If some people like this event that's fine but this should be an option. I play wargames as I like to make my own history. Playing Austria and being forced to DoW on FR and Join the Coalition is an abomination of the principles underlying wargaming!!
From the ongoing PBEM:
Unfortunately joining the coalition and dow FR is a scripted event and a very bad scripted event because:
1) takes away decision making from the player which is the whole point of a wargame.
2) pretty much destroys my early game strategy of trying to stay neutral by forcing AU into the spotlight
3) causes VP loss by canceling alliances
4) blocks alliances from happening for a long time
5) destroys relationship points between powers - -100 with FR after war
6) forces war against FR
7) forces AU to join Coalition - perhaps AU wants to ally with FR
The biggest decision a ruler (player) can make is 1) DOW 2) joining the Coalition and this is taken away.
This game has lots of problems but the choices are plowing on and enjoying the grand landscape or giving up. On balance playing a Napoleonic game is just slightly better than giving up