MAIN THEMES : Responsible Communication,
Negotiation, Team Building & Education
Outline
The period from 1792 to 1814 was one of not just European conflict but global struggle.
For much of this period, Napoleon Bonaparte loomed large as a significant figure in
Europe – but his position as master of Europe was finally brought to an end by a powerful
alliance composed of (among others) Russia, Austria, Prussia and Great Britain.
Napoleon had reshaped Europe, changed frontiers, created new countries and upset long
standing relationships between states. The wars are now over, but somehow the
victorious countries have to establish a new order in Europe. Would things be as they
were before the French changed things? Or would the shape of Europe have to be
something different?
In this game, each team represents a delegation at the Congress of Vienna of 1814 –
called by the victors with the express aim of sorting out the mess caused by Napoleon.
There was no precedent for this sort of
Congress, it was the first of its kind.
All the congress has to do is re-draw
the map of Europe.
Gameplay
Player teams represent the
delegations of the major powers of
Europe. Each team also has it's own
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team-specific briefing that reflects national interests and objectives. The game is
structured around series of sessions where the teams alternate between team planning,
interaction and negotiation and plenary sessions. The pace of the game is set to
encourage quick thinking and good communication as well as negotiation 'on the hoof'.
At the end of the game there is a debrief of the process and how negotiation and
communications worked both within and between the teams. Teams have the opportunity
to reflect on how their decision and policy making was affected by the behaviours of the
other teams as well as their own style of communication and negotiation and how this
might inform their practice and planning in future.
Ideal Audiences
•
Organisations wishing to practice communication and organisational negotiation
skills.
•
Organisations seeking a team building challenge.
•
Students looking at European history or politics..
Example game structures
The Congress : For 12 players
The Congress : for 30 players
Number in
team
Team
Team
Number in team
AUSTRIA
2
AUSTRIA
4
GREAT BRITAIN
2
BAVARIA
2
PRUSSIA
2
FRANCE
2
RUSSIA
2
GREAT BRITAIN
4
SWEDEN
2
HOUSE OF ORANGE
2
HOUSE OF ORANGE
2
THE PAPACY
2
12
PRUSSIA
3
RUSSIA
2
SAVOY
3
SAXONY
2
SPAIN
2
SWEDEN
2
Total
Total
2
30
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