be clear about strategy based on accruing the different sources of British VP to the maximum: The Peninsular War; War of 1812; Diplomacy Issues including, Liberalism and victories in the Diplomacy Phase; and finally the Pax Britannica and Future Government of France Tracks. Normally, you will not be able to advance all VP sources to their maximum; since in this case, a crushing British victory would be obtained (nice as that would be!). You have to find a reasonable balance between the four main paths to victory.
In the Figure 9 we indicate the Peninsular War‘s VP progressing red dark label and three arrows showing the corresponding VP achieved in each advance for Spain’s two related battlefronts (tracks C & D). This describes how most of the VPs are obtainable through successful British efforts in Spain.
The same graphics approach, but in blue, is used for the War of 1812 potential British VP progress… the first “1 VP” arrow indicates 1 VP each during 8 turns; the “2 VP” shows that in the 5th turn the Britain could achieve this box; and the 3rd arrow titled Peace of Ghent presumes that this Issue be won in the game’s 7th turn. This accomplishment marks a successful end for Britain in this war.
The Liberalism & Diplomacy is noted in red; with a “Moderate” red colored arrow indicating two Diplomacy wins during the game: with the “Free Market” space reached and 0-1 Minor Country won by that turn. The “Medium” arrow shows Britain thrice the Diplomacy Phase winner; arriving the “Democracy” 4th space and 1 minor country won each turn. Finally, the “Successful” titled arrow showing 4 or more times as the Diplomacy Phase winner to get to the end space of Liberalism, and 1-2 Minor Country Issues being won each turn.
Lastly is show the Pax Britannica & Future Government of France VP advances in green… the first arrow to indicate Britain reaching the 2nd step of “Pax Britannica” and the “King Napoleon” space on the Government of France track. The 2nd arrow ( “3rd step”) indicates the British player reaching the 3rd box (“+2 VP War of 1812 Status”) on the first track, and “No agreement” or “Louis XVII” spaces in the Government of France track. The table then concludes, at last, with the 3rd arrow showing British victory in both tracks. Note that the described calculations do not take into consideration battle VP!
Milestones in Any British Strategy
The British Financial Aid Issues: I have seen some British players jealously retain their Resources and therefore fight for British Financial Aid markers to stay on their own National Track. Of course, this is a legitimate decision; but you have to be clear that normally Britain’s Financial Aid will serve to “kill” French, win battles against the French empire, and occupy territories subtracting VPs from the French player.
This also makes France move away from the possibility of its Early Triumph victory condition and that through this it becomes easier for you to achieve victories and advances in Spain and in the War of 1812 (with its corresponding VP harvest). Only when the French player gains a Financial Aid Issue (damned French corsairs!) should you make effort to debate it immediately. Also, at the end of the game, you must debate if the player who tries to get it is a direct rival for your achieving British victory.
As you will have hopefully learned, the key to implementing a victorious strategy for Britain, as with the other Allied players, is to get additional Resource markers in order to fund your won Issue sources of VPs. Unlike other players, you do not receive Resources for a British Financial Aid Issue.
Rather, this is the complete opposite when it is obtained for another Issue. To compensate for this and reflect the strength of the British economy with its excellent tax system, you receive as a basic allocation 5 VP each turn (60% more than the rest of the Allied Major Powers).
Furthermore, you have two medium-low value cards to help (see Figure 10) and with them the British player can receive an always welcome additional Resource marker when these are appropriately used. Many will be the times you receive them from other players in trade or they’ll simply be in your hand.
They are the 1st Earl of Eldon, jocularly nicknamed “The Wig” by our play testers, and Baron Bexley: use them whenever you can! Although “The Wig” with its value of two apparently seems the worse card, it is better that you receive an additional Resource with 100% assurance.
The Armistice and Austria at War Issues from a British Perspective: Let’s recall ideas regarding the Armistice. Normally, France seeks delaying its implementation and Russia and Britain try to accelerate Austrian entry into War when the Austria at War Issue can take place and France must then face Russia and Austria’s powerful Central Europe track A Armies.
However, when you realize that both Austria and Russia may want to delay the Armistice for whatever reason (e.g. as Austria receives 2 VP each turn it remains at Peace); do not try to leave it in the middle of the Negotiation Table as you will spend good cards on that Issue and most of the times you will not get it to stay there.
Rather, the Austria at War Issue should be accomplished as quickly as possible and Britain should be thoroughly involved in that effort. You will always have the support of Russia, and in most cases of Austria, so you can without undue effort get Austria’s entry into the war. However, I have seen games which allowed Austria’s entry into the Coalition to be delayed by a turn due Napoleon’s twisted and unanticipated performance (e.g. through France winning the Austria at War Issue during the Diplomacy Phase); or via some strange delaying machination that only the Austrian player can fathom.
Why should you strive getting the Austria at War Issue quickly implemented? There are two justifications: First, it impacts the flow of French military units, Military Support markers, and French Battle cards to Central Europe and Italy to engage the Russians, Prussians, and Austrians there… easing the way for your British armies! As a military proverb says: “That it is a good thing to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy…”
Second, as soon as Austria is at war it stops receiving 2 VPs each turn for being at peace. Furthermore, as Austria spends her limited Resources on military operations, Recruitment and Military Support; she will have fewer Resources available for diplomatic Issues… diplomacy being an Austrian strength which can grant many VPs thereby enabling Austria to dispute your final victory.
Consequently, don’t take too long getting Austria into The War, as overly delaying that can make Paris a far too distant objective. This can ensure a French “survival” victory with Napoleon remaining on the board at game end!
The British Battle Cards: We already described most British cards, but still want to focus briefly on their Battle cards in particular (see Figure 11). We divided them into three groups: The first is named “Top British Battle cards”: there are but two in this grouping, but they’re the superlative Wellington and Sherbrooke. When you have them in your hand you must, in most cases, use them to battle in their respective battlefronts (the first in Spain or Southern France and the latter for the War of 1812 Box). You already know the French cards that can ruin your anticipated victory, so keep those enemy cards in mind!
We named the second group Standard British Battle cards. All have in common that they grant +2 DRM in battle; except the French Joseph Bonaparte card that until the Armistice, produces a -4 French DRM (to the French player’s woe). This modifier is favorable to the British and reflects the doubts and lack of military knowledge of this historical personality: Joseph singularly lacked his famous brother’s talents. The “Daddy” Hill card equally gets +2 British DRM or -3 French DRM as the British player chooses! We kept only positive modifiers for Graham and Morillo as they were more single-minded “butcher” characters as demonstrated respectively in the Storming of San Sebastian or the Venezuela campaign of 1814-1816 to pacify colonial uprisings against the Spanish monarchy in South America.
Finally, we name Castaños and Graham as “Evil” British Battle cards. First, because of their limited military talents; second, that both cards modify another player moving an Issue positioned on your British National Track with a positive modifier. Argh! These two characters can enable your opposition! When this happens it’s something which can leave you a bit peeved (or is “miffed” the better word?)!
Trading Cards to Improve your British Hand: When you get a British card in trade during the Diplomacy Phase; you thereby obtain an improved British hand with additional and necessary Battle cards and/or good diplomatic cards such as those already described.
Should you have Blücher, Wittgenstein, Schwarzenberg or Barclay in your possession, do not hesitate to trade one or more of these. They allow Allied players to fight with better odds against France. Such generosity also provides consequent future advantages and the gratitude of your Coalition partner(s). Well, you can always hope for gratitude!
Final Features…
As this article has attempted to convey, achieving victory with Britain is a matter of perseverance with many viable paths to success and it is certainly possible to gain a seemingly elusive Congress of Vienna game win.
You just have to advance with as many of your goals as practical for receiving VPs. You don’t have to thoroughly beat the rest of the players, just go further than they on the VP Record Track!
To achieve this as Britain, you have good diplomacy cards, excellent ones for generating Resources, and your magnificent Wellington general who will aid your cause a great deal as has been previously explained. You have British money and the Royal Navy’s fleets to finance and help achieve your goals. You also have Russian/Prussian and Austrian armies to aid in defeating Napoleon in Central Europe and then advancing to the capture of Paris.
What more fun, then, do you want?
Footnotes:
[1] This is a British patriotic song originating from the poem “Rule, Britannia” by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. It is strongly associated with the Royal Navy but also used by the British Army.
Previous Articles:
Strategies for France in Congress of Vienna (Game Opening Considerations)
Strategies for Austria in Congress of Vienna: “Bella Gerant Alii Tu Felix Austria Nube”
Ummmmm the name of the country is Great Britain and it should be called that not just Britain. Bit like saying States of America, leaving out the United.