I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1211 The Gap in Military Technology
Baron Werneck was overjoyed.

The French were too eager to attack, so much so that they hadn't even formed their proper ranks. While our side was also hastily arrayed, at least we had managed to establish an infantry line.

As long as there are no mistakes in command, the French army's surprise attack will be a gift of victory to them!

He immediately and calmly issued a series of orders: "The cavalry battalion should immediately disperse the enemy's artillery."

"The cavalry artillery deployed near the bushes on the south side and attacked the enemy's left flank."

"The reserve corps is moving south..."

After the officers left with their orders, Vernek still felt it wasn't safe enough, so he took his guards, rode to the front line, and personally supervised the infantry line battle.

More than ten minutes later, the loosely organized French attacking column had already rushed to within 200 paces of the Austrian vanguard.

Until this point, Vernek had not noticed that although the French soldiers' formation was chaotic, the seven or eight thousand soldiers maintained the same pace of advance and their positions relative to each other remained almost unchanged.

This is the result of long-term training.

The Austrian horse artillerymen had also arrived at their designated positions. The soldiers hurriedly unloaded the wagons, preparing to begin firing.

After Archduke Karl's military reforms, Austria also established French-style cavalry artillery units. Although their mobility was not as fast as their French counterparts, it was still several times faster than ordinary artillery, enabling them to suddenly appear at key points and launch attacks.

However, at that moment, a French hussar force of six or seven hundred men charged up from the valley to the southeast, only three kilometers away from them.

Yes, the French hot air balloons had already spotted the Austrian horse artillerymen as soon as they began their southward maneuver. The open Po Plain was a perfect breeding ground for high-altitude reconnaissance battalions.

Moro immediately dispatched four hussar companies to deal with the situation.

The Austrian hussars responsible for covering the artillery reacted quickly, immediately adjusting their formation and heading towards the French cavalry.

Just before they were about to collide, both cavalry units followed their "routine" and veered to their right, passing each other.

At the same time, both sides drew their guns and fired to their sides.

Shooting while moving at high speed is unlikely to be effective, but it's better than nothing, and the sound of gunfire can serve as a deterrent.

A series of flashes of fire appeared, and amidst the billowing smoke, several people on each side were hit by bullets.

The Austrian hussars put away their carbines and prepared to turn around and regroup, but they soon noticed that the Frenchmen were still holding their guns, fiddling with them for some reason, and then the gunfire rang out again.

As several Austrian cavalrymen screamed and fell from their horses, the French cavalrymen pulled the triggers, turned the cylinders, loaded their guns, and then fired another round.

After firing six volleys in a row, the Frenchmen finally put away their guns, satisfied.

Although the damage was not significant—only about 20 people were hit in total—the fact that they could only take the hits and not fight back severely damaged morale, and the Austrian cavalrymen were filled with horror.

Yes, nearly half of the French hussars are currently equipped with the Joseph 1797 revolver—because the manufacturing process is too complex, resulting in only this many production runs.

Although this gun has a relatively short range, it has rifling, so the trajectory is flat and the killing distance is not much less than that of an ordinary short-barreled flintlock musket.

In terms of rate of fire, it far surpasses the carbine.

Both cavalrymen turned around simultaneously in the distance. The Austrians were clearly stunned by the attack, and only began to hastily regroup when the French hussars drew their sabers and charged toward their artillery positions.

On the main battlefield, the French skirmisher group launched its first volley when it was 130 paces from the enemy. Vernecker shook his head dismissively, thinking to himself that this group of French soldiers must be new recruits, not only were their ranks disorderly, but they were also firing indiscriminately.

But when he saw his own infantry line lying dead like withered grass in a strong wind, he was immediately shocked and his mouth dropped open.

Such a high hit rate at such a long distance?!
Then, the French troops actually stopped and began reloading on the spot. Only a fool wouldn't take advantage of their range advantage.

After their second volley killed another seven or eight hundred Austrian soldiers, Werneck dared not hesitate any longer and turned to his messenger, shouting: "The whole army advance 50 paces!"

His central army was equipped with more than 3 wind lances. Once they entered firing range, they could defeat the French with their overwhelming rate of fire!
Drums sounded in front of the Austrian army's position. Although the soldiers were surprised that they were being asked to take the initiative in a defensive battle, they still resolutely carried out the order.

The standard pace of an infantry line formation is 70 steps per minute. This resulted in the Austrian army being hit by two more volleys, and the left flank, constantly bombarded by artillery, was showing signs of collapse.

Vernek clenched his fists tightly, staring intently at his own left flank, until he heard the officer raise his sword and order to fire, at which point he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Fortunately, the soldiers held on and did not break down.

So next, it's time for our side to counterattack!

At that moment, the French soldiers quickly sought cover nearby, some even crouching low.

Air gun bullets whizzed past, but hardly hit any people.

Werner was stunned. This... how does this resemble skirmish tactics?

Nearly ten thousand stragglers?!

Are the French joking?!

The next moment, the French soldiers who had finished loading their weapons reappeared from their hiding places, and a dense barrage of firefights erupted.

Just then, the French cavalry artillery completed a salvo. Vernec's left flank finally collapsed under the combined attack of Minié shells and artillery fire.

Vernek simply couldn't understand why a line of infantry with a numerical advantage would lose to a group of skirmishers in a firefight.

It's important to understand that skirmishers are usually only used for harassment. Once the opposing infantry lines begin firing in unison, they will retreat, handing the battlefield over to their own infantry lines.

Vernecker glanced at the rear ranks of the French infantry. There were only two thin ranks, and they were far apart; clearly, they were not intended for a decisive battle.

He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice to the messenger, "All troops, launch a frontal assault! Tear the enemy apart with hand-to-hand combat!"

Because skirmishers are positioned haphazardly and have large gaps between each other, they have little ability to resist a mass charge by a line of infantry.

Wernek decided to take a gamble.

Savary, the former commander of Morrow's army, frowned upon hearing the rapid drumbeats from the opposite side. Were the Austrians about to charge?
He quickly made a judgment and told the messenger, "Order the soldiers to maintain free fire."

According to standard combat procedures, when facing an enemy close-range charge, skirmishers should retreat, line up behind the lines, and then form a horizontal formation.

But the Austrian army had already suffered heavy casualties in the previous exchange of fire. He believed that the enemy would be completely routed before they could even get within hand-to-hand combat range.

Soon, more than 13,000 Austrian soldiers, bayonets pointed forward and shouting, surged toward the French skirmishers.

(End of this chapter)