At his words, Archduke Karl frowned and glanced at the map hanging from the wooden frame.
The staff officers had already marked it with the French Army's movements. The map looked chaotic, as though the French were everywhere throughout the German Territories.
[Current deployment map of both sides: blue represents the French Army, purple represents the Allied Forces]
Scharnhorst rose and analyzed the situation. "According to reports from various locations, the largest French force is heading toward Bavaria and Nuremberg."
The Duke of York smiled. "Could they be seeking a decisive battle?"
North of Nuremberg lay western Saxony. At the Allied Forces' current marching speed, they indeed might encounter those French troops.
Werneck, Austria's Chief of Staff, was stunned for a moment before blurting out, "Or they could suddenly turn east from Passau..."
This was a scene no austrian officer could ever forget—back then, Moreau had rapidly driven into western Austria from there, even briefly occupying the town of Perg in its heartland. The entire Vienna had been thrown into panic, with great numbers of nobles fleeing to the countryside for shelter.
There was no guarantee the French would not try the same thing again.
Scharnhorst nodded. "We truly should guard against that. I suggest detaching a corps and sending it south at once, into Bavaria, to establish defenses along the Straubing-Passau line."
The Duke of York cleared his throat. "Ahem, but what if the French truly come to Saxony?"
"Then that forward corps will move west and intercept them at Bayreuth. After that, it will wait for our main force to encircle them from the flank."
The men quickly reached a consensus and turned to Archduke Karl.
After pondering briefly, he ordered, "General Würmser will lead two divisions of the Galicia Corps, along with General Kray's corps