If you want to buy this game, please be aware that it is extremely fundamental. The level of complexity suffers from what appears to be depression and this game is just unrealistic at best. I really love GOG.com and appreciate it's existence so this topic is in no way related to GOG.com aside from being posted on it. I just really want people to know that this game is definitely not what it appears to be and is probably the reason why it's so obscure.

All it really needs is a morale system and I think it'd be perfect... well that and greater unit diversity.

The problem I perceive with the game is that in 1790 France had the largest population of any in Europe, and had a more "nationalistic" army than any other in the continent. The game makes every country the same, starting with the same resources as far as men, money and material. This is just not the case, and the reasons given earlier (plus Napoleon) were why France was able to first resist invasion, then later subjugate most of the continent. The game reflects NONE of this, and is sorely lacking in reality. It is intended to be a "balanced" game, but not a realistic game.

I played this once as Austria. It just seemed everyone was attacking me and I could not form an alliance with anyone. I will try again later.

This is a real fun game,but i found the same as you everybody attacks and nobody wants to be allies.Though i dont like to cheat in games with this game the cheats make the game much more fun.you can pay nations off to be your ally and annex them and go to war with your real enemies.

It really does help if you spend the first year or two building up - getting research done, raising an army, building improvements and establishing trade (with the nations you aren't planning to attack or annex soon). I've seen several Let's Plays where someone launches an attack in the first year (often without even checking to see who their target is allied with) and it generally doesn't go well.

Certainly, IG is more like a computer version of Risk than anything close to Total War or even Europa Universalis. However, even though I love the latter two, I found IG enjoyable. (if it wouldn't be for the regular crashes after battles)