Ulm Campaign, 1805

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Karl Mack von Lieberich versus Napoleon Bonaparte: An Austrian army under Mack charges blindly into a trap set by the French army under Bonaparte. Can Bonaparte close the net before Mack realizes his folly? Includes the Battles of Wertingen, Haslach-Jungingen, Elchingen and Ulm. Click on images below to view battle; first image opens video presentation and the second image opens PowerPoint presentation.

This is one of Bonaparte’s most important campaigns. Without this nearly bloodless capture of the entire Austrian army, Bonaparte would have never been able to fight Austerlitz on the terms that allowed him to win a glorious victory, one of the most decisive victories of the Napoleonic Wars.

Bonaparte misdirected Mack’s attention by playing on his expectations of a French invasion through the Black Forest. Even so, only the speed and direction of Bonaparte’s marshals ensured that such a large Austrian force was captured at almost no cost.

Bonaparte’s battles and campaigns are a treat to animate. Whenever I try to explain the brilliance in this man possessed in all aspects of war, I fail, so I will not attempt to do so here. Instead, I will continue to animate the most fascinating military operations history has ever seen in my opinion. In fact, I have considered using an entire season to focus entire of Bonaparte’s battles and campaigns. It will most likely never happen because there are already enough battles I am prepared to animate to last through Season VII but you never know.

- Jonathan Webb

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