As the Italian Corps spearheads north into Venetia, it runs straight into what is persumed to be the Austrian Left Army of Italy, massively reinforced by Grenzer units from the Military Frontier to over double it's original strength.
Despite being outnumbered 3 to 1, the 11,625 men of the Italian Corps advances on the 31,732 Austrian army, beginning what would become one of the most bizzare engagements in the war.
At first sight of the enemy, a message is sent to Marshal Masséna, commander of the Armée d'Italie (Which is still en route from Modena), to make haste and reinforce the outnumbered Italian Corps.
Until the arrival of reinforcements, the Italian Corps (Comprising a single Infantry brigade and a single Cavalry brigade) pushes recklessly ahead. Helped with the initial dispersion of the Austrian infantry, the Italian Corps manages to singlehandedly inflict around 3,000 casualties on the Austrians (Mostly in cavalry charges) before even the first of Masséna's troops arrives.
In the evening, the first troops of the Armée d'Italie arrive at the field, with Masséna himself at the head of the cavalry. More troops pour in during the night, tired from the march but ready to fight. In response, the Austrian commander asks for what is now positively identified as the Right Army of Italy to be recalled from the Alps to reinforce him.
By morning, the Armée d'Italie has fully arrived, but with the incoming Right Army of Italy, the French are now outnumbered once more. At dawn, it is clear the French army, now located mostly between 3 villages on the left bank of the river, is in trouble. Austrian infantry occupy the riverbank, villages and high ground to the north, the plains to the west and the valley and town to the south. An Austrian infantry unit is being engaged by 2 French infantry brigades to the northeast, tying them down and preventing them from supporting the main body of the army.
In a stroke of luck, the untried Grenzer units, having formed emergency squares when threatened by French cavalry, get disorganized while trying to change formation. The French cavalry charges the disorganized Austrian infantry, causing massive casualties. Unfortunately, more Austrian units continue to pour in from the northwest.
The brigades to the northeast at last rout the Austrian infantry, soon thereafter crossing the river to join the main engagement. Leaving the forces in the north to hold the line, the reinforcements swing south and attack the Austrian infantry in the valley to the southwest, routing them.
The engagement to the north continues, but bogs down as brigades on both side lose organization and consequently power to hurt each other. Units beging to break on both sides as the superior French troops are countered by superior Austrian numbers.
With the majority of the French force to the north losing cohesion, a retreat to the south is made in order to form another line.
The brigades to the south, having cleared the enemy from there, now swing to clear the left flank. Occupying the high ground, they begin raining musketry on the Austrian infantry. Simultaneously, several reformed French brigades advance on the right flank of the Austrian line to the north.
A single Austrian brigade wades into the reforming French line, it is promptly charged several times and surrenders.
With the help of recently reformed cavalry, the French army routs the Austrians to the west while the rest of the army pushes north. Seeing the destruction of their flanks and the renewed French assault, the Austrian troops to the north begin to lose their will to fight. Several units break and run without even having contacted the enemy again.
The Austrian commander calls for more reinforcements, persumabely recalling the Army of Italy, but it is too late as the rest of the Austrian units rout as the French line comes back into contact. Without having so much as sounded the retreat, the Austrian army has disappeared into the hills, conceeding the field to the baffled French.
Amazingly, only 2,857 casualties are suffered by the massively outnumbered French army, compared to 10,399 Austrian casualties (With a few brigades taken prisoner).
More importantly, at least 2 out of 3 of the Austrian Italian armies have been drawn off and defeated, ensuring that the Coalition forces in Germany would not be significantly reinforced.