Clash of Empires

Key players are now something of a focus, since I should have to get on with drafting them.

For the French the most important will be Napoleon, however, interestingly enough, I will not need to have this player decided on first.

Others in the French camp are Marshals Berthier, Davout, Massena, Bernadotte, Bessieres, and Lannes. Also are Generals Oudinot and Marmont. Key alternate theatre players are needed to fill the roles of Viceroy Eugene in Italy (to start) and Prince Poniatowski (in the Grand Duchy of Warsaw). That makes about 11 players potential here, with just the Corps commanders (not including the Guard = which I had thought to put in the Bonaparte player's hands).

For Austria the players will need to fill a variety of diverse roles: From the Emperor Francis I (yes his role may be filled by a referee, but an active player could also be fun = especially if they are totally separated from the tabletop actions). Archdukes Charles, John and Ferdinand round out the imperial family. From the military side there are roles for FML Nordmann, Kolowrat, Rosenberg, Louis, Keinmayer, and Hiller; GdK Bellegarde and Lichtenstein (a very important role as this commander was very much in the confidence of Archduke Charles the Generalissmus); also FZM Kolowrat. Further consideration is being given to players taking on roles like the parts of the Aulic Council, chief of staff Mayer and more political positions like Metternich.

The inclusion of personalities like Metternich also lead to considering things like the Fouche, Murat and Talleyrand plot along with the ongoing Talleyrand informant role that was going on between Talleyrand and Metternich.

Other possibilities that may be taken on by players, or left in the hands of referees are roles fr Tsar Alexander (goaded on by the Doawager Empress), King Fredrich III of Prussia (or some members of the Prussian court who are both hawks and doves) and the ever-present British hands, offering cash or a landing in the low countries to 'mix the pot'. Whom might be chosen as the 'action' part for these forces are yet to be decided.

The action areas are also going to be left more to the players design, indeed I am toying with the idea of simply naming the Austrian rump left over in 1806 and permitting the players of the Austrian forces to re-organize, recruit and train as they please for three (relative) years during the pre-game setup so that they get the sense for all the troops under their command and the supply and services that such an army needs; for this was something that the Austrian commands at least were good at.

More to do obviously but I wanted to toss all this out into the mix as fodder for the coming disucssions.