1809: French Campaign Log

[Didz]

1809: Turn 8: 8 April 1809 Worrying developments.

A messenger arrived today reporting that there were Austrian troops in Schwandorf within 50 km's of our depot are Neumarkt but annoyingly no mentions of their strength of direction of march. This could just be a cavalry patrol screening the right flank of the Austrian advance on Regensburg or it could be the leading corps of their advance column heading for our depots at Neumarkt and Nurnberg.

Another messenger reports that the Austrians have seized the bridges over the Danube at Deggensdorf.

The urge to do something is becoming overwhelming made worse by the lack of clear intelligence. Davout is ordered to dispatch Montbrun's Cavalry to scout the road out Of Ingolstadt towards Regensburg. Whilst Massena is ordered to send Colberts Cavalry Divsion to do likewise along the road from Augsberg to Munich and Marulaz Cavalry along the Augsberg to Freising road. These orders are merely token gestures involving a limited movement of 9 km from the main bodies of their Corps. So the cavalry involved will remain in supply by we may gain a slightly advanced warning of an approaching enemy.



*** Intelligence Reports ***
The intelligence reports are typically uninformative again today. Once more concentrating mainly on the arrival of fresh Divisions way beyond Viena. The report of 16,500 troops at Passau suggests that the enemy on the Inn might be moving at last but nothing else of any major value is revealed.

Enemy forces reported near Brunn : 16500 Probably the corps reported at Brusau yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Brusau : 10500 Yet another fresh reserve Corps.
Enemy forces reported near Linz : 19500 Possibly the reinforcement column reported at Enns yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Passau : 16500 Possibly the columnfrom Shaerding advancing at last.
Enemy forces reported near Possnitz : 6500 Fresh reserve formation.
Enemy forces reported near Tabor : 9500 Another column using the northern route.
Enemy forces reported near Zwettel : 14000

The key question is do I withdraw my depot at Neumarkt or leave it where it is and risk it getting captured?

Bernadottes XI Corps is due to arrive near Nurnberg in 16 days time and will be in serious trouble if there are no supplies awaiting it. Particularly if it is to face an Austrian force moving from the east. On the other hand if the supplies at Neumarkt or Nurnberg are seized by the Austrians it will give them a ready made base of operations north of the Danube and ease their supply lines considerably.

My current feeling is that the risk of the supplies at Neumarkt falling into enemy hands outweights the benefits of keeping them for use by Bernadotte. I shall therefore order the supplies at Neumarkt to be withdrawn to Donauworth and the size of the Nurnberg Depot reduced from 500 to 200 days rations.

At the same time a replenishment convoy with 200 supplies is ordered to Augsberg which is down to 37 supplies and another of 100 to Ingolstadt which is down to 96.

[Hanal]

Didz...do you split up your Corps in order to recon more area?....I blundered in one game I played where I kept Corp integrity but soon found Austrians running about behind my front lines........

[Didz]

ORIGINAL: J P Falcon
Didz...do you split up your Corps in order to recon more area?....I blundered in one game I played where I kept Corp integrity but soon found Austrians running about behind my front lines........

Difficult question. Personally no I don't simply because deliberately spreading a Corps or even an Army over more than one hex offers the enemy the chance to mass all his might against one detached element of yours.

Given that a hex on the map covers about 9 Km even having a division in an adjacent hex represents quite a dispersal of men on the ground.

Having said that I do use Engage 'March to the Guns' as almost a standard order and so frequently I find corps and divisions detaching themselves to engage nearby enemy units.

This game really isn't detailed enough at the tactical level to model the advance to combat and engagement aspects of Napoleonic warfare. But what I prefer to see when I engage an enemy stack are my own divisions closely grouped and well supplied (preferrably in the same hex) surrounded by numerous smaller enemy stacks preferably with red 'poorly supplied markers'.

What I imagine happening is that my fully consolidated and battle ready army has met the enemy which is not fully concentrated and allowed itself to become disorganised or caught strung out on the march possibly due to poor scouting.

What seems to arise are a series of battles normally involving superior numbers of my own troops against smaller poorly supplied groups of enemies, followed eventually by a confontation with the enemies main force which, hopefully by then, is already debilitated by the earlier engagements. Occassionally this does result in enemy units moving behind your main force and cutting supply lines but frequently these units themselves end up in trouble when their main body is defeated and they find themselves isolated in your rear.

In tactical terms this is about the nearest I think we can get to recreating the strategy of the central position in tactical terms. If one imagines for instance that the distance between Quatre Bras and Ligny was only 11 Km one realises that this would be the equivalent of the British and Prussian armies sitting in adjacent hexes on CotD.

The only thing I am experimenting with in the game is the use of cavalry screens. However, even these I am keeping to adjacent hex positions in order to maintain their supply, I think 9km radius is quite far enough for cavalry scouts to patrol. Be interesting to see if it works[8|]

[Didz]

1809: Turn 9: 9 April 1809 Amberg Falls.

It looks as though my decision yesterday to withdraw the Neustadt Depot was justified as I have just had a report the Austrians have seized Amberg.



The question now is will they continue to advance west and seize Nurnberg too?

My guess is that they most certainly will as they know I have a depot there and Nurnberg is also worth 2VP's. This being so I have little choice but to withdraw my depot completely from Nurnberg in order to deny the supplies to the enemy. This means that Bernadottes IX Corps will have no supplies on hand when it arrives in 15 days time unless I manage to drive off the Austrians and re-establish a depot at Nurnberg before that date.

Straubing also fell to Austria this turn giving the enemy another bridge over the Danube and yet there is still no tangible sign of movement from the Austrian troops along the Inn. If the Austrians do attack from the North alone, then I shall be able to expliot my central position to move the majority of the Corps at Augsberg North to support Davout at Ingolstadt thus concentrating my full force against one wing of the Austrian Army. However, for the time being I am prepared to bide my time as every day that the Austrian's fail to force a major engagement brings Napoleon and the Guard closer to Ulm and I would prefer to have both present when the decisive battle takes place.

Gency and Bruyer reached Donauworth today and I have assigned Bruyers 1.500 light cavalry to Davouts III Corps which is infantry heavy and Gency to Lannes II Corps. I was hoping that this would enable me to assign replacements to Gency and Bruyers Divisions from the 4,500 that have gathered at Donauworth but attempting it just now didn't seem to work. (perhaps need to raise this on the support forum)

Finally, it was noted that supplies at Donauworth are getting low and so another 1,000 were shipped by barge from Ulm.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube
near Amberg : 10500 - Looks like one Corps is marching on Neumarkt and Nurnberg probably marched from Schwandorf.
near Cham : 19500 - probably the corps reported at Pilsen 2 days ago.
near Klattau : 8500 - probaly part of the corps reported at Wimperk yesterday.
near Pilsen : 17500 - increased from the 8,500 reported yesterday.
near Wimperk : 17500 - probably part of the 21,000 men reported here yesterday.

Austrian Forces on the Inn
near Enns : 20500 - probably the same corps reported there yesterday.
near Passau : 8500 - reduced from the 16,000 reported yesterday.

Austrian Reserve Forces
near Brusau : 9000 - reduced from 10,500 yesterday
near Goding : 20000 - slight increase in the 18,000 reported yesterday.
near Olmutz : 27000 - increased from 8,500 reported yesterday
near Pressburg : 19500 - increased from the 13,000 reported two days ago.
near St.Polten : 6500 - New report possibly a small reinforcement column heading for the Inn.
near Wolkersdorf : 15500 - reduced from 26,500 yesterday
near Znaim : 17500 - probably the column reported near Nikolsburg yesterday.

The continued impression is that the Austrian Army North of the Danube is strung out between Amberg and Wimperk with one Corps heading for Nurnberg whilst the main thrust moves on Straubing but that this force is not consolidated and ready for battle.

Meanwhile, the enemy forces along the Inn seem static and so far do not pose a threat whilst fresh troops continue to flow into the reserve area's.

If the enemy continue to advance south in this peicemeal fashion I am hopefull that Davout will be able to severely maul their leading Corps before the others can move in support. Whilst if the they halt to concentrate their forces even more time will be gained for the Emperor to arrive on the field with the Guard.

[DoomedMantis]

how long on average does each turn take you?

[Didz]

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis

how long on average does each turn take you?

Not sure what you mean by the question. So I shall break it down.

a) It only takes a minute or two for the game to complete the turn.
b) It probably takes 10 minutes for me to note down what has happened and issue any new orders before saving ready for next turn.
c) Then it probably takes another 15 minutes to transfer intelligence info onto my Game Mapper map and makes notes on what changed and what it might mean.
d) Then another 10 minutes to produce the game posting.

So, in total about 40 minutes per turn at present. When things get more hectic the time taken to record it will obviously increase. But much of this time is being spent on tasks of my own making. I have for instance completed the 1805 campaign twice in one evening sitting as the game itself doesn't take long to play.

[DoomedMantis]

so you could basically finish the grand campaign in one night then?

yes it was how long it took you to make your turn I was after.

how much info does the on game map provide you? Intel info that is. Are you using the mapper you have in order to track things, or actually to record current turn info?

[Didz]

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis

so you could basically finish the grand campaign in one night then?

Not sure what you mean by the Grand Campaign. I have completed the 1805 campaign twice and each was completed in one evening without even saving the game during play.

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis
yes it was how long it took you to make your turn I was after.

The game only takes a couple of minutes to process a turn. How long one takes thinking and planning your response before the next turn is really a matter of personal preference. The Ulm campaign runs from 3rd October to 24th October so thats 21 turns and I reckon I was doing an average of about 5 turns per hour. So, I started at about 7:30 pm and crawled into bed victorious at about midnight.

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis
how much info does the on game map provide you? Intel info that is.

This very much depends on the 'Fog of War' setting chosen. The two Ulm campaigns were fought with minimal FOW so I could see more or less everything. My units, the enemy units, supply convoys everything was visible on the game map.

The campaign described on this thread is being played at Full Fog of War which means I don't get to see much on the game map at all. I know where my own units were last reported to be, but I can't see supply convoys and I can't see any enemy units until they come within scouting range (3 Hexes or less (27 km's)) of my own cavalry.

The game provides intelligence reports which are essentially the lists of troop numbers I copy and paste into my Emails on this thread. But these are not marked in any way on the game map. Hence, my use of Game Mapper to keep track of the reported locations of enemy troops, but you could just copy them into a Word or Notepad or scribble them onto a printed map. I am anly using game mapper because I already owned it and becuase it produces a nice ouput for publishing in my posts.

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis
Are you using the mapper you have in order to track things, or actually to record current turn info?

I am using Game Mapper for two distinct but related things.

Monitoring Intelligence Reports

The game provides the player with an intelligence report every day containing a list of enemies force strengths at various locations. But it only includes reports received in the last 24 hours and it does NOT relate this new information back to earlier reports. So, it may tell you that there are now 15,000 enemy troops at Eckmuhl but it won't tell you that they are the same Corps that it reported yesterday as 21,000 enemy at Straubing.

In other words it doesn't track the enemy movements for you. Nor, I hasten to add should it, although a bit of extra info like 15,000 enemy troops at Eckmuhl marching south on the Ingolstadt road would be nice. The art of good generalship and the skill which set people like Napoleon apart from the crowd was their ability to interpret this information and understand what it actually meant and what the enemy intentions were from it.

So, what I do is record these reports on Game Mapper and use Game Mapper to help me interpret them, much as I imagine Napoleon would have done with his map table and coloured pins. So, when I receive a new daily report I look at yesterday's map and if the new report says there are 15,000 enemy at Eckmuhl I mark these on it and then consider where they might have come from. Perhaps yesterday there was a report of 21,000 men at Straubing and today there is no report of enemy at Straubing at all and so I might decide that the corps which was at Straubing must be the same one that is now at Eckmuhl and so I remove the force marker at Straubing and place a small arrow indicating a movement from Straubing to Eckmuhl. I do this for all the enemy forces reported and save a copy of the updated map for reference again tomorrow. Thus over time I hope I can detect tends in enemy movements and from that determine their objectives and plans.

Obtaining a Strategic Overview

Having monitored my intelligence of enemy movements, I then add the known/intended deployment of my own forces and depots on the same map and then by zooming out I can gain a proper overview of the entire theatre of operations and the relationship between my troops and the enemy. This just isn't possible on the game map itself because a) you can't zoom out and b) it doesn't have all the intelligence reports plotted on it.

But I find it invaluable and it gives me the added advantage of being able to sketch out theoretical lines of advance/withdrawl and doodle all over it and then reload the saved version and try something else which a printed map can't.

[DoomedMantis]

by the way I bought the game, now I just have to find time to play it[:)]

One thing I did notice is that the map scroll doesnt work very well. It works jerkily going down and right, but doesnt move left or up. Did you find this?

[Didz]

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis
One thing I did notice is that the map scroll doesnt work very well. It works jerkily going down and right, but doesnt move left or up. Did you find this?

In a word No. I have had no problem with map scroll at all.

Must admit I don't use it much preferring to click on the mini-map to refocus the main screen on the area od interest but I have just double checked and my game map scrolls quite quickly in in all directions.

Have you updated your game to the latest version?

[DoomedMantis]

yep Im on version 2.1

[Didz]

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis
yep Im on version 2.1

In that case I suggest to post a message on the Campaign on the Danube support board above and see if anyone has any idea's on why its happening. From what you describe it sounds like a graphic's issue but I'm not technical enough to suggest a solution.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 10: 10 April 1809 All quiet on the western front

This turn was remarkable for the apparent lack of activity. No reports, no sightings


No doubt my policy of complete inactivity has disconcerted the Archduke Charles and caused him to rethink his entire plan.[:D]

In the meantime I notice that my orders to Davout and Massena to throw out cavalry screens along the main approach roads have been obeyed and Rouyers Bavarian Division is now on its way to Ingolstadt.

Attempts to allocate some of the 5,000 replacements at Donauworth to Gency and Bruyers Divisions failed again this turn. Will just have to wait for Frank to explain what I'm doing wrong.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube
near Amberg : 15500 - Increased from 10,500 yesterday.
near Klattau : 25000 - Probably the corps from Pilsen or Wimperk.
near Zwettel : 8000 - Reduced from 14,000 yesterday

Austrian Forces on the Inn
near Schaerding : 6500 - Probably the corps which was at Lambach yesterday.

Austrian Reserve Forces
near Brunn : 9500 - Probably the Corps from Brusau yesterday
near Goding : 21000 - Reduced from 27,000 yesterdaynear
Iglau : 24000 - Probably the 17,500 troops reported at Znaim yesterday.
near Wolkersdorf : 28500 - Increased from 15,500
near Znaim : 9500 - Probably the Corps from Brunn yesterday

Looks like Archduke Charles may be massing his corps in the towns just North of the Danube. But still no sign of movement along the Inn.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 11: 11 April 1809 Going to be a close run thing

The Austrians capture Landau and it starts raining again. Another 1,000 supplies are sent from Ulm to Donauworth which is running short again.

The Austrians are now less than 100Km from Ingolstadt and should be able to close with Davouts Corps within the next five days if they move promptly. The Imperial Guard are due to arrive at Ulm in 3 days but will then have a march of 150Km to reach Davout. It will be touch and go whether the guard reach Ingolstadt in time to take part in the first battle.

The distance between Massena's Corps at Augsberg and Davout at Ingolstadt is 72km or about 3 days march. Massenna must therefore march tomorrow or the day after (14th) to reach Ingolstadt in time to face the Austrians with Davout. Assuming that there is still no movement towards Augsberg from the Austrians on the Inn.



*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube
near Pilsen : 26500 reported yesterday as 17,550 could be fresh troops or units massing to march on Cham.
near Klattau : 19000 reduced from 25000
near Zwettel : 5,500 - Reduced from 8,000 yesterday

Austrian Forces on the Inn
near Passau : 24000 - probably the corps at Schaerding yesterday

Austrian Reserve Forces
near Brunn : 19,000 probably the force from Prossnitz
near Goding : 23,500 increased from 21000
near Nikolsburg : 26500 probably force from Brunn

[Didz]

1809: Turn 12: 12 April 1809 Rain, Rain Come Again

No new reports this turn but the rain continues to fall hopefully hindering the Austrian advance whilst not delaying the Imperial Guards arrival.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube

near Cham : 22000 increased from 19,500
near Pilsen : 20000 Reduced from 26,500

Austrian Forces on the Inn

near Schaerding : 16000 Reduced from 20,000

Austrian Reserve Forces

near Krems : 5000 Possibly the force from Znaim.
near Vienna : 12000 Reduced from 24,000
near Znaim : 27000 Probably the corps from Nikolsburg
near Zwettel : 8000 increased from 5,500

It still looks as though Austrian forces are quite dispersed. I am hoping that once the Guard arrives I shall be able to fall upon these scattered Corps and destroy them in detail.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 13: 13 April 1809 The Point of Decision

The Guard and presumably the Emperor will be arriving at Ulm in two days time. It is therefore time to concentrate the Army and prepare to go on the offensive.

Orders are dispatched to the II Corps (Lannes) and IV Corps (Massena) currently at Augsberg to march for Ingolstadt to join Davout and Lefebrve. Their retreat point is set to Donauworth and they are ordered to march to the guns if battle is joined before they arrive.

500 additional supplies are dispatched to the depot at Ingolstadt in anticipation of their arrival.

No new reports were received this turn but the rain continues to fall and the roads are becoming abysmal. This will no doubt hinder the movement of the II & IV Corps but will also delay the Austrian advance whilst not delaying the Imperial Guards arrival.

Only Vandamme's Germans will remain at Augsberg to guard the depot and cover the right flank of the army but there is still no sign of any Austrian movement to cross the Inn and so I see no justification for leaving any more troops. In fact I am tempted to move the Germans to Ingolstadt with the others.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube

Enemy forces reported near Tabor : 23500 Probably the force of 24,000 previously reported at Iglau
Enemy forces reported near Zwettel : 23500 Previously reported as 5,000? Not sure where this force came from.

Austrian Forces on the Inn

Enemy forces reported near Landau : 15000 Looks like a weak Corps

Austrian Reserve Forces

Enemy forces reported near Goding : 22500 Reduced from 23,500
Enemy forces reported near Olmutz : 29000 A fresh Corps perhaps?
Enemy forces reported near Znaim : 8000 Previously reported as 27,000?

[Didz]

1809: Turn 14: 14 April 1809 'La Garde Arrive'

The Guard arrives at Ulm a day earlier than expected and is immediately ordered to march on Ingolstadt to join Davout and Lefebvre. The Corps is reinforced by Nansouty's Cavalry Division and Lauriston's two batteries of artillery bringing their total strength to 16,000 men. The Emperor has yet to arrive but is expected tommorrow.

No confirmation has been received that Massena and Lannes received yesterdays orders to march on Ingolstadt and so these were repeated today.

200 supplies have been dispatched to Augsberg to replenish the depot which is down to 45.

Bruyers Cavalry Division is assigned to Lefebvre's VII Corps (which has no cavalry) and is ordered to screen the road from Ingolstadt to Freising.

Reports confirm that the Austrians have captured Regensburg and Landshut.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube

Enemy forces reported near Budweis : 11000 Increased from 8,000
Enemy forces reported near Landau : 12000 Reduced from 15,000
Enemy forces reported near Neumarkt : 19000 Probably the corps from Amberg

Austrian Forces on the Inn

Enemy forces reported near Braunau : 5000 Reduced from 21,000 originally reported here over a week ago.
Enemy forces reported near Passau : 17000 Reduced from 24,000
Enemy forces reported near Schaerding : 26000 Probably the force reported at Linz a few days ago.

Austrian Reserve Forces

Enemy forces reported near Wagram : 12500 Probably the corps reported at Pressburg a few days ago.
Enemy forces reported near Wolkersdorf : 8500 Reduced from 28,500 in earlier reports

It is clear from these reports that the enemy continues to probe westward and that its most westward elements are approaching Neumarkt. It is hoped that an advance on Regensberg and Straubing will threaten the enemies line of supply sufficient to halt this advance and bring about a major engagement with a portion of the enemy army. At worst the enemy force approaching Neumarkt could pose a threat to my depots at Ingolstadt and Donauworth if these are left unguarded.

It now seems that at least some of the enemy forces on the Inn are moving west along the line of the Danube but they are still too far away to assist their comrades to the North.

My intention is to mass my army and drive North seizing Regensberg, Straubing, and Degensdorf in order to drive a wedge between the two wings of the enemy army and force a major battle.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 15: 15 April 1809 'La Garde Marche'

The weather has cleared.

The Guard leaves Ulm and begins its march to Ingolstadt. Massena and Lannes Corps confirm that they are also en-route for that town.

The Emperor has still not arrived and has obviously been delayed by affairs of state in Paris.

As expected the Austrians have captured Neumarkt.

500 supplies are dispatched to Ingolstadt which is down to 86 stock.


*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube

Enemy forces reported near Neumarkt : 8500 reduced from 19,000 reported yesterday
Enemy forces reported near Straubing : 25,000 First confirmation of the strength of this force.

Austrian Forces on the Inn

Enemy forces reported near Braunau : 28,000 increased from 5,000 reported yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Schaerding : 15,000 reduced from 17,000 report yesterday.

Austrian Reserve Forces

Enemy forces reported near Olmutz : 23000 reduced from 29,000
Enemy forces reported near Possnitz : 15000 Reduced from 19,000
Enemy forces reported near Prerau : 17000 Increased from 15,000

It will be interesting to see the Austrian reaction to an attack on their positions along the Danube. If they are using the Danube to transport supplies then the capture of either Regensberg or Straubing could serious compromise their plans.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 16: 16 April 1809 (Clear) 'L'empereur arrives at Ulm'

The Emperor has finally arrived at Ulm and immediately prepares to leave for Ingolstadt to join Davout.

The Guard are instructed to hurry their march as is Massena. The Emperor is keen to begin offensive operations as soon as possible now that he has arrived in theatre.

There are no further reports of Austrian movement and very little by way of intelligence.

*** Intelligence Report ***

Austrian Forces North of the Danube

Enemy forces reported near Cham : 11500 reduced from 22,000
Enemy forces reported near Iglau : 21000 Possibly the Corps reported at Zwettel
Enemy forces reported near Passau : 13500 reduced from 16,000
Enemy forces reported near Tabor : 17500 Reduced from 21,000

Austrian Forces on the Inn

No new intelligence.

Austrian Reserve Forces

Enemy forces reported near Wagram : 14000 increased from 12,500
Enemy forces reported near Wolkersdorf : 28000 increased from 8,500



Current intelligence suggests that the local situation is as depicted above with elements of the Austrian Army spread in a wide arc from Neumarkt in the North to Landau in the East. Their main strength seems to be concentrated around Straubing where 25,000 men are said to be gathered with a further 11,500 in support at Cham. 12,000 men are reported at Landau with a further 8,500 at Deggendorf. Whilst Neumarkt is said to be occupied by a mere 8,500.

If these reports are accurate then the Austrians are badly dispersed and if I can mass my army at Ingolstadt I shall be able to use the advantage of the central position to strike at each detachment in turn and drive a wedge between the Austrian Left at Neumarkt and its right at Landau.

[Didz]

1809: Turn 17: 17 April 1809 (Clear) 'L'garde drags its heels'

Despite being ordered to hurry their march the Guard still stiff from their long journey by wagon drag their heels and get no further than Neubourg by nightfall. The Emperor rattled past them in the morning and urged Mouton to get the lead out of his boots. At least the Guard cavalry seem to be making good progress and are passing through Donauworth.

Massena and Lannes have reached Ingolstadt and Napoleon decides that he will begin the offensive without the Guard infantry.

There are still no reports of further Austrian movement and no local intelligence.



Orders for the advance to contact

Even before Napoleon reached Ingolstadt he began issuing the orders which would bring the French army into contact with the Austrians on the Danube.

The II Corps (Lannes), III Corps (Davout), IV Corps (Massena) and VII Corps (Lefebrve) totalling approximatley 152,000 men were to march on Eckmuhl tomorrow engaging any enemy they encountered and marching to the sound of the guns in mutual support, leaving the Guard to catch up as best they could.

Eckmuhl would be the new French forward depot and 200 supplies were dispatched immediately from Donauworth to establish it as such. In addition four days supplies were dispatched for each of the four corps taking part in the advance in anticipation of the need to replenish before a proper depot could be established.

The light cavalry divisions were thrown out ahead of the advance to screen the French movements and confirm the location of the enemy. Montbrun's Div. scouting towards Regensburg, Bruyer towards Landshut and Marulaz towards Straubing.