Austerlitz 20

About this board game

Austerlitz 20 is a two-player Napoleonic battle game for 45-minute sessions, recreating the decisive 1805 clash where three Emperors fought to determine the fate of Europe.

With Vienna occupied and the French army stretched along its line of communication to Paris, Napoleon must secure a battlefield victory. The game captures the tension of the cold, foggy December morning through a focused design with 20 pieces or fewer on the map and fast, dramatic turns.

Its story-driven random event cards and night game turns add pauses and the friction of war to the unfolding battle. As French glory meets Allied greatness, players experience a parry-and-thrust struggle in which armies close to bayonet range and test which side will break first.

• Players: 2
• Playing time: approximately 45 minutes
• Scale: each unit represents one corps or division
• Map scale: each hex is about 800 meters
• Turn scale: roughly 3 daylight hours or 10 night hours
• Complexity: 4 out of 9
• Solitaire suitability: 6 out of 9

Multiple scenarios and variations invite players to explore a wide range of “What if?” possibilities surrounding the Battle of Austerlitz. The modest complexity and low unit density make Austerlitz 20 an accessible, tightly scoped presentation of a pivotal Napoleonic engagement.

Released in 2009, the game was nominated for the Charles S. Roberts Award for Best Desktop Published/Print and Play.