1866: The Struggle for Supremacy in Germany

About this board game

1866: The Struggle for Supremacy in Germany is a two-player simulation of the Austro-Prussian War, with the Campaign Scenario taking approximately 4–6 hours to play. One player commands Prussia and its allies, including the young Kingdom of Italy, while the other leads Austria and its German Confederation allies.

Players use a shared deck of 55 Operations Cards to direct deployment, combat, political-military operations, and overall strategy. The game covers Central Europe from Hamburg to Florence and Metz to Cracow, using a point-to-point map and a corps/division unit scale across weekly turns.

Mobilization is central to the campaign. Before war is declared, both sides must judge what to mobilize, where those forces will operate, and which generals will command them while seeking victory points. Once war begins, each player must fight with the forces already mobilized, making preparation a crucial part of the struggle.

• Orders of battle include historic corps, divisions, some brigade counters, and major generals involved in the conflict.
• Rules cover cavalry superiority, railroads, Prussia’s mobilization advantage, and coordinated attacks.
• The French Second Empire under Napoleon III may intervene if neither side appears able to achieve a quick and decisive victory.
• Mobilization and War cards begin as separate decks and are combined after war is declared.

Two scenarios are included: the Mobilization to War Campaign Scenario and the Seven Weeks War Scenario, which begins after mobilization. With its comprehensive Playbook, extended example of play, optional rules, designer’s notes, bibliography, and detailed card explanations, 1866 presents a focused historical contest shaped by political judgment, military preparation, and battlefield operations.