By Iron and Blood: The Battle of Koninggratz, July 3, 1866

“The position of Prussia in Germany will not be determined by its liberalism but by its power … Not through speeches and majority decisions will the great questions of the day be decided… but by iron and blood.”
– Otto von Bismarck, Sept. 30, 1862

By Iron and Blood is a two-player wargame depicting the final, decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War. The Battle of Koniggratz (or Sadowa) occurred on July 3, 1866 and it was the largest European land engagement fought between the Battle of Leipzig (1813) and the mammoth battles of the First World War. Koniggratz involved over 450,000 men from multiple European nations and principalities. The battle would decide the destiny of Europe, determining whether Prussia or Austria would be the dominate force binding the various German states together to form a new potential super-power, born with a united Germany. The Prussians under General Helmuth von Moltke invaded Austria in late June of 1866 with three major armies, each following a separate axis of advance. Using divergent approaches was risking defeat in detail, but Moltke counted on superior Prussian maneuverability to outflank the Austrian North Army under Feldzugmeister Ludwig von Benedek. Battles were fought at Nachod, Tratenau, Skalitz, Soor and Gitschen with the Prussians prevailing in nearly all those encounters. The demoralized Austrians gathered their remaining strength in front of the fortress of Koniggratz, hoping that one last titanic defensive battle would win them the war. The Prussians rushed ahead with the 1st and Elbe Armies, engaging the Austrians in their prepared positions. Prussian commanders then looked to the north for the approaching 2nd Army, hoping it would arrive in time to deliver the killing blow. But where was that army and how long would it take to deploy effectively to the battlefield? The race was on – could the North Army defeat the outnumbered Prussians before 2nd Army closed the vise or would the war end under the walls of Koniggratz?