''Austerlitz'', subtitled "The Battle of Three Emperors, 2 December 1805", is a

board wargame A board wargame is a wargame with a set playing surface or board, as opposed to being played on a computer or in a more free-form playing area as in miniatures games. The modern, commercial wargaming hobby (as distinct from military exercises, o ...

published by

Simulations Publications Inc. Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) was an American publisher of board wargames and related magazines, particularly its flagship ''Strategy & Tactics'', in the 1970s and early 1980s. It produced an enormous number of games and introduced innovat ...

(SPI) in 1972 that simulates the

Battle of Austerlitz The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz in ...

between

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's French forces, and the Austrian-Russian forces of the

Third Coalition The War of the Third Coalition) * In French historiography, it is known as the Austrian campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Autriche de 1805) or the German campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Allemagne de 1805) was a European conflict spanni ...

Background

In 1805, an Allied force of Russians and Austrians was lured into a trap by Napoleon near the town of

Austerlitz Austerlitz may refer to: History * Battle of Austerlitz, an 1805 victory by the French Grand Army of Napoleon Bonaparte Places * Austerlitz, German name for Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic, which gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz an ...

Description

''Austerlitz'' is a two-player wargame in which one player controls the Alliance army, and the other player controls the French army.

Components

The game includes: *22" x 28" paper hex grid map scaled at 400 m (440 yd) per hex *100 die-cut counters *Map-folded rule sheet *Two Terrain Effects charts *A small six-sided die

Gameplay

''Austerlitz'' uses a simple "I Go, You Go" alternating system of turns first used in SPI's '' Napoleon at Warerloo'' (1971). First the Allied player moves and then fires. Then the French player has the same opportunity. This completes one game turn, which represents one hour of game time.

Publication history

''Austerlitz'' was designed by John Michael Young, with graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen and was published by SPI in 1973, first packaged in a plain white box with a red title ribbon, then later in a "flatpack" box with integrated counter tray.

Reception

In a 1976 poll undertaken by SPI to determine the most popular board wargames in North America, ''Austerlitz'' placed a respectable 54th out of 202 games. In his 1977 book ''

The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming ''The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming'' is a 1977 book by Nicholas Palmer about the hobby of board wargaming. Contents ''The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming'' is a 223-page book about the hobby of wargaming for non-gamers and game ...

'',

Nick Palmer Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A Glossary of cricket terms#nick, cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealin ...

called ''Austerlitz'' a "simple, well-balanced operational level game." In the 1980 book ''

The Complete Book of Wargames ''The Complete Book of Wargames'' by Jon Freeman and the editors of Consumer Guide was published in 1980 by Simon & Schuster under the Fireside imprint. Contents This book comes in both a 285-page hardcover edition and a paperback version. In ...

'', game designer Jon Freeman commented that ''Austerlitz'' was "probably the best of the company's Napoleonic series of games and one of the most interesting around." He noted that "Play is quick and clean; there are enough units to minimize the effects of chance, but few enough to avoid the drudgery of piece-pushing." Freeman concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Excellent", saying, "The game is usually in doubt until the end, offers a variety of outcomes, and presents innumerable opportunities for sharp tactical and strategic play." In ''The Guide to Simulations/Games for Education and Training'', Martin Campion questioned the balance of the game, saying, "With any kind of competent players, the French will always win. The question is, by how much?" He concluded, "The mechanics are not very reliable, but the action tends to follow the original battle."

Other reviews and commentary

* ''Campaign'' #102 and #106 * ''

Richard Berg's Review of Games ''Richard Berg's Review of Games'' was a wargaming review magazine edited by Richard Berg and first published in 1980 by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI). Contents ''Richard Berg's Review of Games'' was a slim professionally produced fanzi ...

'' #8 *''Grenadier'' #13 * ''Panzerfaust'' #63 *'' Moves'' #53

References

{{reflist Board wargames set in Modern history Napoleonic Wars board wargames Simulations Publications games Wargames introduced in 1972