by Peter Robbins, 27 March 2025
Overview
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve reviewed a physical, actually in my hands, board game. I love board gaming, but I have limited space in my domicile to house them. I need to be increasingly sensitive as to whether or not that physical game will see its way to the table at least a couple times a year to make it worth owning for me. For me, Congress Of Vienna by GMT Games will see the light of day on my tabletop.
I’d seen a list of games that GMT Games had recently provided Armchair Dragoons with press copies for, and Congress Of Vienna for some reason at the time popped out at me as intriguing. The sub-title had risen to the top of the bunch of them “Diplomacy, Negotiation, & War In Europe 1813-14”. First from that, they placed Diplomacy and Negotiation ahead of War in the sub-title, but also, they chose two very tumultuous later years within Napoleon’s rise to ill-gotten fame – there I said it 😃. Napoleon lovers be damned (kidding). You will not convince me he was not just a Corsican Upstart with a megalomaniac streak.
Anyhoo, this game very much stuck to their sub-title, and as a result you will find a unique experience in a strategic level board game for those that may not always enjoy this scale. That was one of the other appeals of this board game to me, the board itself showed an abstracted track for each front line in Europe, and they gave equally prominent space for a negotiation table. That is the overall summary of what Congress Of Vienna brings to your meatspace table of choice: a unique strategic level board game that handles diplomacy rather well technically while still giving leeway for human to human speak and chatter at the table. That was what I was most intrigued by overall, does it give a good framework for what is otherwise a human interaction? We’ll see how successful they are in a turn played further below. I for one, think GMT Games and Frank Esparrago and Fred Schachter in particular, have provided us with a very unique and fun experience. This is a game worth taking up space on your limited bookshelf. It offers something other games do not. It deserves to stay on your shelf AND get taken out several times a year for a good romping of friends and foes alike.
Overall, the game is simple to execute upon, but difficult to master. A great combo. The sequence of play is well keyed to each section the steps align with; always a metric I check when playing a board game. I can’t stand fishing for rules. Give me a straight forward1 sequence of play that directly keys into rules any day of the week; and you’ll win a fan in me. Congress Of Vienna passes this measure in spades, it has a detailed Sequence Of Play that properly (and best yet, accurately) keys into the rules sections to reference during executing that phase of play.
click images to enlarge
Before we dig in too deeply here on our own, GMT Games have provided an outstanding amount of material to peruse for this game by way of not only its Rulebook, but it’s Quick Start Rules; followed by many articles on the games mechanics as found on their InsideGMT website! It’s astounding how much information they’ve provided, honestly. It really helped to have this information available while getting to know the system.
- Living Rulebook (PDF file)
- Quick Start Rules (Each Player Should Have Copy Of This In Hand)
- Huge Amount Of Background/Training Materials on InsideGMT
What’s In The Box?!
Pictures speak louder than words, sometimes at least. In the case of a new physical in your hands board game, they work nicely. My unboxing of Congress Of Vienna is below. Further on I’ll run through a full turn of the sequence of play, and point out the physical materials used for each phase throughout.
Game Setup
One of the first things done during setup is to set aside the Leaders for each nation to automatically be in their hands You are also picking out a selection of Initial Situation cards, which basically drive the given scenarios actions, events, and adjusted parameters for gameplay throughout each overall turn.
Speaking of turns, you set that up as well, of course, initially on Turn 1. This image below shows you that normally the limit of turns is 10 total, maximum. There are other triggers to denote the end of the game, but this is the max number of turns.
Next, you set up all of the “Issues” into their spaces on the board. The board very nicely spells out what goes where. I found it quite intuitive where things ultimately start off at. The graphics quality of the board and pieces are also top notch.
During the setup for this particular intro 1813 scenario I’m running involves removing the Kutuzov card; as it is historically implied that he has died by the start of this scenario. While I’m doing that, take a closer look at what a card normally shows.
As you can see above, the cards are pretty self-explanatory. They are well written and clear on what they are intended to allow for. Each card may have any number of other nations also mentioned and have effects on/over. Getting to know the cards rather intimately is key to mastering this game. It will take time. I’ve only scratched the surface myself.
The next photo shows how the Game Cards are organized upon opening the box. Just showing you generally how many cards there are provided per nationality. I also wanted you to see Andrew Jackson’s card there, which shows that any given game card can reference multiple nationality effects. Each row entry on the card spells out where and when to apply the given modifiers to: i.e. specific issues, debates, battle modifiers, etc.
Turn Overview
Above is the fully set up map for the Clash Of Armies 1813 scenario 17.3 which is a compressed version of the full game, composed of only turns 5 through 8. Here’s a gallery of some images during that session to give you a sense of what the game looks like on the table.
Sequence Of Play
I will avoid regurgitating the rules verbatim as I move through each phase of a sample turn on the physical game board. I will stick with the very basics of your choices as a player during each Phase.
While the Quick Start Guide is extremely good (and I do recommend that each player has it in hand virtually or physically while playing the game), the way I approached this walk thru is by way of the Player Aid card’s Sequence Of Play, and then I am directly opening up the Rulebook to the denoted section.
The key to how good a game is considered to be, at least in my book, is this: Is there viable Player Agency involved in each phase of the game, and are there potential Consequences as a result. Additionally, is there a good amount of variance of Risk involved in making those choices?
TL;DR: in the Initial Phase, you are using the Initial Situation Card and the Initial Environment Table results to set the baseline parameters and modifiers for the given Turn.
In our demo case we have chosen the Historical set, which is the A series of Initial Situation Cards, so first up is card A-1, which looks like this (from the Vassal Module).
The Initial Situation card manipulates the situation ever so slightly at the start of each Turn. You do similarly with cards A-2, A-3, etc in sequence. There are two other decks of these cards that you can mix together for a more varied sequence of events and modifications. We are using the default sequence of cards here.
You then roll against the Initial Environment Table, which is additionally printed on the game board. Luck The result from this two d6 cross-reference will further manipulate the starting conditions of each turn.
That’ll give you a few results:
- Shows which Nationality (Major Power) will get to pick a card from the Game Card deck and add to their hand. This is a powerful choice – Player Agency!
- Number of militia units to add to the War Of 1812 box.
- And a second die designates a row for add or remove a British Fleet, add or remove a British Resource, add a French Resource, or designates no effect.
This is the meat and bones of the game. You are dealt your cards for the turn, up to 10, more than 10 if the war map shows you get more, or other events stated on cards in play may give more as well. This is where issues are literally “brought to the table”, then they are debated over in clockwise fashion from the player that wins the bidding war. The Diplomacy Round is where the highest level of Player Agency in the game occurs. You are working to increase your probability of obtaining VP (Victory Points) and reduce the other player’s ability to do the same. You are also attempting to manipulate your resource situation in order to appropriately support military operations where and when Diplomacy is not enough to gain VP. You will normally have to balance this out, just as in reality.
Most of the Napoleonic Age was Warfare as a necessary extension to interrupted Diplomacy. Depending upon where you found yourself with Diplomacy, you’d have to extend into War to nail down the issue. This is where understanding all of the available cards for all of the nations comes into play. That takes time, and hence experience, with the game to enable yourself to succeed. I love that about the game. You are not going to win by luck alone. You have to (at the very least) manipulate the situation to ensure your victory – which is rather historically accurate, all said and done! How very diplomatic of them.
“Winning” the Diplomacy Phase is a key way to gain that ever-so-slight Victory Point (VP) advantage needed to eke out a win in this game. Amongst many other slight nudges as such. That is the beauty of the Congress Of Vienna. There are many ways to nudge the needle towards victory. You have to choose an approach, and hope that it counters your enemy’s chosen path just enough to win out in the end. Again, very much similar to the reality of the history depicted. This is a great game as such. This is a very subtle game of Player Agency, Face To Face Debate, and mixes in a pinch of Luck. All in great balance.
Here you have to pay up for what you won issue wise in the Diplomacy Phase, and then you have to distribute resources, replacements, units and fleets, etc. You then resolve issues that are fully paid for. There is a good amount of Player Agency in this phase of the game.
During the Government phase you are actively choosing which of the mandated (priority 1 through 4) items and issues you previously won or obtained. Then you are even more free to decide what extra stuff you want to pay for; IF you have enough resources to do so. A couple of the nations have much less in the way of resources to be able to pull this off. So think on ways to muddle up your enemy resources AND increase your own; fun times.
War Phase
This is when the bullets start flying. It’s not the end all be all of winning the game but there are definitely VPs to be gained and lost as a result. If you only rely on this phase on its own you’ll quickly realize, well, I can’t commit to an operation (i.e. attack) unless I “win” one of my nation’s operation issue markers during the Diplomacy Phase and then PAY for that operation during the Government Phase.
This is one of the only strategic wargames that properly exhibits how expensive it is to get things done for Warfare sake, and there are some preparation indicators that occur as a result, giving your enemies a reasonably good idea you are about to attack, somewhere. Or you are doing fake maneuvering; either way, resources are being eaten up.
Battles are relatively straight forward. There are a lot of things that can affect the DRM involved but otherwise, not that complicated to execute upon.
Below is the list of basic DRM modifiers. Other cards and leaders can affect DRM for combat as well. This table is the bread and butter of combat. As you add or remove positive or negative modifiers just move the Blue or Red small tokens on the DRM track.
rulebook excerpt, © GMT Games
There is an extremely good example of battle resolution found in the rulebook. I think it summarizes the rulings found in the War Phase rather well.
End Of Turn Phase / Victory?
As the name implies, this is the end of turn phase. Clean up occurs, VP adjustments occur, certain goals are checked, early surrender of Napoleon is checked, amongst other small checks and adjustments. At this point in the game turn, you determine if any one nation has become the official “Winner” of the game.
If you want a very detailed review of each phase, then read through this article set (which GMT Games generally re-uses for the Playbook sections on game play):
- Part 1 of 5: Initial Phase
- Part 2 of 5: Diplomacy Phase
- Part 3 of 5: Diplomacy Concluded and Government Phase
- Part 4 of 5: War Phase I
- Part 5 of 5: War Phase II
links provided of Congress of Vienna’s Turn Phases InsideGMT posts are from 2020
and do not reflect Terry Leeds’ beautiful published game graphics
Analysis: What Does It Do Well?
Congress Of Vienna offers a tangible lever for how much live debate there is vs what is simulated within the game mechanics. In other words, with a group of players that are not as gifted in gab as others, the game will generally play itself out perfectly well, debatewise, but it’s in the offering and trading of cards that the game shines in a Diplomacy-esque sense. The reason to play this game ultimately is to muck over your friends and toy with their emotions; you know the usual reason we play games!
The warfare system in Congress Of Vienna is just detailed enough for this strategic scope of play. I absolutely love it. Love that the markers are actual wooden blocks. Brings the value of the system up a notch overall visual appeal wise. Love that each block is representative of both the major nations and their allies, varied amounts of each. The system is very tidy, easy to visualize the front lines involved, makes sense overall. Well done. Again, just enough detail. There is a slightly more complex choice of general approach for your side of the given tactical battle. That is represented by the optional OHR – Tactical Decision Matrix.
Solitaire Capability
Yes, they do include two bot card sets for aid in running the French automatically, or all of the Allies automatically, depending upon how you want to play out the solo game. I’ve not tried these bots out, but they look like your standard fair of board game bots. A simple flow of how to make the main decisions during debate rounds, and other phases of play. To read up more on the solo play, see this article on InsideGMT on the subject.
First Impressions
I have to caveat my impressions here with the fact that I’ve only played it solo open handed for all nations. We do as a local group here plan to play Congress Of Vienna in its entirety in early April, and will provide a video-followup to this impression as a result of that play thru. So taking that into account, this at least in all appearances thus far, is an outstanding game; quite unique in scope and coverage. I very much look forward to getting a few full play thrus notched on my belt. That is the key to whether I will put a game physically on my shelf for the long haul. Do I look forward to actually getting it on the table multiple times a year with giddy anticipation? I thought I might in an initial look over what the game included. After physically receiving the game and playing through a few turns, I think that Congress Of Vienna will hit my tabletop and our local wargaming group’s tables multiple times this year.
For anyone looking for a more abstract strategic level late Napoleonic era game of diplomacy and warfare (in equal measures), this is a game you should check out! GMT Games really balanced this one out well. It is extremely well designed and very approachable. The quick play rules and player aid materials are well written and easy to follow to the keyed rules sections of the full books. I am a sucker for a well keyed sequence of play in particular, and this has one of the most simple yet accurate rules keyed sequences of play I’ve used in a good while. I’m very happy about that! As I’m sure most players and GMs will be as well when they crack open a game of Congress Of Vienna. Bonne chance mes amis!
Summary
Congress Of Vienna is an overwhelmingly positive gaming experience with a much less overwhelming amount of counters and rules to memorize! At first I thought it would be a daunting game to mount as a new GM to it, but this horse was very nice and didn’t buck me as I learned to ride it. It is a game that expresses my golden mantra: Approachable Detail. This game is well worth owning and actually playing! Wow there is a concept! CoV is very “playable” and is probably the best applause I can give it.
Yes, there is an impending Vassal Module for the game, and it is quite nice. Here is just a sneak peak at that offering:
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