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FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

SEPTEMBER 1805 FRENCH TURN

Napoleon marches south from Innsbruck to engage Charles and his Army of Italy. Soult and Davout bypass the Austrian garrisons in Bavaria and attack Ferdinand as he retreats into Austria from the Bavarian border.

In response to the Russian landing in the Batavian Republic, 10,000 French troops march back into the city followed closely by Marmont who has been dispatched by the Emperor from the fighting in Austria.

Battle of Karlstadt
In a series of forced marches from Innsbruck to the south, 80,000 weary Frenchmen commanded by Napoleon attack Charles’ larger Army of Italy of 90,000 men near Trieste. Napoleon commits the Guard as the battle opens. The gamble pays off and the Austrian center is pierced. The Austrians panic and the battle turns into a rout. Charles finally rallys his men but not before the battlefield is left firmly in French hands. The Austrians lose 35,000 men to 10,000 French casualties. However, the price paid by Napoleon for his victory is high as 10,000 men of his Guard are rendered hors de combat.

Battle of Karlstadt

In a series of forced marches from Innsbruck to the south, 80,000 weary Frenchmen commanded by Napoleon attack Charles’ larger Army of Italy of 90,000 men near Trieste. Napoleon commits the Guard as the battle opens. The gamble pays off and the Austrian center is pierced. The Austrians panic and the battle turns into a rout. Charles finally rallys his men but not before the battlefield is left firmly in French hands. The Austrians lose 35,000 men to 10,000 French casualties. However, the price paid by Napoleon for his victory is high as 10,000 men of his Guard are rendered hors de combat.

Battle of Salzburg
Davout and Soult lead 85,000 men in a march around the Austrian garrisons at Munich and Ratisbon to engage Ferdinand’s retreating army of 45,000 men. The French assault is clumsy and slow to develop, allowing Ferdinand to disengage at an early stage. The numerically superior Austrian cavalry keeps the enemy at bay and Ferdinand slips away with the bulk of his troops.

SEPTEMBER 1805 ALLIED TURN

Charles continues to retreat after his heavy defeat at Karlstadt but cannot catch up with Ferdinand who has eluded Soult and Davout and is withdrawing down the Danube toward Vienna. Civilians and soldiers alike in Vienna and Budapest begin digging entrenchments. All eyes anxiously scan the horizon to the east for the approaching Russian vanguard still struggling to clear the Carpathian passes before the first snows fall.