I have to concede a persistent feeling of wonder at every opening of a box in the series Campaigns of Napoleon of Kevin Zucker ...

This is the first time that I have attributed five laurels to a game!

-Frederic Bey, Vae Victis No. 51, May 2003

The tradition of military excellence in France attained its summit at the time of the Austerlitz campaign. Napoleon there demonstrated, in November and December 1805 a genius for absolute opportunism. Kevin Zucker has created a game that is simply "the last word on the subject"!

After twenty-four years passed pushing counters in hundreds of historical games, fatigue can naturally slow one down, or the permanent impression of "deja"-vu. There are nevertheless miracles, in this domain as in others, and I have to concede a persistent feeling of wonder at every opening of a box in the series Campaigns of Napoleon of Kevin Zucker. One either likes or does not like this game system. I am unconditionally an admirer since

its origin-for me its realism takes me back in time like no other. It's as simple as that. The Sun of Austerlitz probably registers, along with Bonaparte in Italy, as the best game of this collection.

The Campaign of Moravia, November December 1805

Before summarizing the history contained in The Sun of Austerlitz, I'd like to point out the constant consideration of Kevin Zucker to subtitle all OSG games in French on the box lid. Marking a courtesy and admiration for the history of France, this gesture also evidences his interest in French culture and language. After Ben Hull, in the preceding number of Vae Victis, showed again a beautiful proof of transatlantic cultural respect! Returning to Moravia: After the great embarrassment in October 1805 of the army of FML Mack in Bavaria, Napoleon marched forward by the banks of the Danube. He repulsed Koutousov towards Olmütz, to join with the armies of reinforcements of the Tsar, Alexander I. The initial operation that the little corporal will attempt goes awry, for lack of judgment by his good brother-in-law, Murat. The Hollabrunn maneuvre-this is its name-is an attempt to adopt a definite position in the rear of Koutousov and bring about his destruction by foreclosing his ability to retire. Bernadotte and Mortier, passing the Danube at Melk must slow down the Russian army, while Murat and his cavalry, followed by the Corps of Ney and Soult, will have to
take intact the bridges over the Danube, to win Hollabrünn in the back of Koutousov. Napoleon, with Davout and Marmont at Schoenbrunn, remains in position to rush forward, after overseeing the Austrian capital. First trumped by the armistice promises of that old briscard Koutousov, then having to face the resistance of Bagration at Krems, Murat will halt his pursuit! "You caused me to lose the fruit of a campaign," Napoleon
scolded. The French Army was then a spent force, which explains somewhat its check by Bagration. Then Napoleon established himself at Brünn, while the Russians withdrew on Wishau. After a strategic pause, for the armies were equally in need of re-supplying, the Emperor before long reacted to the arrival of the reinforcements of the Coalition powers at Olmütz. The Tsar and the Austrian Emperor there installed their General headquarters. On November 27, they asked an armistice, to await the arrival of the third
Russian army. Napoleon does play at accepting it, but recalls immediately around him all the Army Corps, then disperses toward Vienna (two days march away). Not having been able to have followed the Russians, he chooses then to attract them to him. It supports his operation line on Brünn, while its enemies believe it dependent on Vienna. The stretched picket line is so much more effective, that under the influence of Weyrother, and against the opinion of Koutousov, the two Emperors themselves decide upon an immediate battle. On the tactical scale of this battle, Napoleon reproduces the maneuvre against the rear of the enemy, used before at the operational scale at Ulm. The French abandon the beautiful positions of the Pratzen at the appearance of the enemy army, which proceeded toward a planned attack on Napoleon's LOC to Vienna. Then in a carefully premeditated, massive attack, the French lunged at the Allies and split their forces, crushing their right wing and driving its remnants across the frozen lakes. Even though it was not an easy victory for Napoleon as compared with some others, its decisiveness led directly to the Peace of Presbourg.

Exceptional quality of materials

The Sun of Austerlitz rests on a material quality better than the three preceding games of the series, published or re-published by Zucker, since the series returned with Operational Studies Group, in 1995, under his
direct control. The map, that covers all Moravia at a scale of 3.2 kilometers per hexagon, is particularly magnificent. Mark Simonitch accomplished a magnificent work of art, with a treatment of the relief and
vegetation that recalls, paradoxically enough, the one that he used to great effect for his map of the Ardennes (1944) for GMT Games. The map can combine with the eastern part of the map of 1809: Napoleon on the Danube, this allows a better understanding of the retirement maneuver of Koutousov, in mid-November 1805, and will allow, with the publication of the extension scenario, to play the campaign starting with the month of October. The game aides benefit equally from an appreciable jump in quality. They are bigger, are printed on better paper, are entirely in color, illustrated with antique portraits and of texts used on old-style organization displays. These documents allow one to deploy and to subordinate to a leader, the divisions, brigades or march regiments and to hold an account of their effective strength. The units are formed into Corps (or of columns for the Austro-Russians) or of detachments ad-hoc, represented on the map only by their leaders. All the interest in the game rests on hidden movement. The characteristics of the units are hidden by a generic flag with the color of their country of origin. The rules have only little evolved since their previous appearance (Bonaparte in Italy). The booklet of standard rules of the series (twenty pages) return in their entirety and reveal very clearly in evidence some adjustments or details in underlined font. The exclusive booklet of The Sun of Austerlitz contains thirty two pages: specific rules to the game, scenarios, historic notes, commentaries on the campaign and design notes. Among the exclusive rules you will notice the one dedicated to the effects of fog, for we are squarely at the end of fall in Moravia, and the French sought, at this period, to draw from it an advantage.

Of the interest of the simulation

The principal value of The Sun of Austerlitz originates in the historic unfolding of the campaign of 1805. The fact that Napoleon obtained his victory, graced by a combination of lucky diplomatic, strategy and tactical
maneuvers, is a coincidence in war not reproducible. One sees the poor player in charge of the Austro-Russians as a lamb in the trap. From these biases therefore lead along different courses and fascinating detours, exactly because the Austerlitz campaign is one of the more known and more typical of history. Constant elements of the system, such as the establishment of a supply line and the placement adequate of the Center of Operation, are two elements besides at the heart of the rules of the series Campaigns of Napoleon. The game takes this direction when the players devote themselves to the campaign scenario that starts on the 15th of November and ending the 15th December (1 game turn = 2 days). The three small battle scenarios are more closed-ended, notably the one of the Austerlitz battle, that starts with the historic positions on 2 December at 0:00- the continuation is then almost mechanical. On the other hand, the possibilities offered by the campaign are immense, even if the conditions of victory do not permit the Coalition to systematically avoid fighting for the objectives-Brünn, Olmütz and Pohrlitz-which will strongly orient the strategies of the two camps. The final victory is in fact determined by the level of "Vienna Morale", which depends on the control of these three cities, and can vary, besides, owing to the result of a critical battle or the elimination, very rare, of Napoleon. The game takes equally into account the position of the Prussians. Under certain conditions, notably the occupation of Brünn by the Coalition, this last can bring Prussian reinforcements to enter the game in the camps of the Coalition. Units are provided for that. In The Sun of Austerlitz, again more than in the other games of the series, the rules for the scouting by detachments of cavalry are essential. This is in fact the only way usually to detect the movements and the extent of the forces in action by the enemy. Equally, the value of the French Leaders compensates advantageously for the initial dispersion of the French Corps and the problems caused by the lengthening of their line of communication with Brünn. For the Coalition, the very elevated level of attrition risks is a problem, that the provisions of food can erase only with difficulty, notably because rain and snow are the typical characteristic elements of the climate of Moravia at the end of fall.

Providing a campaign game that is not too long (a month of real time, from November 15 to 15 December 1805, at two days per game turn), The Sun of Austerlitz is the perfect illustration of a successful historical game, at the same time very detailed and playable with relative facility.

Framed Laurels: 5 Laurels

Qualities: Magnificent Map and aids. Finishing irreprochable. Fascinating campaign to play, with equivalent forces, to very varied outcomes. Historic values of the corps, and other details about the simulation are
the wealth of the booklet. Defaults: Scenario no 3 (Austerlitz battle) of which the interest is limited to the analysis and the reconstruction of the battle. The units counters could be improved.

Note: As noted above this is the first time that I have attributed five laurels to a game!

The series Campaigns of Napoleon of Kevin Zucker henceforth contains eight games, listed below with the references of their different editions (three for Napoleon at Bay, the oldest one!) and the issue in which related items appeared in Vae Victis.

Napoleon at Bay, OSG 1978, Avalon Hill 1983 et OSG 1997 (Vae Victis no 17)
Bonaparte in Italy, OSG 1979 et OSG 2000 (Vae Victis no 34 et 36)
Struggle of Nations, Avalon Hill 1982
1809: Napoleon on the Danube, Victory Games 1984
The Emperor Returns, Clash of Arms 1986
1807: The Eagles Turn East, Clash of Arms 1995 (Vae Victis no 5)
Highway to Kremlin, OSG 2001 (Vae Victis no 40)
The Sun of Austerlitz, OSG 2003 (Vae Victis no 51)