In the history books of later generations, this Lakeside-Danube Battle was blown up to the sky!
It is said that this battle was of epoch-making significance, completely changing the shape of war, completely ending the era of square formations, and opening the door to the era of line tactics and skirmishing tactics.
For many years to come, military strategists from both the West and the East would use the Lakeside-Danube Battle as a textbook to study and study over and over again, eager to understand every detail and restore every battle.
However, in all the historical materials they can read, the real purpose of this battle will not be mentioned - the Ottomans wanted to rob the bank in Vienna, and Archduke Henry wanted to protect the bank in Vienna from being robbed. Do not set up a defensive line between the Lakeside and the Danube River and defend it to the death.
In addition to the fact that the true purpose of the battle cannot be made public, the deployment of both sides has been clearly recorded in various historical materials, and is of great research value.
The deployment of the Austrian Army, which started with a defensive posture, completely changed the pattern of the war. The era of phalanx is completely ended! The era of line infantry and skirmishers has officially arrived, and the era of field position warfare has also arrived.
The pattern of land field battles has become more complex and difficult to command since this war.
The main reason for this series of changes is technological progress.
The emergence of wooden-topped shells and cork-rifled bullets has completely eliminated the era of phalanxes that had existed for countless years - it is not that square formations can no longer be arranged, but that the era of phalanxes is over. The era of horizontal formations and skirmishing formations has arrived.
In fact, this process began during the Battle of Gerburg that made Leopold I the Saint, and the Battle of Lakeside-Danube was the end of the old era and the beginning of the new era!
In addition to the revolutionary changes in infantry formations, the Austrian army participating in this battle had completely eliminated the long gun.
This means that the infantry's muskets are enough to pose a fatal threat to the galloping cavalry!
In addition, Lake Strand, the battlefield of the Battle of the Danube, has also become very spacious. Not only does it have a larger front, but it also has a larger depth.
The frontal width of the Lakeside-Danube River reached 25 kilometers, while the depth of the Austrian army's defense exceeded 5 kilometers. The Ottoman reconnaissance only discovered the frontal width of the battlefield, not the depth of the Austrian defenses.
In other words, the Austrian army, which totaled no more than 100,000, was divided into several 25-kilometer-long fronts and deployed on the battlefield.
Of course, the 100,000-strong army did not really form several lines on the battlefield, which would not be able to withstand the desperate attack of the Ottoman cavalry.
These 100,000 Austrian troops were divided into multiple clusters, either supporting defense lines or relying on strongholds, forming a deep defense that was difficult to break through.
A series of field fortifications have greatly enhanced the infantry's combat capabilities in defensive operations. It was by relying on these fortifications that the scattered infantry of the Austrians could withstand the concentrated offensive of the Ottoman army.
On October 11, 1700, the main force of the Ottoman army had arrived in front of the Austrian front between Lakeside and the Danube River.
The Tatar cavalry had spent the previous day fighting with the skirmishers and cavalry covering the Austrian positions. The battle was not fierce, but it lasted for a long time. It was not until noon on the 11th that the Ottoman brigade arrived, and the Austrian skirmishers (chassers) and light cavalry retreated to their positions.
On the same day, Mustafa Koprulu and Mustafa Kara began to inspect the position of the Austrian army, escorted by a large number of Yenicheri warriors.
He didn't dare to get too close, for fear of being shot by the opponent's hunters with rifled guns!
The two of them don't want to meet the Great Lord yet.
Although they were not close, the experienced Mustafa Koprulu and Mustafa Kara still saw some clues. They discovered that the Austrian defense line was not a straight trench and a low wall - it was just the Austrian's first line of defense.
Behind this line of defense, there are at least six important support points, each of which was rebuilt with an Austrian village or town as its core.
As for the specifics of these support points and what is behind the support points, they do not know.
In addition, the two wings of the Austrian army's Lakeside-Danube River defense line were well protected by the Lakeside and Danube River, making it very inconvenient for the Ottoman army to make a detour. Breaking through from the front seems to be the only way.
Fortunately, the front of the Austrian defense line is too wide, and the deployment of troops will be very dispersed. It will not be very difficult to concentrate the troops to achieve a breakthrough. The only question is how many casualties there will be.
However, with the banks of Vienna as bait, Mustafa Koprulu and Mustafa Kara are not very worried about casualties, they are worried about time!
Time is not on the side of the Ottoman Empire!
If they can't sack Vienna before Louis the Great's army marches into Austria, then they may never get to Vienna... and they can no longer rob the banks in Vienna!
After returning to the military tent behind the battle line, Mustafa Kara said to the Grand Vizier: "We should concentrate our forces to break through from one or two points... As long as we break through their defense line, we can It’s a big win.”
Mustafa Koprulu nodded and said: "We have more people and more guns... As long as we use them concentratedly, we will definitely win. But we can't just attack one point, but should attack three points."
"Big Viktor, how do you want to fight?" Mustafa Kara asked.
"This is Lakeside and this is the Danube. The Austrian defense line is right between the two, a straight line. What is certain now is that they dug a long trench and built a defense line with sandbags. They probably also prepared a large number of 'Spanish cavalier' (a type of cavalry gun)."
Mustafa Koprulu made gestures on a table he had snatched from somewhere. He said: "We should first attack the Austrian positions on the lakeside and the Danube River... This is to involve their two wings. , drawing their reserves to the left and right, leaving the center empty.
Then we gathered the most elite Yenicheri warriors and used the greatest determination to penetrate the Austrian trenches and parapet defenses in one fell swoop. Finally, the Tatar cavalry was thrown in to attack the enemy's rear and cut off the enemy's retreat on the left and right wings. "
Mustafa Koprulu's deployment was later written into military textbooks and became a standard tactic for breaking through local position defenses.
"Grand Vizier, when will we launch the attack?" Mustafa Kara asked again.
"Tomorrow early in the morning," Mustafa Koprulu thought for a while, "starting at 3 a.m., 180 cannons will be placed on both wings to bombard the Austrian positions on the lakeside and Danube River for an hour, and then Attack again.”
...
Behind the Austrian lines, the Pozno Fortress.
This is a fortress converted from an ordinary farm, because it faces a large forest that is "forbidden to cut down" (because of the emergence of cork rifled bullets, skirmisher and hunter tactics became popular, which greatly increased the defensive value of the forest! ), so it became an important stronghold on the Lakeside-Danube defense line.
On the night of October 11, 1700, the eve of the Battle of Lakeside-Danube, Henry de Mancini's headquarters entered the Pozno Fortress, which was sheltered by a large forest.
At 8 o'clock that night, Henry de Mancini summoned all three of his corps commanders and seven division commanders to his headquarters and announced to them an order to defend the Grand Duchy of Austria with arms! At the same time, he also conveyed to them some good news he had just received.
"Roman Emperor Louis I has ordered the 9th Army stationed in Upper Austria, the 10th Army stationed in Bavaria, and the 11th Army stationed in Venice to march towards Austria together! In addition, the Hussites in the Czech Republic and the Christians in Upper Hungary are marching Launch an uprising, and if we can hold out for just one week on the Lake-Danube line... Austria will be saved! God will be with us!"
