More interesting is the clarification of some of the BS [drivel] re-written over the exuberance and 'will' of N. to defeat the allied armies and how he achieved it. Damn lucky is all I can say!
Despite being 'lured' by the lore of N. I can see now that he was a very lucky boy that day- a number of oversights and near fatal errors, reinforced by lack of initiative as well it appears to me.
What contributed to the victory?- Allied blind obedience to an ill-prepared plan and near complete lack of initiative in changed circumstances by Russian column commanders. Those that stood still.
A 'flank' march nearly complete when Bagrations 'Avant-Garde' wasn't even 'up' in line contrasting to the commonly held line that his was an early effort in the battle.
Astoundingly it seems the Austrians fought every bit as well and deliberately as the Russians did, with greater initiative and skill shepherding their troops.
In near equal numbers they held for some time but were eventually worn down by better shooting and slightly larger and full battery artillery compositions than their own piecemeal battalion guns fiasco.
Had battle been given on the full frontage, the French ability to divert and reinforce would have been greatly reduced. Pratzen under Soults control would have been even more tenuous.
Neither side committed their ultimate reserves as they could have to make that greater decisive impact. The 'drama' of the 'mop up', the 360 degree turn and the collapse of 3 columns morale, could have been different had N. continued to advance against the Rausnitz stream; deployed opposite (much like Mont Saint-Jean valley) the Garde artillery 24 guns and whatever line companies were available would have decimated the Imperial Russian Guards in open terrain and hard ground where every shot would have counted.
Similarly had Bernadottes corps advanced to the stream their close range shooting would have forced the Russians to move even faster in retreat.
There were the basics of an annihiliation of enemy that would have earnestly been called butchery, rather than the stories of 'Satchen' et al.
There well, I've got that off my chest… back to the painting…
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looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!